by Julia Farwell-Clay

Dave Brubeck wrote Blue Rondo a la Turk inspired by rhythms used by Turkish street musicians. As a composer, he married two traditions (American jazz, Turkish poly rhythms) with his own melody. In the many recordings of this most familiar of Brubeck's compositions, his fellow musicians improvise further, and have made this song a source of constant creative discovery.

Last spring, Beth Casey of Lorna's Laces and I agreed that their new yarn, Haymarket -- a 100% Blue-Faced Leicester wool -- would make a fine version of the classic Icelandic Lopapeysa. I love those kinds of sweaters, and I was excited to see what effect Lorna's Laces jewel toned palette could have on the form: this was my gig!

The yoke pattern is a riff on a German embroidery motif, but elongated and colored in a way that begins to feel a bit Turkish to me.

A Turkish/German/Lopapeysa? Why not? At the time, I had suggested to a friend that she would enjoy The Mummies of Urumchi, a book by Elizabeth Wayland Barber that reminds us that all our various textile traditions come from shared mothers. All it takes is a little jazz to help us marry the common threads throughout.

SIZE
XXS[XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X]
shown in size L

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 33.5[36.5, 39.25, 42, 44.75, 47.75, 50.5, 53.25, 58.75, 61.5] inches
Yoke Depth: 7.75[8, 8.5, 8.5, 8.75, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.25] inches
Length to underarm: 16 inches
Length to nape: 23.75[24, 24.5, 24.5, 24.75, 25, 26, 26.5, 27, 27.25] inches
Sleeve length: 8 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Lorna's Laces Haymarket [100% Wool, 217yd / 197m per 100g skein]
[MC] Rippey, 4[4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] skeins
[CC1] Farwell 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2] skeins
[CC2] Carrot, 1 skein
[CC3] Washington, 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
One 24-32 inch US #7/4.5 mm circular needle
US #7/4.5 mm needles for small circumferences in the round
US #6/4.0 mm needles for small circumferences in the round

Notions
stitch markers
yarn needle
circular needles in similar or smaller size to serve as sleeve stitch holders
scrap yarn

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

DIRECTIONS

Ribbing round: [K2, p2] around.
Work ribbing as set for 1.5 inches.

Change to larger needle for small circumference and work even in St st until sleeve measures 8 inches from CO edge, or to desired length to underarm.

Final round: K to 6[7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 9, 9] sts before marker, place next 12[14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 19, 19] sts on stitch holder or scrap yarn.

Place remaining sts on holding needle and set aside.

BODY
Using smaller long circular needle and MC, CO 168[180, 196, 208, 224, 236, 252, 264, 292, 308] sts.

Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. Place a second marker after st 84[90, 98, 104, 112, 118, 126, 132, 146, 154], for the side seam.

Ribbing round: [K2, p2] around.
Work ribbing as set for 2 inches.

2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th sizes only:
Increase round: [K1, m1, k to marker] twice. 168[182, 196, 210, 224, 238, 252, 266, 294, 308] sts.

Work 2 rounds even.

Adding contrast colors as indicated, work Hem Chart 12[13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22] times around.

Next round, start waist decreases: *K2, k2tog, k to 4 sts before marker, ssk, k2; rep from * once more. 4 sts decreased.
Work 6 rounds even.
Repeat the last 7 rounds 3 times more. 152[166, 180, 194, 208, 222,

Next round, start waist increases: *K2, m1, k to 2 sts before marker, m1, k2; rep from * once more. 4 sts increased.
Work 8 rounds even.
Repeat the last 9 rounds 3 times more. 168[182, 196, 210, 224, 238, 252, 266, 294, 308] sts.

Continue even in MC until piece measures 16 inches from CO edge, or to desired length to underarm.

Next round: Work to last 6[7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 9, 9] sts before first marker, place next 12[14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 19, 19] sts on stitch holder or scrap yarn, removing marker as you come to it. Knit across 48[50, 58, 61, 64, 71, 73, 76, 81, 89] held sts of first sleeve. Knit across back sts to 6[7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 9, 9] sts before second marker, place next 12[14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 19, 19] sts on stitch holder or scrap yarn, removing marker as you come to it. Knit across 48[50, 58, 61, 64, 71, 73, 76, 81, 89] held sts of second sleeve. Place marker to mark new start of round. 240[254, 284, 302, 320, 346, 360, 378, 418, 448] sts.

In next round, adjust st count by increasing or decreasing evenly around so that st total is 234[252, 288, 306, 324, 342, 360, 378, 414, 450] sts; in other words, -6[-2, +4, +4, +4, -4, 0, 0, -4, +2].

Note: You'll now establish the Yoke Chart.
For 1st size, work Yoke Chart 1
For 2nd and 3rd sizes, work Yoke Chart 2.
For 4th size, work Yoke Chart 3.
For 5th, 6th, 7th sizes, work Yoke Chart 4.
For 8th and 9th sizes, work Yoke Chart 5.
For 10th size, work Yoke Chart 6.

Work Yoke Chart according to size using contrast colors as indicated, including decreases where indicated, through rnd 41[41, 45, 45, 45, 48, 48, 48) of chart. 117[112, 128, 136, 126, 133, 140, 147, 161, 150]sts.

Work 0[1, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 5] rounds even.

Next round: K all sts, working wraps together with wrapped sts as you come to them.

Work 0[1, 2, 0, 1, 2, 4, 3, 4, 4] rounds even.

Decrease round: (K3[5, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 4, 2], k2tog) 6[16, 8, 16, 4, 8, 13, 18, 11, 13] times, (k4[0, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 5, 3], k2tog) 12[0, 16, 8, 16, 17, 12, 7, 6, 14] times, (k3[0, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 4, 2], k2tog) 3[0, 4, 8, 2, 4, 7, 10, 5, 7] times. 96[96, 100, 104, 104, 104, 108, 112, 116, 116] sts.

Change to smaller needle.

Ribbing round: [K2, p2] around,
Work ribbing as set for 1 inch. BO all sts loosely.

FINISHING
Using Kitchener Stitch, close underarm holes. Weave in all ends. Wet block and lay flat to dry.

Julia Farwell-Clay lives and knits in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in a old white house with an overgrown garden. If the bike isn't propped by the back door, it's because either she's out for the day, or it's snowing.

She blogs here.