by Lauren Smith

Autumn and winter can get a bit dull and grey in Yorkshire, and I wanted to create something to give me a bit of a zingy pop of cheer for cloudier days. Not very many people suit a whole sweater made of day-glow yarn (and I'm certainly not one of them!) so the brightness is balanced against a calmer backdrop. I love the combination of denim blue and the acid greeny yellow of Jessica of Ginger Twist's hand-dyed yarn, but I think it would also look great with a raspberry pink and pale biscuit, or what about carrot orange on coal grey?

A modern twist on a traditional top-down circular yoke Fair-Isle sweater, Cubes combines the speed of a chunky cropped sweater with the interest of a little bit of geometric colour-work and trims which give you the opportunity to add a real pop of colour to the darkening days.

The sweater is designed to fit closely with one or two inches of positive ease, but would also look good with slight negative ease. If you are between sizes, I recommend making the smaller size, or combining sizes to suit you. As it's knit from the top down in one piece, so you can try it on as you go.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown on size M with 1 inch positive ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust circumference: 31.5[36.5, 40, 45, 49, 54, 58] inches
Length: 9[9, 9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 9.75, 9.75] inches from underarm to hem
Waist circumference: 26[29, 32, 37, 41, 46, 50] inches
Sleeve length: 16.5[17, 17, 17.5, 17.5, 18, 18] inches to wrist

MATERIALS
Yarn
[MC] Woolyknit Lofty [80% merino, 20% nylon; 116yd/106m per 100g skein]; color: Denim; 4[4, 5, 6, 6, 7] skeins
[CC] Ginger Twist's Ginger's Hand Dyed Chunky [100% wool; 131yd/120m per 100g skein]; color: Gorblimey; 1[1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #10/6mm double-pointed needles
1 US #10/6mm circular needle, 24 inches or longer [longer needle recommended for larger sizes]

Notions
yarn needle
stitch markers - at least 2 distinct ones for shaping
stitch holders or waste yarn

GAUGE

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

DIRECTIONS
YOKE
With CC and circular needle CO 72[72, 76, 76, 80, 80, 80] sts. Place marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work 2x2 rib until work measures 0.5 inch from cast-on edge.

Change to MC.

Increase Rnd 1
Size XS: [K3, m1] 10 times, [k4, m1] twice, [k3, m1] 10 times, [k4, m1]. 95 sts
Size S: [K3, m1] 11 times, [k2, m1] twice, [k3, m1] 11 times, k2, m1. 97 sts
Size M: {[K4, m1] twice, [k3, m1] 10 times} twice. 100 sts

Size L: [K3, m1] 9 times, [k2, m1] 6 times, [k3, m1] 9 times, [k2, m1] 5 times. 105 sts
Size 1X: {[K3, m1] 12 times, [k2, m1] 2 times} twice. 108 sts

Size 2X: [K3, m1] 9 times, [k2, m1] 7 times, [k3, m1] 9 times, [k2, m1] 6 times. 111 sts
Size 3X: [K2, m1] to end. 120 sts

Work even until yoke measures 1[1.25, 1.25, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5] inches

Increase Rnd 2
Size XS: [K2, m1] twice, [k3, m1] 15 times, [m1, k2] twice, [k3, m1] 14 times. 128 sts
Size S: [K2, m1] twice, [k3, m1] 15 times, [k2, m1] 3 times, [k3, m1] 14 times. 131 sts
Size M: {[K3, m1] 14 times, [k2, m1] 4 times} twice. 136 sts

Size L: [K2, m1] 3 times, [k3, m1] 16 times, [k2, m1] 3 times, [k3, m1] 15 times. 142 sts
Size 1X: {[K3, m1] 16 times, [k2, m1] 3 times} twice. 146 sts

Size 2X: [K2, m1] 3 times, [k3, m1] 17 times, [k2, m1] 3 times, [k3, m1] 16 times. 150 sts
Size 3X: {[K3, m1] 12 times, [k2, m1] 12 times} twice. 168 sts

Work even until yoke measures 2.5[3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5] inches.

Size L: {[K4, m1] 17 times, k3, m1} twice. 178 sts
Size 1X: [K3, m1] 22 times, [k2, m1] 4 times, [k3, m1] 22 times, [k2, m1] 3 times. 197 sts

Size 2X: [K3, m1] 22 times, [k2, m1] 5 times, [k3, m1] 22 times, [k2, m1] 4 times. 203 sts
Size 3X: [K2, m1] 8 times, [k3, m1] 23 times, [k2, m1] 8 times, [k3, m1] 22 times, k1. 229 sts

Work even until yoke measures 4.5[5.5, 5.25, 5.5, 5.75, 5.75, 6] inches

Size L: {[M1, k3] 19 times, [m1, k2] 16 times} twice. 248 sts
Size 1X: [K2, m1] 14 times, [k3, m1] 24 times, [k2, m1] 14 times, [k3, m1] 23 times. 272 sts

Size 2X: [K2, m1] 100 times, k3, m1. 304 sts
Size 3X: [K2, m1] 46 times, [k3, m1] 7 times, [k2, m1] 46 times, [k3, m1] 8 times. 336 sts

Begin working Cubes Chart, working 23[26, 28, 31, 34, 38, 42] repeats per rnd.

Work even until yoke measures 8[8.5, 9, 9.25, 9.5, 9.5, 9.75] inches

Divide sleeves from body:
Work 37[41, 42, 46, 50, 58, 66] sts and place on hold (sleeve); CO 4[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] sts, pm for side, CO 4[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] sts for underarm; work 55[63, 70, 78, 86, 94, 102] sts for Back; work 37[41, 42, 46, 50, 58, 66] sts and place on hold (sleeve); CO 4[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] sts, pm for side (this is the new beg of rnd), CO 4[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] sts for underarm; work 55[63, 70, 78, 86, 94, 102] sts for Front.

126[146, 160, 180, 196, 216, 232] sts, work even to beg of rnd marker.

BODY
Next Rnd: K Front sts to side marker, sm, k17[20, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34] sts, place a distinct marker for shaping, k 21[23, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34] sts, place a distinct marker for shaping, k to end.

K 10[5, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3] rnds even.

Dec Rnd: [Ssk, k to 2 sts before underarm marker, k2tog] twice. 4 sts dec'd
K 4 rnds even.

Rep the last 5 rnds 3[2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] more times. 110[134, 140, 160, 176, 196, 212] sts

Dec Rnd 2: Ssk, k to 2 sts before side marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k to shaping marker, sm, ssk, k to 2 sts before shaping marker, k2tog, sm, k to 2 sts before end of rnd, k2tog. 6 sts dec'd
K 4 rnds even.
 
Repeat the last 5 rnds 0[2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1] more times. 104[116, 128, 148, 164, 184, 200] sts

Work even if necessary until body measures 7[7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 7.75, 7.75] inches from underarm.

Cut MC and join CC.

Work 2x2 rib for 2 inches.
BO loosely in patt.

Work even until sleeve measures 1 inch from underarm.

Dec Rnd: K1, k2tog, k to 3 sts before end of rnd, ssk, k1. 2 sts dec'd

Work 5[5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3] rnds even.

Rep the last 6[6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4] rnds 5[8, 8, 11, 12, 17, 21] more times. 33[33, 34, 34, 36, 36, 36] sts

Sizes M & L only:
Next Rnd: K1, k2tog, k to end. 33 sts

ALL SIZES
Work even until sleeve measures 16.5[17, 17, 17.5, 17.5, 18, 18] inches or to wrist.

Work Sleeve Chart once.

Cuffs
Work 15 rnds in 2x2 rib, or until sleeve meets bottom of thumb.

Working FLAT, work 6 rows in 2x2 rib or until sleeve meets top of thumb.

Rejoin to work in the round.

Work 6 rnds in 2x2 rib.

BO loosely in patt.

FINISHING
Block to measurements according to yarn instructions.
Weave in ends.

Lauren took up fibre crafts as a way of making PhD-procrastination-time more productive and less guilt-inducing. When she's not knitting or spinning, writing her thesis or trying to save libraries, she's usually walking about on Ilkley Moor.

You'll find her here, or perhaps on Ravelry.