INTRODUCTION

Bottle Rocket

by Michelle Porter

This is the men’s hoodie that many will ask for, plain and simple. It’s worked in thick, bulky, natural wool for the outdoorsman. It has all the features of a regular hoodie, plus one extra – a bottle pocket. This extra little pocket is perfect for your water bottle (or more likely a beer) when you need your hands free. This is what he will wear when fishing, camping, hiking or working in the woods.

I’ve chosen to use Briggs & Little Atlantic for this rustic sweater, mostly because it wears like iron. For pure wool, you would be hard pressed to find a yarn that is as durable and that repels dirt in the same way. The available colors are very “man friendly” and this heather brown was chosen in person at the mill by my husband. Something else of note, this is the 100 year anniversary of the Briggs & Little Woolen Mill name - although the mill itself has actually been around for over 150 years! It is Canada’s oldest woolen mill.

The sweater is an easy knit, with top down raglan construction worked mostly in the round, beginning at the hood. It should fit loosely with approx 6-8 inches/15-20.5 cm of positive ease.

model: Mark Jackson

photos: Michelle Porter

SIZE

S[M, L, 1X, 2X]
shown in size medium

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 42.25[46, 50, 53.75, 57.5] inches/ 107.5[117, 127, 136.5, 146] cm
Length: 26[28, 30, 32, 33.75] inches/ 66[71, 76, 81.5, 85.5] cm to shoulder
Raglan depth: 9[10, 10.75, 11.75, 12.75] inches/ 23[25.5, 27.5, 30, 32.5] cm
Upper sleeve circumference: 16[18, 19.75, 21.75, 23.75] inches/ 40.5[45.5, 50, 55, 60.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Briggs & Little ATLANTIC [100% pure wool; 135 yd/123m per 4 0z/113 g skein]; color:
[MC] Brown Heather 22; 7[8, 8, 9, 9] skeins
[CC] Red Heather 76; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 pair US #10.5/6.5mm straight needles (optional)
1 32-40 inch US#10.5/6.5mm circular needle
1 24 inch US#10.5/6.5mm circular needle
1 12-16 inch US#10.5/6.5mm circular needle

Notions
5 stitch markers (one different from other 4)
6 point protectors (to use spare circ needles as stitch holders)
2 large stitch holders
waste yarn
yarn needle

GAUGE

12.5 sts/17 rows(rnds) = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch after wet blocking

PATTERN NOTES

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

This garment is worked both in rows and circularly in the round. It is suggested to work back and forth on circular needles, during the row sections. However, a straight pair of needles can be used if preferred over these areas.

Stockinette stitch (St st)
All right side rows/rounds: Knit.
Wrong side rows: Purl.

1 x 1 Rib (worked in the round)
Multiple of 2 sts
All right side rounds: *K1, p1; rep from * to end.

1 x 1 Rib (worked flat)
Multiple of 2 sts plus 1
Row 1 [RS]: P1, *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 [WS]: *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.
Rep these two rows to form pattern.

DIRECTIONS

Hood
With waste yarn, CO 44 sts. Change to MC, leaving a long strand of yarn for joining top of hood later. Work back and forth in St st as follows:
Row 1 [WS]: P22, pm, p22.
Row 2 [RS]: Knit to 1 st before m, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, knit to end. 2 sts increased, 46 sts.
Row 3: Purl.
Repeat last 2 rows 3 more times. 52 sts.

Work 48[52, 52, 56, 56] rows even in St st.
Next row [RS]: K1, M1L, knit to last st, M1R, k1. 2 sts increased, 54 sts total.
Next row [WS]: Purl.
Repeat last 2 rows 2 more times. 58 sts.

Next row [RS]: CO 2 sts at beg of row, knit to end. 60 sts.

Raglan shaping:
Join to work in the round, k1, pm (use different marker to indicate beg of round at center front).
Work 2 rnds even in St st.

Place raglan markers as follows:
Set up rnd: Sm, k12, pm, k6, pm, k24, pm, k6, pm, k12.

Rnd 1: Sm, (knit to 1 st before next m, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L) 4 times, knit to end of rnd. 8 sts increased, 68 sts total.
Rnd 2: Knit, slipping markers.
Repeat last 2 rnds 17[19, 21, 23, 25] more times.
36[40, 44, 48, 52] rnds worked from beg of raglan shaping, 204[220, 236, 252, 268] sts.

Separate sleeves from body:
Next rnd: K 30[32, 34, 36, 38] left front sts, remove m, CO 6[8, 10, 12, 14] sts, place next 42[46, 50, 54, 58] sts onto a spare circ needle (with point protectors) for left sleeve, remove m, k 60[64, 68, 72, 76] back sts, remove m, CO 6[8, 10, 12, 14] sts, place next 42[46, 50, 54, 58] sts onto a spare circ needle (with point protectors) for right sleeve, remove m, k 30[32, 34, 36, 38] sts. 132[144, 156, 168, 180] body sts remain.

Body
Work in St st until body from underarms measures approx 6[7, 8, 9, 10] inches/ 15[18, 20.5, 23, 25.5] cm.

Place main pocket:
Separate center 24 sts of front from body as follows:
Next rnd: Knit to 12 sts before end of rnd, with shorter circ needle (or straight needles as preferred) k24, turn. Place the remaining 108[120, 132, 144, 156] sts of body on hold, using point protectors at the ends of long circ needle.

Work back and forth in St st on the 24 pocket sts for 9 rows, ending with a WS row.
Next row [RS]: K1, M1L, knit to last st, M1R, k1. 2 sts increased, 26 sts.
Next row [WS]: Purl.
Rep the last 2 rows 5 more times. 36 sts.
Place these sts on a stitch holder for pocket front. Cut yarn.

Body and main pocket back
Return to sts of body on hold and rejoin MC at end of RH needle, leaving a long strand of yarn for sewing later. Replace beg of rnd marker.
CO 24 sts to end of RH needle and rejoin to work in the round. 132[144, 156, 168, 180] sts. Work 20 rnds even in St st.

Join main pocket front to body:
Next rnd: Knit to 6 sts before end of rnd.
Place next 36 sts on stitch holder for pocket back.
Return 36 sts of main pocket front from holder to LH needle and knit to end of rnd. 132[144, 156, 168, 180] sts.

Continue body:
Work even in St st a further 5 inches. Length from underarm should measure approx 15.75[16.75, 17.75, 18.75, 19.75] inches/ 40[42.5, 45, 47.5, 50] cm, OR work to approx 1 in/2.5 cm less than desired length.

Hem
Work 4 rnds even in 1 x 1 rib.
Change to CC and work 1 rnd in 1 x 1 rib, then BO in rib pattern.

Complete main pocket:
Return 36 sts of pocket back from holder to needles with RS facing. Rejoin MC and work 12 rows even in St st.
BO, leaving a long strand of yarn for sewing pocket back.

Ribbed edges of pocket openings
With RS facing join MC to the corner of opening edge of pocket front and pick up 21 sts along edge.
Beg with a WS row, work 4 rows even in 1 x 1 rib.
Change to CC and work 1 row in 1 x 1 rib, then BO in rib pattern.

Sleeves (both alike)
Return the 42[46, 50, 54, 58] sts on hold for sleeve to shorter circ needle and join MC at beg of CO underarm sts.
Pick up and k 8[10, 12, 14, 16] sts from CO underarm sts, and continue in the round. 50[56, 62, 68, 74] sts total.
K 4[5, 6, 7, 8] sts and PM for beg of round.
Work 14 rnds even in St st.

Next rnd: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts decreased.
Work 6[5, 4, 4, 3] rnds even in St st.
Rep last 7[6, 5, 5, 4] rnds 7[9, 11, 12, 15] more times.
8[10, 12, 13, 16] dec rnds worked, 34[36, 38, 42, 42] sts remain.
Cont even in St st until sleeve measures approx 17[17.5, 18.5, 19, 19.5] inches/ 43[44.5, 47, 48.5, 49.5] cm from underarm OR approx 1.25 inch/3 cm less than desired length.

Cuffs
Work 4 rnds even in 1 x 1 rib.
Change to CC and work 1 rnd in 1 x 1 rib, then BO in rib pattern.

Bottle pocket
With MC, CO 15 sts and work 30 rows even in 1 x 1 rib.
Change to CC and work 1 row in 1 x 1 rib, then BO in rib pattern.

FINISHING

Return to CO end of hood and remove waste yarn. Divide live sts onto 2 needles and join top seam of hood either by grafting (Kitchener st) or 3-needle BO with wrong sides facing.

Hood edge
With 24 inch circ needle, join MC at center front neck. Working clockwise, pick up 1 st for each stitch and 3 sts for every 4 rows, around entire hood opening edge. Approx. 98[102, 102, 104, 104] sts in total.
Work 4 rnds even in 1 x 1 rib.
Change to CC and work 1 rnd in 1 x 1 rib, then BO in rib pattern.

Main pocket
Sew sides of ribbed pocket edges to body.
Sew CO end of pocket back to inside of body.
Sew BO end of pocket back to inside of body.
Sew sides of pocket back to inside of body.

Place bottle pocket:
Position the bottle pocket on body front in center of main pocket, with the CO end (bottom) at same level as the bottom of the main pocket opening. The bottle pocket will extend approx 2.5 inches/5 cm above main pocket onto front of sweater. Sew sides and bottom of pocket to the sweater front through first layer of fabric only with RS facing out.

A: 15[16, 16, 17, 17] inches/ 38[40.5, 40.5, 43, 43] cm
B: 16[18, 19.75, 21.75, 23.75] inches/ 40.5[45.5, 50, 55, 60.5] cm
C: 42.25[46, 50, 53.75, 57.5] inches/ 107.5[117, 127, 136.5, 146] cm
D: 9[10, 10.75, 11.75, 12.75] inches/ 23[25.5, 27.5, 30, 32.5] cm
E: 17[18, 19, 20, 21] inches/ 43[45.5, 48.5, 51, 53.5] cm
F: 18.25[18.75, 19.75, 20.25, 20.75] inches/ 46.5[47.5, 50, 51.5, 52.5] cm
G: 10.75[11.5, 12.25, 13.5, 13.5] inches/ 27.5[29, 31, 34.5, 34.5] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Having grown up knitting alongside her grandmother on Canada’s east coast, in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, it was a natural progression that Michelle Porter would make a career in the yarn industry. After moving to Toronto over 20 years ago, she has had the opportunity to own a yarn store, work in a yarn warehouse and design and write hundreds of patterns for both yarn companies and her personal line of patterns “Fondle Patterns”. Michelle’s clutter-free and straightforward design esthetic has been followed throughout her design collections, never straying too far from her Maritime roots.

See more of Michelle’s work on her Ravelry designer page.

Pattern & images © 2016 Michelle Porter. Contact Michelle