INTRODUCTION

Leandro

by Alison Green

As we get ready to hunker down for a long winter, cheerful and bold knits are the order of the day. This graphical yoke pattern is a captivating knit—especially if you decide to tackle the three-color version. And then once the yoke is done, it's easy-breezy stockinette in the round, so relaxing to work on while binging your favorite TV shows or movies, snuggled up on the couch.

Stranded colorwork using three colors at the same time is not quite as hard as you might think. Mainly it just takes some extra patience to slow down and take care that you're leaving your floats nice and loose along the backside. But, while I was excited to take on that challenge, I know it may not be everyone's jam so I created a two-color version that looks smashing on my friend and colleague Margaux. Whatever version you choose, I hope that the knitting is a comfort during the late fall and winter months, and that you enjoy wearing it while cozied up in your home or out for a socially distant walk in the woods.


model: Margaux Hufnagel and Alison Green

photos: Gale Zucker

SIZE

 XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X]

Three-color version shown above in size L with approximately 2 inches/5 cm of ease
.
Two-color version shown below in size M with 0 inches/0 cm of ease.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest/Bust:  36.25[40, 44.25, 48, 52.25, 56, 60.25, 64, 68.25, 72] inches/ 92[101.5, 112.5, 122, 132.5, 142, 153, 162.5, 173.5, 183] cm
Length:  22.25[22.25, 22.75, 23.25, 23.25, 23.75, 24.5, 24.5, 25, 25.25] inches / 56.5[56.5, 58, 59, 59, 60.5, 62, 62, 63.5, 64] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Berroco Lanas [100% wool; 219 yd/200 m per 100g skein];

Three-color version:
[MC] #95133 Plum; 4[4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7] skeins
[CC1] #95110 Grapefruit; 1 skein for all sizes
[CC2] #9516 Dove; 1 skein for all sizes

Two-color version:
[MC] #95121 Teal; 4[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7] skeins
[CC] #95132 Lagoon; 1 skein for all sizes

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #7/4.5 mm circular needle, 32-inch/80-cm
US #7/4.5 mm circular needle, 16-inch/40-cm
US #7/4.5 mm needle(s) for working small circumferences in the round
US #6/4 mm circular needle, 16-inch/40-cm
US #6/4 mm needle(s) for working small circumferences in the round
Optional: If your stranded colorwork tends to pull in a lot, consider working the colorwork section on a needle one size up from your plain stockinette gauge needle.

Notions
stitch markers
waste yarn
yarn needle

GAUGE

19 sts/25 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch (single color)
21 sts/22 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm over colorwork chart

Note: Gauge is always taken after blocking.

PATTERN NOTES

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

Be sure to catch your floats when you are carrying a color across more than 5 (or at most 7) stitches. It's a good idea to vary where you're catching the floats; if you do it just above where you did one the row before, it will likely be visible on the public side of the fabric.

On the yoke chart below, you can choose whether to mirror the increases (M1L and M1R), or just work them all in the same direction. Another good choice would be to use Lifted Increases (LLI and RLI), mirroring them on each side of the chart.

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

Neck and Yoke
Using smaller 16 inch / 40 cm circular needle, cast on 92[96, 104, 104, 104, 104, 108, 112, 116, 116] sts. Pm and join for working in the round.

Rnd 1: [K2, p2] to end.
Repeat this round 8 more times.
Change to larger 16 inch / 40 cm circular needle and knit 1[2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] rnds.

Sizes XS[M] only:
Next rnd: K2tog, k45[-, 50, -, -, -, -, -, -, -], k2tog, knit to end. 90[-, 102, -, -, -, -, -, -, -] sts remain.

All sizes:
Shape back neck using short rows as follows:
Row 1 (RS): K18[18, 19, 19, 19, 18, 18, 18, 18, 17], w&t.
Row 2 (WS): Purl to marker, sm, p45[48, 51, 52, 52, 52, 54, 56, 58, 58], w&t.
Row 3: Knit to marker, sm, knit to wrapped st, knit wrap together with its st, k2[2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] w&t.
Row 4: Purl to marker, sm, purl to wrapped st, purl wrap together with its st, p2[2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3], w&t.
Rep Rows 3-4 once more.
Next round: Knit to marker, sm, knit all the way around, knitting remaining wraps with their sts.

Work increase rounds as follows:
Size L: *K26, M1; rep from * around. 108 sts.
Size 1X: *[K10, M1] 3 times, [k11, M1] twice; rep from * once more. 114 sts.
Size 2X: * K6, M1, k7, M1; rep from * around. 120 sts.
Size 3X: * K6, M1; rep from * around. 126 sts.
Size 4X: * [K5, M1] twice, [k6, M1] 3 times; rep from * 3 more times. 132 sts.
Size 5X: * [K5, M1] 8 times, [k6, M1] 3 times; rep from * once more. 138 sts.
Size 6X: * K5, M1, [k4, M1] 6 times; rep from * 3 more times. 144 sts.

All sizes:
Work 1[1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] rnds even.

Begin working from chart, with 15[16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24] repeats in each round. Work Rnds 1–39. When chart is complete, there are 270[288, 306, 324, 342, 360, 378, 396, 414, 432] sts.

Remainder of pattern is worked in MC.

Sizes XS, S, M, L, 1X, and 3X only:
Knit 1 round.
Inc Rnd: *M1, k 45[48, 38, 27, 57, -, 94, -, -, -] ; rep from * 5[5, 7, 11, 5, -, 3, -, -, -] more times, k 0[0, 2, 0, 0, -, 2, -, -, -] . 276[294, 314, 336, 348, 360, 382, 396, 414, 432] sts.

All sizes:
Work 2[2, 4, 6, 6, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20] rounds even.

Divide Body and Sleeves:
Remove BOR marker, place next 56[58, 60, 64, 64, 63, 66, 66, 67, 67] sts on waste yarn for sleeve, cast on 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, replace BOR marker, cast on 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, k 82[89, 97, 104, 110, 117, 125, 132, 140, 149] sts for front, place next 56[58, 60, 64, 64, 63, 66, 66, 67, 67] sts on waste yarn for sleeve, cast on 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, pm, cast on 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, k 82[89, 97, 104, 110, 117, 125, 132, 140, 149] sts for back, knit to BOR marker. 172[190, 210, 228, 248, 266, 286, 304, 324, 342] sts.

Body
Work even until piece measures 11 inches / 28 cm from underarm. Inc 0[2, 2, 0, 0, 2, 2, 0, 0, 2] evenly over last round. 172[192, 212, 228, 248, 268, 288, 304, 324, 344] sts.
Work in 2x2 rib for 2 inches / 5 cm. Bind off in rib.

Sleeves
Place sts for one sleeve onto DPNs or preferred needles for working small circumferences in the round. Beginning in center of cast on sts at underarm, pick up and knit 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts across cast-on sts, pick up and knit 1 st in the gap between cast on sts and sleeve sts, work across 56[58, 60, 64, 64, 63, 66, 66, 67, 67] sleeve sts, pick up and knit 1 st in the gap between sleeve sts and cast-on sts, pick up and knit 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts in remaining cast-on sts. 62[66, 70, 76, 80, 81, 86, 88, 91, 91] sts.
Pm and join for working in the round.

Next Rnd: K 2[3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] , k2tog, knit to last 4[5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 13] sts, ssk, knit to end. 60[64, 68, 74, 78, 79, 84, 86, 89, 89]
Work even in St st for 11[9, 13, 11, 11, 7, 11, 9, 17, 17] rounds.

Dec Rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 2 sts dec'd.
Work 9[7, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2] rnds even.
Rep last 10[8, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3] rnds 7[9, 11, 14, 14, 14, 17, 18, 19, 19] more times. 44[44, 44, 44, 48, 49, 48, 48, 49, 49] sts.
Work even until sleeve measures 15" from underarm, dec 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1] st at end of last row. 44[44, 44, 44, 48, 48, 48, 48, 48, 48] sts.

Change to smaller needle.
Set Up Rib: K1, [p2, k2] to last 3 sts, p2, k1.
Work in 2x2 rib as established for 3 inches / 7.5 cm. Bind off in rib.

FINISHING

Weave in ends and block as desired.

A - Bust circumference: 36.25[40, 44.25, 48, 52.25, 56, 60.25, 64, 68.25, 72] inches / 92[101.5, 112.5, 122, 132.5, 142, 153, 162.5, 173.5, 183] cm
B - Body length: 13 inches/33 cm
C - Yoke length:  9.25[9.25, 9.75, 10.25, 10.25, 10.75, 11.5, 11.5, 12, 12.25] inches/ 23.5[23.5, 25, 26, 26, 27.5, 29, 29, 30.5, 31] cm
D - Neck circumference: 19.25[20.25, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22.75, 22.75, 24.5, 24.5] inches / 49[51.5, 56, 56, 56, 56, 58, 58, 62, 62] cm
E - Sleeve length: 18 inches/48 cm
F - Upper arm circumference: 12.75[13.5, 14.25, 15.5, 16.5, 16.75, 17.75, 18, 18.75, 18.75] inches/ 32.5[34.5, 36, 39.5, 42, 42.5, 45, 45.5, 47.5, 47.5] cm
G - Cuff circumference: 9.25[9.25, 9.25, 9.25, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10] inches/ 23.5[23.5, 23.5, 23.5, 25.5, 25.5, 25.5, 25.5, 25.5, 25.5] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Alison is part of the design team at Berroco yarns, and lives in Providence, RI. She has been working in the knitting industry as a designer, teacher and technical editor since 2002.

You'll find more of her work on Ravelry and on Berroco.com.

Pattern & images © 2020 Alison Green