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cozyclapotisleaves+wavesbelle starholey moley
boo, toozigzagblazegiraffecolorlinesleopetrol
the rockstiggerskating queenunbiasedhallowigfall surprise


by Britta Stolfus Rueschhoff

When a friend and I used to tell her husband we were going shopping, he would comment that we rarely did much shopping but rather we went "fingering". He was referring to our touching and feeling all the wares in store. During a recent fingering expedition to my favorite yarn store I came across the Luxor yarn by Skacel. Soft, warm and irresistible, I bought it to make a sweater for my two-year-old daughter.

While swatching the yarn, I used a variety of stitches. Although beautiful in all, the yarn performed best in stockinette stitch. The smooth surface of the stockinette stitch brings to light the yarn's best feature -- its yummy texture. I still wanted, however, to provide some depth to the sweater's texture. In my stash and slated for another project was Berroco's Zen Colors ribbon. It wasn't an obvious choice to match with the Luxor but I gave it a shot and it proved itself to be a perfect companion. The garter stitch stripes and mottled yarn give the garment a playful, tiger-like look.

The actual design of the garment takes into account the reality of dressing a toddler. A cardigan was in order because it's easier than a pullover to get on and off. Only two buttons provide the closure because I can rarely keep my daughter still to button much more. And finally, garter stitch cuffs are folded back but will provide a little extra length for those growth spurts.

model: name photos: name
SIZE
Child’s: 2 [3, 4]
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 23 [25, 27] inches
Length: 13 [14, 15] inches
 

MATERIALS

[MC] Skacel Luxor [34% wool, 34% acrylic, 32% nylon; 58 yds/52 m per 50g skein]; color: 107; 4 [5, 5] balls
[CC] Berroco Zen Colors [55% cotton, 45% nylon; 110 yds/102 m per 50g skein]; color: 8115; 1 ball (all sizes)

1 set US #8/5 mm knitting needles
1 set US #10/6 mm knitting needles
Size F crochet hook
St holder
2.75" or larger buttons
 
GAUGE

14 sts/18 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch
 
STITCH PATTERNS

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

Seed St
Worked over an odd number of sts:
Row 1: K1, [p1, k1] to end.
Every row is the same.

Worked over an even number of sts:
Row 1:[K1, p1] to end.
Row 2:[P1, k1] to end.

These 2 rows form Seed St.

Main Body Patt
Rows 1, 3 and 5: With MC, k all sts.
Rows 2, 4 and 6: With MC, p all sts.
Row 7 and 8: With CC, knit all sts.
 
DIRECTIONS

Back
Using size 8 needles, CO 39 [43, 47] sts in MC.
Work 4[6, 6] rows in Seed St.
Beg with Row 1, work in Main Body Patt.
Cont until back measures 6.5 [6.5, 7] inches, ending with WS row.

Shape Armholes
BO 3 [4, 4] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 33 [35, 39] sts rem.
Cont in patt until armhole measures 5.5 [6, 6.5] inches, ending with WS row.

Shape Shoulders
BO 3 [3, 4] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 27 [29, 31] sts
Next row (RS): BO 3 [3, 4] sts, k until there are 5 sts on right needle and turn, leaving rem sts on needle. Work each side separately.
BO 2 sts at beg of next row.
BO rem 3 sts.
With RS facing, rejoin yarn, BO center 11 [13, 13] sts, k to end.
Work rem sts (left shoulder) to match first side, reversing shaping.

Left Front
Using size 8 needles, CO 20 [22, 24] sts in MC.
Work 4 [6, 6] rows in seed stitch.
*Next row [RS]: Work Row 1 of Main Body Patt to last 5 sts, work these last 5 sts in Seed St.
Next row [WS]: Work 5 sts in Seed St, work rem sts in Main Body Patt.
Work Rows 3 through 6 of Main Body Patt, keeping 5 sts in Seed St as set.
Work Rows 7 & 8 of Main Body Patt.
Repeat from * until work measures same as back to armholes, ending with a WS row.

Shape Armhole
Next Row [RS]: BO 3 [4, 4] sts at beg of next row. 17[18, 20] sts rem.
Cont in patt as set until left front is 1.25 [1.5, 1.5] inches shorter than the back before shoulder shaping, ending with a RS row.

Shape Neck
Next row [WS]: BO in patt 3 sts at beg of next row and 2 sts at beg of following WS row. 12 [13, 15] sts
Dec 1 st at neck edge of following 3 [4, 4] rows. 9 [9,11] sts
Cont in patt until front measures same as back to shoulder shaping, ending with a WS row.

Shape Shoulder
Next Row [RS]: BO 3 [3, 4] sts at beg of next and following RS row.
Work 1 row.
BO rem 3 sts.

Right Front
Using size 8 needles, CO 20 [22, 24] sts in MC.
Work 4 [6, 6] rows in Seed St.
*Next row [RS]: Work 5 sts in Seed St, work rem sts in Main Body Patt.
Next row [WS]: Work Row 2 of Main Body Patt to last 5 sts, work these last 5 sts in Seed St.
Work Rows 3 through 6 of Main Body Patt, keeping 5 sts in Seed St as set.
Work Rows 7 & 8 of Main Body Patt.
Repeat from * until work measures same as back to armholes, ending with a RS row.

Shape Armhole
Next Row [WS]: BO 3 [4, 4] sts at beg of next row. 17[18, 20] sts rem.
Cont in patt as set until left front is 1.25 [1.5, 1.5] inches shorter than the back before shoulder shaping, ending with a WS row.

Shape Neck
Next row [RS]: BO in patt 3 sts at beg of next row and 2 sts at beg of following RS row. 12 [13, 15] sts
Dec 1 st at neck edge of following 3 [4, 4] rows. 9 [9,11] sts
Cont in patt until front measures same as back to shoulder shaping, ending with a RS row.

Shape Shoulder
Next Row [WS]: BO 3[3, 4] sts at beg of next and following WS row. Work 1 row. BO rem 3 sts.

Sleeves (both alike)
Using size 10 needles CO 20[22, 24] sts in CC.
Work 16 rows (8 ridges) in garter st.
Next row [RS]: Switch to size 8 needles and MC.
Work in stockinette stitch for 2[4, 4] rows.
Inc 1 st at each end of next and every foll RS row until 13[15, 16] inc rows have been worked. 46[52, 56] sts
Cont without further shaping until sleeve measures 11.5[13, 14] inches.
BO all sts.
NOTE: to reduce bulk, consider placing the sleeve stitches on a holder and later grafting the sleeve to the armhole during finishing.

Collar
Join both shoulder seams.
With RS facing, using size 8 needles and MC, pick up and work in seed stitch 10[11, 11] sts along right side of neck, 13[15, 15] sts along back of neck, and 10[11, 11] sts along left side of neck. 33[37, 37] sts
Cont in Seed St for 5 [7, 7] more rows.
*Next row [RS]: Work 1 st, inc 1, work to last st, inc 1, work last st.
Work 3 rows.
Rep from * one time more.
BO all sts in patt.
 
FINISHING

Sew in all ends. Set sleeves into armholes. Sew side and sleeve seams.
Work crochet buttonholes as follows:
Mark a point 1.5 [2, 2.5] inches below collar line.
With crochet hook, pull up loop at mark and work crochet chain to accommodate button. Pull loop through edge .75" below original mark. Catch yarn and pull through loop.
Work single crochet over chain: *with hook, pull yarn under the chain. Catch the yarn again and pull though both loops on hook. Repeat from * until chain is full of single crochet sts, worked very close together.
Pull yarn through last loop and weave in ends.
Repeat 3 [3.5, 4] inches below collar line.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Britta's biggest projects are raising her four children and working on an eternal remodel. In her spare time, (ha!) she's completing a web site with her designs and pursuing accreditation in the Master Knitter Program through the Knitting Guild of America.
Patt & images © 2004 Britta Stolfus Rueschhoff. Contact Britta