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  Pick Up Sticks


by Fathom Harvill

This is a non-intuitive sweater, I think. Pairing a laceweight mohair and a slubby, silk-and-cotton tweed is not standard yarn store practice, and I felt a little dubious about it myself at first. But knitting one strand of each together results in a wonderful fabric with the heft and durability of the cotton but with the kitteny softness and vivid color of the mohair.

For pure pleasure, the cowl neck is knit of the floaty mohair alone, which brushes deliciously against the neck.

The yarns exist in a lovely counterpoint; the bright, delicate mohair nestles right into the parched and rough topography of the cotton, making both look even more striking. To cut down on seaming, the sleeves and body are knit in the round from the the hem up to the armholes, then worked flat from the armholes up to the shoulder.

This sweater is an experiment in color as well as in texture. I love the look of the orange mohair against the ruby-colored cotton, but I think a lot of other color combinations would be just as beautiful. Any laceweight mohair could be paired with a slubby cotton blend to achieve a similar effect. Just be sure to check gauge!

model & photos: Fathom Harvill
SIZE
XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size small)
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 31[35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55] inches
Length: 21.5[22, 22.5, 22.5, 23, 23, 23] inches

Sleeve Circumference at upper arm: 14[14.5, 15, 15.5, 16.5, 17.5, 17.5] inches

 
MATERIALS
[A] Rowan Summer Tweed [70% silk, 30% cotton; 108m per 50g skein]; color: #522 Smoulder; 8[8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15] skeins
[B] Rowan Kid Silk Haze [70% kid mohair, 30% silk; 210m per 25 g ball]; color: #596 Marmalade; 3[4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5] balls

1 US #6/4mm circular needle, 24-32 inches
1 set US #6/4mm double-point needles
1 US #8/5mm circular needle , 24-32 inches
1 set US #8/5mm double-point needles
1 set US #9/5.5mm double-point needles
NOTE: If desired, use 12-inch circular needles, or two circular needles, instead of double-point needles.

Stitch markers
Safety pin or split ring marker
1 long stitch holder
2 medium stitch holders
Tapestry needle
 
GAUGE
16 sts/26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US #8/5mm needles, with one strand each of A and yarn B held together
 
PATTERN NOTES

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

Blocking:
Information about blocking can be found here and here.

Backstitch is recommended for the seams of this garment.
DIRECTIONS

Body
Using US #6/4mm circular needle and A, CO 124[140, 156, 172, 188, 204, 220] sts.

Place marker and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

First Round: K62[70, 78, 86, 94, 102, 110], place marker to indicate side "seam", k to end.

K 3 more rounds.

P 1 round to form turning ridge for hem.

Next Round: Using US #8/5mm circular needle, join B and k all sts using one strand each of A and B held together.

Cont in stockinette st, using US #8/5mm needle and A and B held together, until work measures 15[15, 15, 14, 14, 13.5, 13.5] inches from turning ridge, or desired length to underarm.

Divide Front and Back:
Next Round: BO 2[3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] sts, k to side marker, place sts between side marker and end marker on hold on long st holder or spare circular needle. Front will be worked back and forth on remaining 60[67, 74, 82, 89, 97, 105] sts.

Next Row [WS]: BO 2[3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] sts, p to end. 58[64, 70, 78, 84, 92, 100] sts.

*BO 1[2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 56[60, 66, 72, 78, 86, 94] sts.

Sizes S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
Decrease Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
P 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows -[0, 0, 1, 3, 6, 10] times more. -[58, 64, 68, 70, 72, 72] sts.*

All Sizes:
Cont in stockinette st until work measures 4.5[5, 5.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5] inches, ending with a WS row.

Next Row [RS]: K22[23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 32] and place these sts on hold on spare needle; k12[14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 30] and place these sts on hold on st holder; k to end. 22[23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 32] sts on working needle.

P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: BO 4 sts, k to end.
Repeat these 2 rows twice more. 10[11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20] sts.

P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: BO 3 sts, k to end.
Repeat these 2 rows once more. 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14] sts.

Work 2 more rows in stockinette st. Work measures 21.5[22, 22.5, 22.5, 23, 23, 23] inches from turning ridge; armhole measures 6.5[7, 7.5, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 9.5] inches. BO all sts.

Replace held sts for left shoulder on working needle and reattach yarns with RS facing.

K 1 row.
Next Row [WS]: BO 4 sts, p to end.
Repeat these 2 rows twice more. 10[11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20] sts.

K 1 row.
Next Row [WS]: BO 3 sts, p to end.
Repeat these 2 rows once more. 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14] sts.

Work 2 more rows in stockinette st. BO all sts.

Back
Replace held sts for back on working needle with RS facing, and reattach yarns.
BO 2[3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 58[64, 70, 78, 84, 92, 100] sts.
Work from * to * as for front.

All Sizes:
Cont in stockinette st until work measures 5.5[6, 6.5, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 8.5] inches, ending with a WS row.

Next Row [RS]: K7[8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 17] and place these sts on hold on spare needle; k42[44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 60] and place these sts on hold on st holder; k to end. 7[8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 17] sts on working needle.

P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: BO 3 sts, k to end.
Work 3 rows in stockinette st. Work measures 21.5[22, 22.5, 22.5, 23, 23, 23] inches from turning ridge; armhole measures 6.5[7, 7.5, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 9.5] inches. BO rem 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14] sts.

Replace held sts for left shoulder on working needle and reattach yarns with RS facing.
K 1 row.
Next Row [WS]: BO 3 sts, k to end.
Work 3 rows in stockinette st. BO rem 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14] sts.

Sleeves (Make 2)
Using US #6/4mm double-point needles and A, CO 48[50, 52, 54, 58, 62, 62] sts. Divide sts evenly between needles and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. Place safety pin or split ring marker in work to indicate beginning of round.

K 4 rounds.

P 1 round to form turning ridge for hem.
Next Round: Using US #8/5mm double-point needles, join B and k all sts using one strand each of A and B held together.

Cont in stockinette st, using US #8/5mm needles and A and B held together, until work measures 10.5[11.5, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 13.5, 13.5] inches from turning ridge, or 4.5 inches less than desired length to underarm.

Next Round: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
K 6 rounds.
Repeat these 7 rounds 3 times more. 56[58, 60, 62, 66, 70, 70] sts. Work measures 15[16, 16.5, 17, 17, 18, 18] inches from turning ridge.

Shape Sleeve Cap
Next Round: K to 3[4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6] sts before marker, BO 6[8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 12] sts. Sleeve cap will be worked back and forth over rem 50[50, 52, 54, 56, 60, 58] sts.
BO 3[3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 44[44, 46, 48, 50, 54, 50] sts.

Decrease Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
P 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows 2[2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 3] times more. 38[38, 38, 40, 40, 42, 42] sts.

Work 2[6, 8, 12, 14, 14, 14] rows in stockinette st.
Work Decrease Row. P 1 row.
Repeat these 2 rows 9[9, 9, 9, 6, 7, 7] times more. 18[18, 18, 20, 26, 26, 26] sts.

BO 2 sts at beg of next 2[2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4] rows.

BO rem 14[14, 14, 16, 18, 18, 18] sts

FINISHING

Weave in ends.
Lightly block pieces.
Sew shoulder seams.

Cowl
Note: When picking up sts along neckline edge in directions which follow, pick up and k 1 st for every 2 rows along vertical edges, and 1 st in each bound off st.

Using US #8/5mm double-point needles and one strand each of A and B held together, beginning at neckline end of right shoulder seam, pick up and k sts along right back neckline edge, k held sts of back neckline, pick up and k sts along left back and front neckline edge, k held sts of front neckline, pick up and k sts along right front neckline.

K 5 rounds.

Break A and join a second strand of B.
Cont in stockinette st, using two strands of B held together, until work measures 2 inches from end of A.

Switch to US #9/5.5mm needles and cont in stockinette st until work measures 4.5 inches. Break one strand of B; continue working with single strand of B.

Next Round: Increase 5 sts, evenly spaced.
K 5 rounds.
Repeat these 6 rounds twice more.

Cont in stockinette st until cowl measures 9 inches, or desired length. BO all sts very loosely.
Fold hems along turning ridges to WS of work and sew in place.
Sew sleeves into armholes.
Weave in remaining ends.
Block cowl as desired.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Emily knits and designs under the name Fathom Harvill. Emily lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends as much time as she can running, hiking, cycling, and skiing. She is currently trying not to drown while training for her first triathlon.

She blogs about it here.
Pattern & images © 2006 Fathom Harvill. Contact Emily