Kings Canyon, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com.

INTRODUCTION

Kings Canyon

beauty shot by Jordan Prouty

Tangy

I absolutely love exploring the mountains of California. The stunning jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range were the inspiration for the lacy zigzags at the bottom of this tee, so I named the pattern after Kings Canyon, one of my favorite places there.

Kings Canyon is an enjoyable and quick-to-knit tee. Worked in the round from the top down, it has a cute eyelet detail at the raglan shaping, and short rows are worked to shape the back neckline. Most of the tee is stockinette until a bold color change happens and it switches to a fun chevron lace pattern.

spacer model: Jordan Prouty

spacer photos: Keziah Prouty

SIZE

Women's XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X]
Shown in size M with no ease at bust.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Width: 30.25[34.25, 38.25, 42.25, 46.75, 50.75, 54.75, 59, 63] inches/ 77[87, 97, 107.5, 118.5, 129, 139, 150, 160] cm
Length: 21.25[21.75, 22.75, 23.5, 24.25, 24.75, 25.5, 26, 26.75] inches/ 54[55, 58, 59.5, 61.5, 63, 65, 66, 68] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
The Lamb & Kid Trio [70% Merino, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 450 yd/411 m per 100g skein];
[MC] Great Horned; 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] skeins
[CC] Air Mail; 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] skein(s)

Yarn Characteristics
The sample shown uses a fingering weight superwash merino/cashmere/nylon blend. If substituting, I recommend choosing a superwash wool blend with cashmere or silk for drape—something smooth and bouncy.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique)
1 US #6/4mm circular needle, 24-inch/60-cm length
1 US #5/3.75mm circular needle, 24-inch/60-cm length
1 (set) US #6/4mm needle(s) for working short circumference in the round
1 (set) US #5/3.75mm needle(s) for working short circumference in the round

Notions
9 stitch markers
stitch holder or waste yarn
yarn needle
scissors

GAUGE

24 sts/32 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch using US #6/4mm needles
26 sts/34 rounds in Kings Canyon lace pattern using US #6/4mm needles
1 repeat of King Canyon lace pattern measures 2.5 inches/6 cm wide and 2 inches/5 cm long

PATTERN NOTES

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

Construction method: This pullover is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It has raglan shaping, using yarn overs (as well as, for some sizes, lifted increases) for the increases. It has short rows that are used to raise the back of the neck. Once the yoke is completed, the sleeve stitches are placed on a holder and work is continued on the body. The body is finished with a large section of chevron lace in a contrast color. The sleeve stitches are then picked back up and worked as short sleeves with a band of contrast color at the cuff.

Techniques

Long-tail cast on video tutorial
Shadow Short Rows photo tutorial
tsk (twin st knit): With right needle, lift the right leg of the st below the next st on the left needle and place that loop on the left needle; knit into this loop, then place new st on left needle.
tsp (twin st purl): Slip the next st from the left needle to the right needle; with the left needle, pick up the purl bump of the st you just slipped, then purl into that st; slip the twin sts back to the left needle.
Stretchy Bind-off: K1, *k1, slip 2 sts back to left needle, k2tog tbl; rep from * to end. Cut yarn and draw through rem st.

CHARTS

Kings Canyon Lace
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: Purl.
Rounds 3-4: Repeat Rounds 1-2.
Rounds 5-6: Knit.
Round 7: *Yo, k6, S2KPO, k6, yo, k1; rep from * to end.
Round 8: Knit.
Rounds 9-18: Repeat Rounds 7-8 5 times more.
Repeat Rounds 1-18 for pattern.

DIRECTIONS

Using smaller needle(s) for working short circumference and MC, CO 106[118, 118, 122, 132, 132, 132, 142, 146] sts using long-tail cast on. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist sts, and pm for beg of round.

Rib rnd: *K1tbl, p1; rep from * to end.
Rep Rib rnd until work measures 1 inch/2.5 cm.

Switch to larger needles.

Note: Change to longer cable when needed.

Raglan set-up round: K 17[21, 23, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34] for right half of back, pm, k1, pm, k 16[14, 10, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4, 2] for right sleeve, pm, k1, pm, k 35[43, 47, 53, 58, 60, 62, 65, 69] for front, pm, k1, pm, k 16[14, 10, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4, 2] for sleeve, pm, k1, pm, k 18[22, 24, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 35] for left half of back.

Neckline Short Rows
Short Row 1 [RS]: *Knit to m, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo; rep from * 1 time more, k 2[2, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8, 10] , make tsk, turn.
Short Row 2 [WS]: Purl to beg of round m, *purl to m, yo, sl m, p1, yo, sl m; rep from * 1 more time, p 2[2, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8, 10] , make tsp, turn.
Short Row 3 [RS]: Knit to beg of round m, *knit to m, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo; repeat from * 1 more time, knit to tsk, knit tsk (knitting twin st as one), k4, make tsk, turn.
Short Row 4 [WS]: Purl to beg of round m, *purl to m, yo, sl m, p1, yo, sl m; rep from * 1 more time, purl to tsp, purl tsp (purling twin st as one), p4, make tsp, turn.
Repeat Short Rows 3-4 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] time(s) more.

Next row [RS]: Knit to beg of rnd m. 130[142, 142, 146, 164, 164, 164, 174, 178] sts: 41[49, 53, 59, 66, 68, 70, 73, 77] sts each for Front/Back, 22[20, 16, 12, 14, 12, 10, 12, 10] for each Sleeve, 4 raglan sts.

Note: You will now continue working in the round. On the following round, knit any remaining twin sts as 1 st.

Yoke
Yoke round 1: *Knit to m, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo; rep from * 3 times more, knit to beginning of round m. 8 sts increased.
Yoke round 2: Knit.
Rep last 2 rnds 22[24, 28, 31, 33, 32, 33, 33, 35] times more. 314[342, 374, 402, 436, 428, 436, 446, 466] sts: 87[99, 111, 123, 134, 134, 138, 141, 149] sts for Front/Back, 68[70, 74, 76, 82, 78, 78, 80, 82] sts for each Sleeve, 4 raglan sts.

Sizes 2X, 3X, 4X, and 5X only:
Yoke round 3: *Knit to m, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo; rep from * 3 times more, knit to beginning of round m. 8 sts increased.
Yoke round 4: *Knit to 2 sts before m, RLI, k1, sl m, k1, sl m, k1, LLI; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to beginning of round m. 8 sts increased.
Rep last 2 rnds -[-, -, -, -, 2, 4, 6, 7] times more.

All Sizes:
314[342, 374, 402, 436, 476, 516, 558, 594] sts: 87[99, 111, 123, 134, 146, 158, 169, 181] sts each for Front/Back, 68[70, 74, 76, 82, 90, 98, 108, 114] sts for each Sleeve, 4 raglan sts.

Separate for Body and Sleeves:
Next round: Knit to m, *remove m, k1, remove m, slip next 68[70, 74, 76, 82, 90, 98, 108, 114] sleeve sts onto holder or waste yarn, using backwards loop cast on, CO 2[2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6] sts, remove m, k1, remove m, knit to m; rep from * once more, knit to end of rnd. 182[206, 230, 254, 280, 304, 328, 354, 378] sts.

Body
Work even in St st until work measures approx. 7.5 inches/19 cm from underarm, or 7 inches/18 cm shorter than desired length.

Lace Set-up Round: *K 18[103, 23, 127, 35, 19, 41, 24, 17] , M1L; rep from * to last 2[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 18, 4] sts, knit to end. 192[208, 240, 256, 288, 320, 336, 368, 400] sts.

Lace Section
Switch to CC.
Work Rounds 1-18 of Kings Canyon Lace pattern over all sts three times (54 rounds in total). Each 16-st repeat will be worked a total of 12[13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25] times around.

Knit 1 round.
Purl 1 round.
Rep these 2 rounds once more.

Bind off using stretchy bind-off (see Pattern Notes).

Sleeves
Place 68[70, 74, 76, 82, 90, 98, 108, 114] held sts for one sleeve back on larger needles for working short circumference in the round.

Using MC, beg at the center of the underarm, pick up and knit 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3] st(s), knit across all held sts, pick up and knit 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3] st(s) to center of underarm, pm, and join to work in the round. 70[72, 76, 78, 86, 94, 102, 114, 120] sts.

Knit 7 rounds.

Switch to CC and smaller needles.
Knit 1 round.
Purl 1 round.
Repeat these two rounds twice more.

Bind off using stretchy bind-off (see Pattern Notes).

Repeat for other Sleeve.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. To block, soak sweater in cool water with a wool wash. Gently squeeze excess water out; then wrap in a towel and carefully squeeze out as much water as possible. Lay flat, shaping to measurements. Carefully pull, shape, and pin the points of the lace and allow to dry fully.

A–Chest circumference at underarm: 30.25[34.25, 38.25, 42.25, 46.75, 50.75, 54.75, 59, 63] inches/ 77[87, 97, 107.5, 118.5, 129, 139, 150, 160] cm
B–Yoke depth at back (not including ribbed collar): 6.75[7.25, 8.25, 9, 9.75, 10.25, 11, 11.5, 12.25] inches/ 17[18.5, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31] cm
C—Underarm to hem length: 14.5 inches/37 cm
D—Hem circumference: 29.5[32, 37, 39.5, 44.25, 49.25, 51.75, 56.5, 61.5] inches/ 75[81.5, 94, 100.5, 112.5, 125, 131.5, 143.5, 156] cm
E–Neck circumference: 17.75[19.75, 19.75, 20.25, 22, 22, 22, 23.75, 24.25] inches/ 45[50, 50, 51.5, 56, 56, 56, 60.5, 61.5] cm
F–Sleeve circumference: 11.75[12, 12.75, 13, 14.25, 15.75, 17, 19, 20] inches/ 30[30.5, 32.5, 33, 36, 40, 43, 48.5, 51] cm
G—Sleeve length: 1.75 inches/4.5 cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Jordan Prouty learned to knit in 2010 and began designing knitwear in 2017. She lives with her husband and their four kids in Michigan, but they can frequently be found traveling in their camper, exploring the wonders of the natural world, with Jordan frequently finding inspiration for her designs in the beauty of creation.

Find Jordan on Ravelry and Instagram.