INTRODUCTION

Halmstad

by Todd Gocken

This sweater is inspired by a scarf/hat combo I saw one winter evening on the Red Line of the Chicago El a few decades ago. A young man was wearing a charcoal scarf and hat with small, alternating red and blue motifs – I was enamored! It was classic and modern and colorful and conservative all at the same. Upon further research I found out that this type of patterning is traditional in the Halland region of Sweden, so I named the pattern Halmstad after the capital of that region.

The construction for this sweater is completely unique and untraditional. The sleeves and the body are knit in the round all at the same time, separated by steeks. At the yoke, the underarms are cast off and the yoke is worked without steeks. After the sweater is knitted it resembles a large poncho. The steeks are then cut, and the sweater is seamed along the side and sleeves. This method has several advantages: 1) all the stripes match up, every time 2) there are very few ends to weave in (even with all the color changes) 3) there is no need for double points/magic loop or any other form of small circumference knitting.

Editor's note: This sweater may look mild mannered, but is in fact actually revolutionary in its construction! Scroll down to the next set of pictures to see how to get perfectly matching sleeves, as you knit the body and sleeves all at once, and then steek to separate them. It's absolutely brilliant. And this note is pink so you don't miss this amazing detail!

model: Nate Fischer

photos: Todd Gocken

SIZE

 S[M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X]
shown in size L with 4 inches/10cm of ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest:  37.75[41.75, 46.25, 50.25, 54.25, 58.25, 62.25, 66.25] inches/ 96[106, 117.5, 127.5, 138, 148, 158, 168.5] cm
Length:  26[27.5, 29.5, 31, 31, 32.5, 32.5, 34] inches/ 66[70, 75, 78.5, 78.5, 82.5, 82.5, 86.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Briggs and Little Sport [100% wool; 430yds/113g skein];
[MC] Medium Grey; 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins
[CC1] Red; 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2] skeins
[CC2] Royal Blue; 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US #3/3.25mm circular needle, 32-inch/80 cm long
1 US #5/3.5mm circular needle, 32-inch/80 cm long

Notions
stitch markers
stitch holders
crochet hook or sewing needle to stabilize steek
yarn needle

GAUGE

24 sts/32 rnds = 4 inches/10 cm in stranded colorwork
Note: gauge is always taken after blocking.

PATTERN NOTES

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

For this pattern, the steeks are patterned in a specific way. The steek colors are alternated to create vertical stripes, and always begin and end with a purl st in MC. The vertical stripes allow you to be much more accurate when stabilizing and cutting the steek. The purl sts allow for easy seaming with a mattress stitch which results in an even, well-finished seam.

CHARTS

Download all charts here

DIRECTIONS

Body and Sleeves
With smaller needles CO 372[404, 440, 468, 500, 532, 568, 608] sts using tubular cast on, or preferred CO for 1x1 ribbing. Pm and join in the rnd, taking care not to twist sts.

Work ribbing:
Next rnd: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end of rnd
Repeat last rnd 4 times.

On the next rnd, place markers for steeks as as follows: K5, p1, pm, work in ribbing for 51[55, 59, 61, 65, 69, 75, 83] sts (beginning and ending on a knit st), pm, p1, k9, p1, pm, work in ribbing for 113[125, 139, 151, 163, 175, 187, 199] sts (beginning and ending on a knit st), pm, p1, k9, p1, pm, work in ribbing for 51[55, 59, 61, 65, 69, 75, 83] sts (beginning and ending on a knit st), pm, p1, k9, p1, pm, work in ribbing for 113[125, 139, 151, 163, 175, 187, 199] sts (beginning and ending on a knit st), pm, p1, knit to end of rnd, remove marker, k5, p1, slm (this becomes your beg of rnd marker).

Ribbing rnd: Slm, work in ribbing for 51[55, 59, 61, 65, 69, 75, 83] sts (beginning and ending on a knit st), slm, p1, k9, p1, slm, work in ribbing for 113[125, 139, 151, 163, 175, 187, 199] sts (beginning and ending on a knit st), slm, p1, k9, p1; rep from * once more.

Repeat Ribbing rnd until the work measures 2[2, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5] inches/ 5[5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5] cm from the cast on edge.

Begin colorwork:
Switch to larger needles.
Next rnd: *Slm, work Rnd 1 of Chart 1, repeating as necessary to marker, slm, work Steek Chart; rep from *3 more times.

Note: The last repeat of all charts before the marker will be partial throughout most of the steeked portion of the sweater

Continue working subsequent rnds of Chart 1, and AT THE SAME TIME increase as follows on Rnds 4 and 10:
Increase rnd: *Slm, work 1 st, M1R, work to 1 st before next marker, M1L, work 1 st, slm, work Steek Chart, slm, work as established to next marker, slm, work Steek Chart; rep from * once more. 4 sts increased.

Continue to work through Charts 2- 9[11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13] in order, including the increases on Rnds 4 and 10. At the conclusion of Chart 9[10, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13] , the first and third section will have 87[99, 107, 109, 113, 121, 127, 135] sts, 444[492, 536, 564, 596, 636, 672, 712] sts total.

Size S: Work charts 10 and 11 as established without increases.
On last rnd of Chart 11[11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13] , place a marker at the center front as follows:
Work as established to first steek, work steek, work 56[62, 69, 75, 81, 87, 93, 99] sts, pm, work rest of rnd as established.

Yoke
Work Chart 12[12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 14, 14] as follows:
Rnd 1: Work as established to 8[8, 9, 10, 11, 11, 11, 11] sts before steek, BO 27[27, 29, 31, 33, 33, 33, 33] underarm sts; rep from *3 more times, pm for new beg of rnd. 336[384, 420, 440, 464, 504, 540, 580] sts total.

Sizes S[M, -, 1X, -, 3X, 4X, -] only:
Rnd 2: Slm, *k 5[6, -, 20, -, 19, 7, -] , k2tog; rep from* to end of round

Size L:
Rnd 2: Work without decreases

Size 2X:
Rnd 2: Slm, *k8, k2tog, K9, k2tog; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Size 5X:
Rnd 2: Slm, *k12, k2tog, k13, k2tog; rep from* to end of round.
 48[48, 0, 20, 44, 24, 60, 40] sts decreased, 288[336, 420, 420, 420, 480, 480, 540] sts total.
Continue to work Rnds 3-12 of Chart 12[12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 14] in the rnd in pattern as established (all steek sts are now bound off).

Work the first rnd of all subsequent charts as a decrease rnd as follows:
Chart 13[13, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, 15]  [, , , , , , ]
Rnd 1: Slm, *k 4[5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] , k2tog; rep from* to end of rnd, 48[48, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60] sts decreased, 240[288, 360, 360, 360, 420, 420, 480] sts total. 
Work Rnds 2-12 of chart as established

Chart 14[14, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16]  [, , , , , , ]
Rnd 1: Slm, *k 3[4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6] , k2tog; rep from* to end of round 48[48, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60] sts decreased, 192[240, 300, 300, 300, 360, 360, 420] sts total. 
Work Rnds 2-12 of chart as established.

Chart 15[15, 16, 16, 16, 17, 17, 17]  [, , , , , , ]
Rnd 1: Slm, *k 2[3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5] , k2tog; rep from* to end of round 48[48, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60] sts decreased, 144[192, 240, 240, 240, 300, 300, 360] sts total. 
Work Rnds 2-12 of chart as established

Chart -[16, 17, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18]  [, , , , , , ]
Rnd 1: Slm, *k -[2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4] , k2tog; rep from* to end of round -[48, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60] sts decreased, -[144, 180, 180, 180, 240, 240, 300] sts total. 
Work Rnds 2-12 of chart as established

Chart –[-, -, -, -, 19, 19, 19]  [, , , , , , ]
Rnd 1: Slm, *k –[-, -, -, -, 2, 2, 3] , k2tog; rep from* to end of round –[-, -, -, -, 60, 60, 60] sts decreased, –[-, -, -, -, 180, 180, 240] sts total. 
Work Rnds 2-12 of chart as established.

Chart –[-, -, -, -, -, -, 20]  [, , , , , , ]
Rnd 1: slm, *k -[-, -, -, -, -, -, 2] , k2tog; rep from* to end of round -[-, -, -, -, -, -, 60] sts decreased, -[-, -, -, -, -, -, 180] sts total. 
Work Rnds 2-12 of chart as established.
 144[144, 180, 180, 180, 180, 180, 180] sts total.

Neck
Work Chart 16[17, 18, 18, 18, 20, 20, 21] as follows:
Rnd 1: Slm, *k1, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. 48[48, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60] sts decreased, 96[96, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120] sts total.
Rnd 2: Work in pattern as established to  17[19, 19, 20, 20, 22, 24, 23] sts before center front marker, k2tog, pm, place next 30[34, 34, 36, 36, 40, 44, 42] sts on waste yarn or st holder, CO 11 sts (neck steek), pm, ssk, work the rest of rnd as established. 75[71, 95, 93, 93, 89, 85, 87] sts total including steek stitches.
Rnd 3 (and all odd rnds): Work as established to neck steek, slm, work steek chart, slm, work as established to end of rnd.
Rnd 4 (and all even rnds): Work as established to 2 sts before neck steek, k2tog, slm, work steek chart, slm, ssk, work as established to end of rnd. 2 sts decreased.

Repeat Rnds 3 and 4 to the end of the chart. 65[61, 85, 83, 83, 79, 75, 77] sts total including steek stitches.

Size M:
Go to Collar instructions.

Sizes S, L:
After completing Chart 16[-, 18, -, -, -, -, -] , work 2 rnds, decreasing as follows:
Working in MC, knit to steek, work steek, *k 8[-, 2, -, -, -, -, -] , k2tog; rep from * to beg of rnd marker, repeat from * to 4[-, 6, -, -, -, -, -] sts before front steek, work to steek, work steek, work to end of rnd. 5[-, 17, -, -, -, -, -] sts decreased, 60[-, 68, -, -, -, -, -] sts total.

Go to Collar instructions.

Sizes 1X-5X:
Work Chart -[-, -, 19, 19, 21, 21, 1] as follows:
Rnds 1-2: Work to steek, *k -[-, -, 1, 2, 4, 10, 32] , k2tog, rep from * past beginning of rnd marker to 4[-, 6, 9, 8, 2, 4, 32] sts before front steek, work to steek, work steek, work to end of rnd. -[-, -, 21, 16, 11, 5, 1] sts decreased, -[-, -, 62, 67, 68, 74, 76] sts total.

Work the rest of Chart -[-, -, 19, 19, 21, 21, 1] as for previous chart, working decreases at the neck steek on even rnds as described above. 60[61, 68, 62, 67, 68, 70, 76] sts total including steek stitches.

Go to Collar instructions.

Collar
With MC, BO steek sts, knit across all sts to steek. 49[50, 57, 51, 56, 57, 59, 65] sts

Stabilize and cut neck steek.

Next rnd: With smaller needles, pick up and knit 12[12, 12, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24] purl sts from left neck steek edge, k 30[34, 34, 36, 36, 40, 44, 42] sts from stitch holder on front neck, pick up and knit 12[12, 12, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24] purl sts from right neck steek edge, pm, join in rnd. 103[108, 115, 135, 140, 145, 151, 155] sts total.

Sizes S[-, L, 1X, -, 3X, 4X, 5X] :
Next rnd: K2tog, knit to end. 102[-, 114, 134, -, 144, 150, 154] sts.

All sizes:
Next rnd: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end of rnd.

Repeat last rnd until ribbing measures 3.5 inches/9 cm.

BO loosely, fold over and seam to inside of collar, enveloping the neck steek inside the collar.

FINISHING

Stabilize and cut sleeve steeks. Seam sleeves, underarms and body using a mattress stitch along the purl sts of the steek. The body steeks can be whip stitched or machine stitched or can be left raw to felt down.

Weave in all ends and block as desired.

A – Chest circumference: 37.75[41.75, 46.25, 50.25, 54.25, 58.25, 62.25, 66.25] inches/ 96[106, 117.5, 127.5, 138, 148, 158, 168.5] cm
B – Body length:  26[27.5, 29.5, 31, 31, 32.5, 32.5, 34] inches/ 66[70, 75, 78.5, 78.5, 82.5, 82.5, 86.5] cm
C – Neck circumference:  17.25[18, 19.25, 22.5, 23.25, 24.25, 25.25, 25.75] inches/ 44[45.5, 49, 57, 59, 61.5, 64, 65.5] cm
D – Upper arm circumference: 14.5[16.5, 17.75, 18.25, 18.75, 20.25, 21.25, 22.5] inches/ 37[42, 45, 46.5, 47.5, 51.5, 54, 57] cm
E – Sleeve length: 18.5[18.5, 20.5, 20.5, 20.5, 22, 22, 22] inches/ 47[47, 52, 52, 52, 56, 56, 56] cm
F – Wrist circumference: 8.25[9.25, 9.75, 10.25, 10.75, 11.5, 12.5, 13.75] inches/ 21[23.5, 25, 26, 27.5, 29, 32, 35] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Todd Gocken has spent most of his adult life in schooling of some sort and has been employed in an impressive array of interesting occupations, none of which have stuck. After suffering "middle child syndrome" for nearly 40 years, he is almost ready to figure out what he wants to do when he grows up. Until then he continues to knit and design. 

He is currently hoarding several designs to write a forthcoming book of men's sweaters which he has every intention of starting any day now. His published designs can be seen on Ravelry, or on his website.

Pattern & images © 2021 Todd Gocken