INTRODUCTION

Rousay

by Elizabeth Lovick

I have always loved dogs. For much of my life I have had working collies, and for the last 30-odd years I have had Scotties. I presently have two: Magnus and Inga, and my son has two collies, Melan and Wobble (the "collywobbles" is a casual UK term for a nervous feeling in your stomach). This design came about during last year's cold winter.

Note for dog lovers: in North America, we often refer to these beautiful black and white dogs are Border Collies. In Scotland, "Border Collie" is a set breed (about which there is some debate!), and dogs which are bred for working sheep are referred to as "working collies".

The stitch pattern comes from a sweater in photo of a group of musicians from the Orkney island of Rousay. Orkney has its own traditions of stranded knitting, and these arrangement of motifs are typical. The smaller chart is over 11 stitches and can be used on all sizes; the larger chart is over 22 stitches and looks best on the three largest sizes. There is no shaping in the stranded section.

Designed to stay in place while rolling and playing, the Rousay sweater has a stretchy, single rib belly panel to keep the sweater close to the body. The stranded section is worked in the round, with a steek, finishing before the neck shaping. The neck is shaped in the main color, and the fronts are knitted on and joined under the chin. The belly panel is worked flat and sewn into place, then the neck and legs are worked in the round. The back and leg lengths can be easily adjusted. Instructions for altering the back length for dogs and bitches are included.

model: Eilidh and Inga the Scotties, Melan and Wobble the working collies

photos: Elizabeth and Nick Lovick

SIZE

 XS[S, M, L, XL, XXL]
shown in sizes M (in purple, on the Scotties) and L (in pink on the black and white collies) with between 1 and 4 inches/2.5 and 10 cm of negative ease.
See Pattern Notes for sizing information.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest/Bust circumference:  11[14, 18, 22, 26, 34] inches/ 28[35.5, 46, 56, 66, 86] cm
Length: female dog: 8[10, 14, 18, 22, 26] inches/ 20.5[25, 35.5, 46, 56, 66] cm;
male dog: 7[9, 12, 15, 18, 20] inches/ 17.5[23, 30.5, 38, 46, 51] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn

Pink version:
King Cole Glitz DK [97% acrylic, 3% polyester; 318yd/290m per 100g ball];
[MC] Pink Gin; 1[2, 2, 3, 4, 6] balls
[CC] Diamond White; 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 3] balls
[CC2] King Cole Moments DK [100% polyester; 98yd/90m per 50g ball]; color white; 1[1, 1, 2, 3, 4] balls

Purple version:
James C Brett Twinkle DK  [97% acrylic, 3% polyester; 334yd/300m per 100g ball]; color
[MC] Violet; 1[2, 2, 3, 4, 6] balls
[CC] White; 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 3] balls
[CC2] King Cole Moments DK [100% polyester; 98yd/90m per 50g ball]; color white; 1[1, 1, 2, 3, 4] balls

Yarn Characteristics
The samples shown use acrylic yarns with a metallic strand. This adds to the fun of the sweaters while keeping them easy to wash and dry. Any DK weight yarns can be used, but I would choose one that can easily be washed and machine dried, because dogs will be dogs.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #4/3.5mm needles: the body is worked in the round: choose a needles of an appropriate length to hold the stitches; for the two smallest sizes, you will need a small circumference method
US #4/3.5mm needles for small circumference for the leg openings

Notions
2 stitch markers
3 stitch holders or lengths of yarn
4 safety pins or removable markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

24 sts/32 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
28 sts/30 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in pattern

PATTERN NOTES

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

When deciding what size sweater your dog needs, it is the chest circumference, just behind the front legs, that is the key measurement. The back length is easily adjustable. The belly is worked in rib, so the sweater is very stretchy.

Steeking acrylic yarn is best done with a sewing machine to stabilize and lock the stitches in place before cutting. See this tutorial for more information.

Although hard to see because it blends so nicely into the black-and-white dogs' fur, there is a white eyelash yarn [CC2] used for the edging of the collar for these two samples. You can omit this portion of the collar if you prefer.

CHARTS

Note: 11 st Chart is for sizes XS and S only. 22 st Chart is for all other sizes

DIRECTIONS

Body
With MC, using your preferred stretchy method and needles for the body, CO 50[66, 106, 134, 162, 188] sts. Place marker and join for working in the round.
Ribbing round: [K1, p1] around.
Work 6[8, 8, 10, 10, ] rounds in (k1, p1) rib as set.

Next round: K to last 5[10, 17, 23, 29, 33] , pm; place the remaining 5[10, 17, 23, 29, 33] sts on a thread for the belly. CO 9 sts for the steek, pm.

You now have 45[56, 89, 111, 133, 155] sts for the body and 9 sts between the markers for the steek.

Join CC.
Body round: Work from your chosen chart, working the repeat to the last st before the marker, work the last charted stitch, sm, (k1 MC, k1 CC) 4 times, k1 MC.

Work even until the piece measures 8[10, 14, 18, 22, 26] inches / 20.5[25, 36, 46, 56, 66] cm from the cast on for a bitch, and 7[9, 12, 15, 18, 20] inches/ 18[23, 30, 38, 46, 51] cm for a dog, ending after Round 1 for the two smaller sizes, or Round 1 or 15 of the larger chart. If you need to adjust back length, you can do that here.

Break CC and continue in MC only.
Next Round: K to marker, remove marker, BO the 9 sts of the steek, remove start of round marker. From here, the piece will be completed working flat, in rows.

Mark both edges of this row with removable stitch markers or safety pins.

Right side of Neckline
Row 1 [RS]: K 20[23, 36, 43, 53, 60] , turn; slip remaining sts on waste yarn or a holder.
Row 2 [WS]: P2tog, p to end of row. 1 st decreased.
Row 3 [RS]: K to last 2 sts, k2tog. 1 st decreased.
Repeat Rows 2–3 until 10[12, 24, 30, 38, 48] sts remain.

Work even in stockinette stitch until the work measures 2[2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5] inches/ 5[6.5, 7.5, 9, 10, 11.5] cm from the start of the Neck, as marked above. Mark the start of the next RS row with a pin, for the belly edge/leg opening. Work a further 1.5[2, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5] inches/ 4[5, 6.5, 9, 11.5, 14] cm. Bind off.

Left Side of Neckline
Return to held sts and, with right side facing, place the first 5[10, 17, 22, 27, 35] sts on a thread for the collar. Place the remaining 20[23, 36, 43, 53, 60] sts on the needle and knit to the end of the row.

Row 1 [RS]: P to last 2 sts, p2togtbl. 1 st decreased.
Row 2 [WS]: K2togtbl, k to end of row. 1 st decreased.
Repeat Rows 1–2 until 10[12, 24, 30, 38, 48] sts remain.
Work straight until the work measures 2[2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5] inches/ 5[6.5, 7.5, 9, 10, 11.5] cm from the start of the neck. Mark the end of the next RS row with a pin, for the belly edge/leg opening. Work a further 1.5[2, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5] inches/ 4[5, 6.5, 9, 11.5, 14] cm. Bind off.

Belly
Return to the 5[10, 17, 23, 29, 33] sts held after the ribbing. Place the sts on the needle and with MC work as follows:
Set Up Row for XS, M, L, XL, XXL [RS]: K1, (p1, k1) to end of row.
Set Up Row for S [RS]: K1, m1, (p1, k1) to end of row. 11 sts.

All Sizes:
Row 1 [WS]: K2, (p1, k1) to last st, k1.
Row 2: K1, (p1, k1) to end of row.
Row 3: K1, m1, rib to last st, m1, k1. 2 sts increased.
Rows 4 to 8: In rib.
Repeat these 8 rows, taking the extra sts into the ribbing, until there are 15[23, 34, 45, 57, 71] sts on the needle. Continue even until the edge of the strip reaches along the body to the row marker where the steek is bound off. Mark the ends of this row. Work a further 2[2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5] inches/ 5[6, 7.5, 9, 10, 11] cm. Bind off.

Collar
Seam the bound off edges of the front.

Note: for the next step, you'll need needles for working in the round. For the smaller sizes, a small-circumference method will be best, otherwise use a shorter circular.

Starting at the top of the center front seam, join MC and using needles for working in the round, pick up and knit 18[23, 37, 44, 42, 50] sts along the right side of the neck, k 5[10, 17, 22, 27, 35] held from the body, pick up and knit 17[23, 36, 44, 41, 49] sts along the left side of the neck. 40[56, 90, 110, 110, 134] sts.

Work (k1, p1) rib in the round for 1[1, 1.5, 1.5, 2, 2] inches/ 2.5[2.5, 4, 4, 5, 5] cm. Change to CC2 if desired, and work a further 1.5[1.5, 2, 2, 2.5, 2.5] inches/ 4[4, 5, 5, 6.5, 6.5] cm. Bind off in pattern.

FINISHING

Cut the steek. Pin the bound off edge of the belly piece between the markers on the front and sew in place. Sew the belly seams from the start of the steek to the markers for the leg opening.

Legs
With right side facing and MC, pick up and knit 12[16, 18, 22, 26, 34] sts from the body side of the leg opening and knit 12[16, 18, 22, 26, 34] sts from the belly side. 24[32, 36, 44, 52, 68] sts.
Work in (k1, p1) rib for 1[1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5] inches/ 2.5[3.5, 5, 6, 7.5, 9] cm. Adjust length here. Bind off loosely. Repeat for the other leg.

If desired, neaten the edges of the steek. Weave in all ends. Wash and dry as flat as possible.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Liz lives and work on Orkney, a group of islands off the top of Scotland. She's been knitting, designing and writing since she was small and enjoy bringing traditional stitches to modern knitters. She has self-published several books, including Patterns for North Ronaldsay Yarn, The Gansey Workbook, The Fair Isle Workbook, Exploring Shawl Shapes and the Fine Spinning Workbook. She's the author of the best-selling The Magic of Shetland Lace Knitting and Magical Shetland Shawls to Knit, published by Search Press in the UK and St Martins in the USA, both of which have been widely translated. She's the editor of Centenary Stitches, a book of patterns updated from the WW1 era. All of her self-published print books have a pattern for a dog rug or sweater!

Find her books here and her patterns here. She's northernlace on Etsy, Wordpress, Instagram, Facebook and Ravelry, but LizLovick on Twitter.

Pattern & images © 2021 Elizabeth Lovick