Childhood remake sweater

We´ve had this skein of beautyful handspun yarn from Tove at Spinn-spinn sitting around waiting for the perfect project: A new version of a knitted sweater Pickles-Heidi is wearing in an old photo. The stripes really enhances the construction!

Materials:
US 7 DPN´s or small circular needles
US 6 circular needles or straight single pointed needles.
200 g Pickles extra fine merino double stranded
100 g DK weight handspun yarn from spinn-spinn double stranded

Gauge:
17 s = 4"

Size:
1 y. 3 and 4 y can be purchased in the pickles shop

Pattern:
Cast on 88 stitches with two strands of Pickles extra Fine Merino on US 7 needles. K2, P2 for 1.5 inches. Continue in stockinette until your piece measures 8.5 inches, then divide it into front and back pieces. 44 stitches each.

Back piece:
Start from the wrong side. Make stripes as you go.
Row 1: Cast on 36 new stitches on US 7 needles. K 44  stitches. Make 36 new stitches at the end of the row.
Row 2: Slip 1, K until end.

Repeat row 2 until you have 5 inches of garter stitch. Leave the stitches on a needle while you make the front pieces

Left front piece:
Start from the wrong side. Make stripes the same way as you did on the back piece, but always knit the 8 stitches closest to the neck opening in the base colour. Remember to twist the yarn to avoid holes where the two colours meet.
Row 1: Cast on 36 new stitches on the needles. K 27 stitches
Row 2: Slip 1, K until end.

Repeat row 2 until you have 5 inches of garter stitch. Leave the stitches on a needle while you make the right front piece.
 
Right front piece:
Start from the wrong side. Make stripes the same way as you did on the back piece, but always knit the 8 stitches closest to the neck opening in the base colour. Remember to twist the yarn to avoid holes where the two colours meet.
Row 1: Cast on 10 new stitches on the needles. K 17 stitches. Make 36 new stitches at the end of the row.
Row 2: Slip 1, K until end.

Repeat row 2 until you have 5 inches of garter stitch. Leave the stitches on the needle.

Assembling:
Use kitchener stitch to assemble the top edgeStart at the right arm cuff and weave together 50 stitches.

Leave 16 stitches for neck opening. Assemble the last 50 stitches. Knit back and forth around the neck opening, pick up 2 stitches between the back and front pieces on each side. Knit garter back and forth for 6 rows. Bind off.

Pick up stitches around the arm cuffs. Knit garter 6 rows. Bind off. Weave in all loose ends.

Comments

[Amelia]

hi there,

many thanks for posting this gorgeous pattern. i've just finished doing all the knitting (seams and ends to go) but had a couple of difficulties with the pattern and a few suggestions:
- the additional 10 sts at the start of the right front piece, why 10?
- there are no further directions on what to do with these 10 sts. i actually choose to pick up eight sts at the back of the collar placket instead.
- all that kitchener st? ouch. i used a three-needle bind off instead. i also cast on provisionally for the sleeves and did a three-needle bind off there too. given the shape of the garment it might be best knit flat in one piece, rather than in the round and then dividing for the fronts and back. this would avoid the seam at the top of the sleeve altogether.
- the intarsia-style collar placket presents difficulties if you want the garter st to show the right side on both fronts. this is really hard to put into words - for one of the fronts the colour changes for the stripes will be at the cuff, whereas the colour changes for the placket are at the other end of the row, so you have to work with three threads, two of which are the same colour. i wonder if it would make more sense to knit the placket separately and seam it to the front, as you would a button band.

anyway, these are just some ideas. the sweater really is gorgeous and i will send you a link to my finished version when i have woven in the ends. i plan to make it again (and maybe again) and will try out some of these construction variations.

sincerely and thank you again,

Amelia

[Hanne]

I love the pattern and I am so proud that I made one for each of my twins! Have a look here : http://siddis-in-houston.blogspot.com/2010/09/finally-back-and-one-for-each.html

[Ashna]

Hi! Wondering if you had a back picture if this ? I just finished the 8.5" and going to spit the sweater.
When you say" make stripes as you go along " what is the stripe placement ?
Thanks.

[pickles]

We made random stripes. We don´t have a picture of the back sorry.