» photos: Katie Wolff » model: Henry

Oliver

By Jenna Swanson

Each year I strive to make my son a winter sweater that will last him the entire season and maybe a little into the next (since I never know when the sweater will actually get finished). This year, I opted for a simple top down design, so I could pair it with several different looks. A zipper is used, because I wanted the sweater to function as a jacket. In Texas, I find it rarely gets cold enough to require a handknit sweater and a coat, but, that could be my northern blood talking.

Size

6 months [12 months, 18 months, 2T, 4T, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16]
Size shown: Size 4T shown (model normally wears a 3T)

Finished Measurements

Chest: 22 [23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37] inches
Length: 9 [10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20] inches

Materials

Spud and Chloë™ Sweater [55% wool, 45% organic cotton; 160 yards/146 meters per 100 gram/3.5 ounce hank]

#7511 Chipmunk (MC); 1 [1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] hanks
#7500 Ice Cream (CC1); 1 [1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] hanks
#7510 Splash (CC2); 1 [1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] hanks

Recommended needle sizes

US #5/3.75 mm double pointed needles (set of five)
US #5/3.75 mm 32 inch circular needle
US #7/4.5 mm double pointed needles (set of five)
US #7/4.5 mm 32 inch circular needle

Notions

Scrap yarn
Set of four stitch markers
Tapestry needle
1 separating zipper (measure cardigan before buying zipper)

Gauge

16 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches in St st with larger size needles.

Pattern Notes

Sweater is worked from the top down on circular needles. Arms are held on scrap yarn until body is completed. Zipper bands are picked up to complete the cardigan.

Moss Stitch

(worked in rows)
Row 1: K1, *p1, k1; repeat from * across.
Repeat Row 1 for pattern.
(worked in rounds)
Rnd 1: K1, *p1, k1; repeat from * around.
Rnd 2: P1,* k1, p1; repeat from * around.
Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 for pattern.

Skills Required

Switching colors, DPNS, knitting in the round.

INSTRUCTIONS

Collar

With larger circular needle and MC, cast on 37 [41, 43, 45, 49, 51, 55, 57, 59, 63, 65] stitches. Switch to smaller circular needles, work moss stitch for 1 inch. Switch to larger circular needles.

Yoke

Switch to CC1.
Row 1: K6 [7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 11] stitches for front left, pm, k6 [6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10] stitches for left sleeve, pm, k13 [15, 17, 15, 19, 17, 21, 19, 21, 23, 23] for back, pm, k6 [6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10] stitches for right sleeve, pm, k6 [7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 11] stitches for front right.
Row 2: Purl across.

Raglan increases
Row 1: * Knit to one stitch before marker, m1, k1, sm, k1, m1; repeat from * 3 times more, knit across.
Row 2: Purl across.
Repeat these two rows, 13 [13, 13, 15, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 22, 23] more times. At the same time, switch colors every as follows: 2 more rows CC1, * 6 rows CC2, 6 rows MC, 6 rows CC1; repeat from * for stripe sequence.
There should be 149 [153, 155, 173, 177, 203, 215, 233, 243, 247, 257] total stitches.
20 [21, 21, 24, 24, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35] stitches for each front,
34 [34, 34, 39, 39, 46, 48, 53, 55, 55, 58] for each sleeve, and
41 [43, 45, 47, 51, 55, 61, 63, 67, 69, 71] for the back.

Body

Next row: Knit left front stitches, remove marker, slip 34 [34, 34, 39, 39, 46, 48, 53, 55, 55, 58] stitches onto waste yarn, remove marker, cast on 2 stitches, knit back stitches, remove marker, slip 34 [34, 34, 39, 39, 46, 48, 53, 55, 55, 58] stitches onto waste yarn, cast on 2 stitches, remove marker, knit right front stitches: 85 [89, 91, 99, 103, 115, 123, 131, 137, 141, 145] stitches.
Continue working in St st until piece measures approximately 9 [10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20] inches from the cast on edge, ending by completing a stripe.
Switch to smaller circular needles and next color, work 1 row in St st, then work 1 inch in moss stitch.
Bind off in pattern using larger needles.

Sleeves

Resuming correct color pattern, rejoin yarn with larger dpns and pick up and knit 2 [2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] stitches, knit 34 [34, 34, 39, 39, 46, 48, 53, 55, 55, 58] sleeve stitches, pick up and knit 3 [3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 6] stitches, place marker: 39 [39, 39, 47, 47, 55, 57, 61, 65, 65, 69] total sleeve stitches.
Decrease every 4th [7th, 9th, 6th, 8th, 6th, 7th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 8th] round, 8 [6, 5, 8, 7, 10, 10, 11, 12, 11, 12] times as follows.
Decrease row: k1, k2tog, knit until 3 stitches remain, ssk, k1: 23 [27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45] stitches remain.
Work even until sleeve measures approximately 6 [7½, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17] inches from underarm, ending with a complete stripe.
Switch to smaller dpns and next color, work 1 row in St st, then work 1 inch in moss stitch.
Bind off in pattern using larger needles.

Zipper Band

With MC and smaller circular needles, pick up and knit 35 [39, 43, 51, 55, 59, 63, 67, 71, 75, 79] stitches along front edge.

Work in moss stitch for ½ inch.
Bind off in pattern using larger needles.
Repeat for second side.

FINISHING

Weave in all ends.
Wash gently in cold water and then tumble dry on low until slightly damp. Remove sweater from dryer and block to shape.
Pin zipper into place. Baste zipper so the edges of the bands meet. Sew in zipper.

Jenna enjoys designing patterns that fit the gap between beginner knits and complicated patterns. Her favorite garments to design are socks and boy’s items. She took up knitting in 2004 after watching her mother-in-law knit a sock. It stuck, unlike her many other hobbies, to the delight of her husband. She is getting used to knitting and living in Texas.