february lady sweater - Flint Knits

<strong>february</strong> <strong>lady</strong> <strong>sweater</strong><br />

A swingy lace cardigan,<br />

made to fit a grown-ass woman,<br />

lovingly based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic “Baby<br />

Sweater on Two Needles,” from Knitter’s Almanac.<br />

FINISHED BUST SIZE: 35 (37.5, 41, 41, 44, 49.5, 52.5) inches<br />

(bust is the same for both 41” sizes, but shoulders are<br />

slightly wider, and sleeves are 1.75” larger, on the second)<br />

YARN: approximately 750 (850, 950, 1050, 1150, 1250, 1350)<br />

yards of worsted weight yarn. This lace pattern is<br />

especially lovely in semi-solid yarns—I used Sundara<br />

Worsted Merino in “Green Over Ochre.”<br />

NEEDLES:<br />

• US 8 (5mm) 32” circular needle, or size needed to get<br />

gauge<br />

• US 8 (5mm) double-pointed needles, or size needed to<br />

get gauge<br />

• US 10 (6mm) needle (for bind-offs), or a needle 1mm<br />

larger than that used for <strong>sweater</strong><br />

NOTIONS:<br />

• 6 stitch markers<br />

• three 7/8” buttons<br />

GAUGE: 18 stitches / 4” in garter stitch<br />

Version 2.1 | APRIL 9, 2009<br />

STITCH PATTERNS:<br />

• paired m1 (make one) increases:<br />

first increase of each pair: using the left needle, pick up horizontal strand between last<br />

stitch and next stitch, from the front. Knit through the back loop.<br />

second increase: using the left needle, pick up the strand from the back and knit.<br />

• gull lace pattern, adapted from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitter’s Almanac (worked over<br />

7 stitches and 4 rows):<br />

row 1: k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1. Repeat across.<br />

rows 2 & 4: purl<br />

row 3: k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk. Repeat across.<br />

Pattern and all photos are © <strong>Flint</strong> <strong>Knits</strong>. This patterns is for personal and non-profit use only. You may<br />

not sell items made from this pattern. Merchants may not download or print this pattern for sale, free<br />

distribution, or class use. If you received this pattern directly from a yarn store, or are taking a class<br />

using this pattern, please verify with that the store has written permission from the author.<br />

Printing or downloading the pattern constitutes agreement with these terms.<br />

Pamela Wynne | www.flintknits.com

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THE KNITTING<br />

First of all, go get yourself a copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitter’s Almanac. Immediately.<br />

It is the greatest $7 knitting book of All Time.<br />

[COLLAR]<br />

Cast on 83 (83, 83, 87, 91, 95, 99) stitches. Work 3 rows in garter stitch.<br />

[YOKE]<br />

Row 4 (setup row): k 14 (14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18), [PM, k1, PM], k 11, [PM, k1, PM], k 28 (28, 28, 30,<br />

32, 34, 36), [PM, k1, PM], k 11, [PM, k1, PM], k 15 (15, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19).<br />

Row 5 (first increase row): *k to marker, m1, slip marker, k1, slip marker, m1 (two stitches<br />

added)* Repeat from * 3 times, k to end. (NOTE: These are the M1 increases that EZ uses.<br />

Many people prefer the look of kfb increases in garter stitch. Do what pleases you.)<br />

Row 6 (WS): k 3, work buttonhole, k to end. (I think this <strong>sweater</strong> calls for fairly hefty buttons—I<br />

used 7/8” wooden ones. Of course, this means you have to work a more complicated<br />

buttonhole than just a simple yarn-over. There’s a great tutorial for a reversible one-row<br />

buttonhole at www.knittingonthenet.com/learn/bh5.htm.)<br />

Repeat rows 5 and 6 a total of 16 (18, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30) times, working a buttonhole on an<br />

even row every 2.5 inches. [211 (227, 235, 255, 283, 311, 339) stitches] Remove markers.<br />

Eyelet increases (RS): k7 (10, 8, 8, 8, 10, 14), pm. Work 41 (38, 47, 41, 41, 38, 39) YOs spaced<br />

evenly among the 197 (207, 219, 239, 267, 291, 311) center stitches, pm, k7 (10, 8, 8, 8, 10, 14).<br />

[252 (265, 282, 296, 324, 349, 378) total stitches] (Some knitters have made the pattern less<br />

swingy by decreasing the number of increases here. Others have left the increases off the<br />

sleeve stitches, to make narrower sleeves. Knit it to fit you! See “notes on sizing” below.)<br />

Work at least 3 more rows in garter stitch, ending with a wrong-side row. Continue to work<br />

garter stitch until, when you try on the <strong>sweater</strong>, the sleeve stitches almost meet under your<br />

arms.<br />

Throughout the rest of the body, the first and last 7 (10, 8, 8, 8, 10, 14) stitches of each row will<br />

be knit in garter stitch for the button bands. Knit 1 repeat (4 rows) of the gull lace pattern,<br />

maintaining that garter stitch edge.<br />

[BODY]<br />

Separating the sleeves (you will come back to them after you finish the body):<br />

K 7 (10, 8, 8, 8, 10, 14), slip marker. Maintaining gull lace pattern, k 28 (28, 35, 35, 42, 42, 42) for<br />

the right front, slip 56 (56, 56, 63, 63, 70, 77) sleeve stitches onto scrap yarn, cast on 7 stitches<br />

on right-hand needle, k 70 (77, 84, 84, 98, 105, 112) stitches for the back, slip 56 (56, 56, 63, 63,<br />

70, 77) sleeve stitches onto scrap yarn, cast on 7 stitches on right-hand needle, k 28 (28, 35,<br />

35, 42, 42, 42) for the left front, slip marker, k 7 (10, 8, 8, 8, 10, 14). [154 (167, 184, 184, 212, 223,<br />

238) body stitches]<br />

Pattern and all photos are © <strong>Flint</strong> <strong>Knits</strong>. This patterns is for personal and non-profit use only. You may not sell items<br />

made from this pattern. Merchants may not download or print this pattern for sale, free distribution, or class use.<br />

Printing or downloading of pattern constitutes agreement with these terms. –Pamela Wynne | www.flintknits.com

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Continue in the gull lace pattern, with the garter edging at the beginning and end of each<br />

row. Because the stitch pattern is 7 stitches long, the 7 stitches you cast on at each underarm<br />

will take up one pattern repeat.<br />

Continue until the body is 1.5 (1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.75, 2) inches shorter than desired length.<br />

Work 1.5 (1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.75, 2) inches of garter stitch for the bottom band. Bind off, using the<br />

larger needle.<br />

[SLEEVES]<br />

Using DPNs or a 12” circular needle, pick up the live sleeve stitches from scrap yarn. Pick up<br />

and knit one stitch to the right of the 7 stitches cast on under the arm, then pick up and knit<br />

the 7 cast-on stitches, then one stitch to the left of those 7, for a total of 9 underarm stitches.<br />

Round 1: Place marker, and join for knitting in the round, beginning on row 1 of the lace<br />

pattern. Knit to the last 9 (underarm) stitches, ssk, k5, k2tog.<br />

Because you are working in the round, rows 2 and 4 of the lace pattern will be knit, instead of<br />

purled. Continue to knit sleeves in lace pattern all the way around, until they are 1.5 (1.5, 1.5,<br />

1.5, 1.75, 2) inches shorter than desired length. Work 1.5 (1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.75, 2) inches of garter<br />

stitch for cuff. Bind off, using the larger needle.<br />

[FINISHING]<br />

Block. Sew on buttons. Strut your stuff.<br />

** notes on sizing: You can make this cardigan smaller or larger by casting on fewer or more<br />

stitches, and/or doing fewer or more raglan increases—just be sure that your final stitch<br />

counts for the sleeves and body are a multiple of 7. If you find that the sleeve openings are<br />

too large, you can leave out the additional 7 stitches cast on when you separate the sleeves.<br />

My raglan math owes a great debt to Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top, and to Laura<br />

Chau’s fabulous (and free!) tutorial at www.cosmicpluto.com/blog/?page_id=397.<br />

All mistakes are, of course, my own—bring them to my attention at flintknits@gmail.com.<br />

Pattern and all photos are © <strong>Flint</strong> <strong>Knits</strong>. This patterns is for personal and non-profit use only. You may not sell items<br />

made from this pattern. Merchants may not download or print this pattern for sale, free distribution, or class use.<br />

Printing or downloading of pattern constitutes agreement with these terms. –Pamela Wynne | www.flintknits.com