My husband doesn't like wearing sweaters. That's not unusual. And not really a problem. Unless... Unless you're an aspiring knitwear designer--as I was from 2002 to 2010. So I decided to design a sweater he would wear. My first step: consult him on the design. My next step: consult him on the yarn. My last step: consult him on the fit. This sweater is truly a combined effort. Yet I didn't hesitate to claim I designed it.
Well, look at it.
Do you blame me?
I was still working on the sweater when we vacationed in Hofsos, Iceland. I finished it while there and I had my first International photo shot. Hofsos is a picturesque village in northern Iceland.
Byron's Daylight in Hofsos sweater
was first published in
Knit Together:
the quarterly publication of Canadian Guild of Knitters
(November, 2007)
Skill level: Beginner
Materials:
Cabin Fever Aran Tweed or Kraemer Tatamy Tweed Worsted
250 yards per 100 gram ball - 8 [9, 10, 10, 11] balls
OR 1475 [1650, 1825, 1825, 2025] yards
1350 [1500, 1650, 1650, 1850] metres
worsted weight yarn
1 pair 5 mm 8 US 6 UK straight needles
or whatever size necessary to obtain tension
Tension: 16 stitches = 4 inches/10 cm
Size:
Finished sweater:
Chest: 38 [42, 46, 50, 54] inches
97 [107, 117, 127, 137] cm
Length: 25.5 [26.5, 27, 27.5, 28.5] inches
65 [67, 68.5, 70, 72] cm
Instructions are given for smallest size with instructions for larger sizes placed in square brackets []. When only one instructions is given, work it for all sizes.
Rib stitch
Row 1 (right side): knit to end of row
Row 2: knit one, purl one--to end of row
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for pattern
Seed stitch (over even number of stitches)
Row 1: knit one, purl one--to end of row
Row 2: purl one, knit one--to end of row
Repeat rows for pattern
Stockinette stitch
Row 1 (right side): knit--to end of row
Row 2: purl to end of row
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for pattern
Back
Cast on 76 [84, 92, 100, 108] stitches
Work in rib stitch for 2.5 inches (6 centimetres)
Work in Stockinette stitch for 14 [14.5, 15, 15, 15.5] inches
35.5 [37, 38, 38, 39.5] centimetres
For tall size, add 2 inches (5 centimetres)
Armhole shaping:
Decrease 8 stitches at the beginning of next 2 rows
60 [68, 76, 84, 92] stitches remaining
Work in Stockinette for 9 [10, 10, 11, 11.5] inches
23 [25.5, 25.5, 28, 29] centimetres
Shoulder shaping:
Cast off 8 [6, 8, 10, 12] stitches at beginning of next 2 [4, 4, 4, 4] rows
44 stitches remain for all sizes
Collar: Work in seed stitch for 4 inches (10 cm)
Cast off
Front
Cast on 76 [84, 92, 100, 108] stitches
Work in rib stitch for 2.5 inches (6 centimetres)
Establish pattern: Work 12 [12, 12, 12, 14] stitches in Stockinette stitch, 10 stitches in seed stitch, 54 [62, 70, 78, 84] stitches in Stockinette stitch
Work established pattern for 14 [14.5, 15, 15, 15.5] inches
35.5 [37, 38, 38, 39.5] centimetres
Tip: Place a stitch marker at each side of seed stitch panel
Armhole shaping:
Decrease 8 stitches at the beginning of next 2 rows.
60 [68, 76, 84, 92] stitches remain
Check: with right side facing there are 4 [4, 4, 6] stitches in Stockinette stitch, 10 stitches in seed stitch, 46 [54, 62, 70, 76] stitches in Stockinette stitch
Continue for 4 [4, 5, 5, 5] inches
10 [10, 13, 13, 13] centimetres
Yoke
Establish pattern: (right side facing) Work 4 [4, 4, 4, 6] stitches in Stockinette stitch, 10 stitches in seed stitch, 18 [20, 22, 26, 26] stitches in Stockinette stitch.
60 [68, 76, 84, 92] stitches remain
Continue as established for 2 [2.5, 2.5, 3, 3] inches
5 [6.5, 6.5, 7.5, 7.5] centimetres
Right side facing for next row. On next row, join a new ball of yarn in the centre of the seed stitch yoke panel, using one ball on each half of front.
Continue working in pattern as established until armhole measures 8 [9.5, 9.5, 10, 10] inches
20 [24, 24, 25.5, 25.5] centimetres
Widen yoke as follows: Work 4 [4, 4, 4, 6] stitches in Stockinette stitch, 26 [30, 10, 10, 10] stitches in seed stitch, 0 [0, 2, 6, 8] stitches in Stockinette stitch, 22 stitches in seed stitch, 0 [0, 22, 22, 22] stitches in seed stitch, 8 [12, 16, 20, 24] stitches in Stockinette stitch
60 [68, 76, 84, 92] stitches remain
Continue until armhole measures 9 [10, 10, 11, 11.5] inches
23 [25.5, 25.5, 28, 29] centimetres
Shoulder shaping:
Cast off 8 [6, 8, 10, 12] stitches at the armhole edge of next 2 [4, 4, 4,4] rows
22 stitches on each side of yoke for all sizes.
Collar:
Continuing as for yoke, with separate ball of yarn for each half of front, work in seed stitch stitch for 4 inches (10 centimetres)
Cast off
Sleeves (make 2)
Cast on 72 [80, 80, 88, 92] stitches
Work in Stockinette stitch for 2 inches (5 centimetres)
Increase 1 stitch at the beginning and end of next row
74 [82, 82, 90, 94] stitches
Work in Stockinette stitch for 1 inch (2.5 centimetres)
Decrease 1 stitch at the beginning and end of next and every following 6th row until 50 [58, 58, 60, 64] stitches remain
Continue in Stockinette stitch until sleeve length is 2 [2, 2.5, 3, 3.5] inches
5 [5, 6, 7.5, 9] centimetres less than desire length
Wrong side facing for next row
Decrease 8 [16, 16, 18, 22] stitches evenly across next row
42 stitches remain
Work in rib stitch for 2 [2, 2.5, 3, 3.5] inches
5 [5, 6, 7.5, 9] centimetres
Cast off
Finishing
Attach sleeves, sew side, shoulder, collar and sleeve seams. Weave in ends.
***
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