Exercise Before Knitting

The pattern is up! Thank you so very much for your kind comments and positive feedback! I cannot believe almost 300 people entered the contest! I am pleased to announce that by random selection, Nancy is the winner of the kit. Congratulations Nancy, and many thanks to all who entered!

For those interested in the pattern, please take a look at the pattern specifications and schematic before purchasing. The pullover version requires no steeking and would be a good introduction to stranded knitting. Please be advised that the cardigan version is steeked and will require, in cases of yarn substitution, a feltable wool that is not machine washable.

Finally, there appears to be some disagreement about Harrisville New England Shetland yardage, which I suspect comes from the washed/unwashed (skeined/coned) offerings – some say 217 yds/skein, others 197 yds/skein. I made all of my calculations assuming 197 yds/skein to ensure that you will not run out of yarn.

Plum Frost Pullover & Cardigan

Knit seamlessly in the round from the bottom up, this simple, versatile, women’s pullover/cardigan pattern features a classic XOXO stranded pattern in the 6-color yoke, with stars occupying the lozenge positions. The main color (charcoal) fades out to nearly white within the stranded pattern while, at the same time, a light purple darkens toward the center of the band. Hourglass waist shaping and fitted sleeves outline a flattering style to most sizes and shapes. The bottom band, button bands, neckband, and sleeve cuffs are worked in K1, P1 rib and employ tubular cast-ons and bind-offs. The cardigan version is steeked open; however, it is essentially the same pattern as the pullover, measuring 1″ wider in the body only because of the button band. The pattern is designed to fit bust measurements from 33″ to 51″.

The pattern is available as a Ravelry download for $6.50.

Difficulty

Intermediate (pullover), Advanced (cardigan)

Skills used

Tubular cast-on, knitting in the round, decreasing, increasing, reading and working through a color chart, tubular bind-off, grafting together stitches, crocheting a chain (cardigan only), steeking (cardigan only) picking up stitches (cardigan only), sewing on buttons (cardigan only).

Sizes

To fit bust: 33 (36, 38, 43, 47, 51)”

Model shown in size 36 with a shortened back waist.

Finished measurements

Bust (pullover): 32.75 (35.75, 37.75, 42.75, 46.75, 50.75)”

Bust (cardigan): 33.75 (37, 39, 43.75, 47.75, 51.75)”

Back length: 20.75 (21.5, 22.25, 23, 23.75, 24.25)”

Gauge

24 stitches and 32 rows = 4″ in stockinette stitch on US 4 (3.5 mm) needles

24 stitches and 32 rows = 4″ in stranded stitch pattern on US 6 (4 mm) needles

Yarn

Harrisville Designs New England Shetland [100% wool; 197 yd (180 m); 50 g skein]; color: #49 Charcoal, 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7) skeins; #19 Blackberry, #20 Purple Haze, #72 Lilac, #47 Suede, #45 Pearl, 1 skein each.

Needles

US 2.5 (3 mm) circular needle, 29″ or 32″ long

1 set of US 2.5 (3 mm) DPNs

US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle, 29″ or 32″ long

1 set of US 4 (3.5 mm) DPNs

US 6 (4 mm) circular needle, 29″ or 32″ long

US 6 (4 mm) circular needle, 16″ long

Size B (2.25 mm) crochet hook (cardigan only)

Notions

Stitch markers – two different colors (blue and orange used for illustration purposes)

Stitch holders

Scrap yarn – the scrap yarn used for the cardigan’s crochet chains must be feltable wool (i.e. not superwash)

Tapestry needle

7 3/4″ buttons

Schematic

More photos can be found here.