Friday, June 15, 2007

K3P2 Boatneck Pullover

This is a favorite pattern. The idea came originally from knitty.com's Bob. The version I made (in the May 2004 archives of this journal) is the first sweater I made that my oldest complimented me on as being stylish. That one was knitted from the top down and in the round, just as this one is.

I've learned a lot of new techniques since then. So, the pattern for this sweater is slightly different from the one I used back then. It's so much different that I decided to write it down here.
The yarn I used is Patons Classic Merino New Denim -- which was a pleasure to work with and a pleasure to wear. I used size 7 circulars and had a gauge of 4 sts and 6 rows per inch.

Neck:
CO 70. Join to work in the round.
K1, *p2, k3* 13 times, p2, k2 for 10 rounds.
Place marker after 2nd, 7th, 37th, and 42nd sts. (Each marker will be between 2 purl sts. These markers mark the centers of the raglan seams.)

Upper garment:
The raglan seams are k1, p1, (marker), p1, k1. Increases are made outside of the raglan seams on increase rounds, as follows: On increase rounds, work: m1, k1, p1, (marker), p1, k1, m1 with the m1's made to continue the p2, k3 pattern on the sleeves and garment. On the first increase round, each m1 is m1 knit. On the next two increase rounds, each m1 is m1 purl. For the next three increase rounds, it's m1 knit. ....

For a wider neckline:

Neck:
CO 80. Join to work in the round.
K2, *p2, k3* 15 times, p2, k1 for 10 rounds.
Place marker after 3rd, 13th, 43rd, and 53rd sts. (Each marker will be between 2 purl sts. These markers mark the centers of the raglan seams.)

Upper garment:
The raglan seams are k2, p1, (marker), p1, k2. Increases are made outside of the raglan seams on increase rounds, as follows: On increase rounds, work: m1, k2, p1, (marker), p1, k2, m1 with the m1's made to continue the p2, k3 pattern on the sleeves and garment. On the first two increase rounds, each m1 is m1 knit. On the next two increase rounds, each m1 is m1 purl. For the next three increase rounds, it's m1 knit.....


Alternate increase rounds with non-increase rounds to get a total of 20 increase rounds. Then k3p2 around in pattern until garment top is desired length. End with k3 before the first p2 (the center of the first raglan seam).

Lower garment:
Cast on 12 sts. Put the (purl) stitch before the first marker, plus the stitches between the first and second marker, plus the (purl) stitch after the second marker on a spare circular needle or scarp yarn. Work in pattern to one stitch before the third marker. Cast on 12 sts. Put the (purl) stitch before the third marker, plus the stitches between the third and fourth marker, plus the (purl) stitch after the fourth marker on a spare circular needle or scarp yarn. Work in pattern around. (150 sts on main circular needle.)

Work k3p2 ribbing for 14 rounds. On 15th round p2tog two p2 sts under each underarm
Start working in stockinette, doing double decreases under each underarm every tenth round until reaching natural waist. (My natural waist falls at 50th round and so I did a total of 4 double decreases.) Work evenly for about an inch. Make double increases under each underarm every fifth round until reaching the original number of stitches.
Work k1p1 ribbing for 6 rnds. Bind off (w decrease bind off)

Sleeves:
Starting with the center underarm, pick up and knit/purl in pattern until reaching the sts on the spare circ or scrap yarn. Pass the first two of these sts over the last st worked. Work in pattern to the last two sts in scrap. Slip these sts (to be passed over the next st worked). Pick up and knit/purl in pattern the rest of the underarm cast on sts – passing the two slipped sts over the first of these worked underarm sts. Work in pattern until sleeve is desired length (for a short sleeve, 20-30 rnds). (If I were to make this into a long-sleeve or ¾ sleeve pullover, I would work the ribbing until just above the elbow, then decrease evenly around by about 10%, then work in stockinette decreasing every inch or inch and a half, and finally work a p1k1 ribbing at the cuff – in order to match the sleeves more or less to the body of the sweater.) Bind off (w decrease bind off).