Summer Square boatneck raglan

This is a summery extra-short sleeve raglan. The directions are for a medium size and worsted weight yarn (with a gauge of 4 sts per inch) and size 7 needles. Size 5 needles are used for the sleeve finishing. I used 7 skeins of shine worsted yarn (525 yds). Most people would need 8 skeins.

It can be made larger/smaller by either doing more/fewer increase rows in the raglan shaping section or casting on more/fewer sts. (If casting on more/fewer sts, try to leave the neckband ratio similar. In this pattern, there are 33 sts for the front/back panel and 11 sts for each sleeve -- a ratio of 3 to 1. So, one could decrease to 27 and 9 -- again a ratio of 3 to 1 and again both odd numbers. One could also increase to 39 and 13.)

It's not necessary to work the pattern. I added it because I thought I'd get bored doing straight stockinette for the rest of the pullover. A blog entry on the pattern is here. It includes a variation of the chart made before I realized that charts are read from the bottom right corner up and across. It also includes a discussion on the best way to join yarn for a slippery cotton blend.

Neckband:
CO 92. Join.
Work *p1, k1* around for 6 rounds, starting w the p1.
*p1, k11, p1, k33* twice
p92

Upper Body:
R1: *P1, k1, m1, knit to 1 st before next purl, m1, k1* four times.
R2: Knit the knit sts and the m1's, purl the 4 purl sts

Alternate these rnds to 34 increase rnds total and 228 sts total. Then do just R2 until 45 total rnds for me (51 for most people) not including the ribbing – or until the sweater lies 1” below the underarm. Then: p1, *k3, p3* around, k3, p2 (R1 of both the sleeve and garment pattern).

Lower Body:
*K1, put the next 47 sts on a spare circ, co9, k67* twice (152 sts total). This is R2 of garment and garment underarm patts. (The 47 sts to be put aside are the sleeve sts.)

The pattern chart doesn't show up well here. Another version is here. Click on the chart to see a close-up. A picture of the sweater is at that link and as the second sweater in the link here.

Continue w R3 of garment and garment underarm patts. (Every even rnd is knit around.)

After the patt rnds, continue shaping by decreasing 4 sts every 10th row above the waist and increasing every 5th row below to end with 152 sts at desired length.

Lower Garment Ribbing:
set-up round: *(k1, p1) twice, k1, p2tog, (k1, p1) twice* around, ending either w (k1, p1) or (k1, p2tog)
*k1, p1* around for 14 rnds.
Bind off.

Sleeves:
Use a needle 1 or 2 sizes smaller than for the rest of the garment. Starting with the middle stitch, knit 4 sts from the underarm cast-on sts, knit the last cast-on st together with the nearest sleeve st, knit to the last of the sleeve sts, knit that together w the nearest cast on stitch, and then knit 3 sts to reach the middle again. (54 sts) (This is R2 of the sleeve pattern.) Continue with R3 of the sleeve patt. (Every even rnd is knit around.)

Bind off.

Tags: raglan, boatneck, pullover

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).

OJ - drop-sleeve pullover

Every so often, there is a request on knitting boards such as knittyboard.com for an easy-to-make sweater. This is one of the easiest. The pattern itself is such that it can be made with almost any yarn and in almost any size. The sweater pictured is the 3rd sweater I ever made. The second sweater I ever made was to the same pattern. But, it's no longer with us. I accidently washed it on too high a heat setting and because of its acrylic content, it blossomed to twice its original size. The sweater pictured is too big for me. I made it before I learned to adjust a pattern. The stripes are optional. (There are a lot of major changes in the pattern below from the original pattern.)

Generic Drop-Sleeve Boat-Neck Pullover

The garment front and back are essentially large rectangles with ribbing at both top and lower edges. These are knit first. Then the top (leaving an opening for the neck) and the sides (leaving an armhole opening on each side) are seamed up. Last, stitches are picked up around each armhole to begin the sleeves. (I use 2 circular needles of the same size to make the garment.)

The pullover is named after a cat of ours who used to help me knit by lying on top of the yarn.

1. Calculate your gauge. Then decided how wide around you want the sweater to be.

2. Calculate the sweater circumference.

A gauge of 4 sts and 6 rows per inch and a width of 36”.would give 4 x 36 = 144 sts.
Half of these belong to the front and half to the back – 72 sts for the front.

Because of the ribbing pattern at the top, we want an odd number of sts on both front and back.

Add a st to give 73 sts for the front.

3. Then decide on how many sts to cast on for the front. Because of the nature of ribbing in general, cast on approximately 10% fewer sts

90 % of 73 is 65.7. So, cast on 66 sts.

4. Work k1, p1 ribbing for approximately 2". The knit 1 at the beginning and end of each row, except the first will make seaming easier (although some people prefer starting each row with a slip 1).

Row 1: K1, *p1, k1* 32 times, k1
Repeat Row 1 approximately 14 times. (edited: 13 Dec 2007)

5. Increase evenly across to an odd number of stitches.

Increase from 66 sts to 73 sts across.
K1, *p1, kfb, (p1, k1) 4 times*, repeat * to * across row, ending with k1
kfb is knit into the front and then the back of a stitch)

6. Knit body of sweater. (Until now the sweater has no right/wrong side.)

Row 1 (RS): K73
Row 2 (WS): K1, p71, k1
Repeat these rows until the sweater is 3 - 4" inches less than the desired length. End with a RS row.

7. Work top ribbing for 3 - 4". Bind off later.

Row 1: K1,*k1, p1* 35 times, k2
Row 2: K1, *p1, k1* 36 times
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 -- 11 times, approximately. Place sts on scrap yarn or a spare needle. Leave long enough tail to bind off 49 sts (2/3 of the sts).

8. Work sweater back the same as the front. (I worked back and front at the same time.)

9. Seam up garment top edge, leaving enough room for the neck. (Try on the garment with the top pinned together about a fourth of the way from each shoulder.)

Place garment right sides together. There will be a tail of yarn at each shoulder. Starting at one of the shoulders, bind off 20 sts from front and back (at the same time) using a 3-needle bind off. Then bind off 33 more sts from the part of the garment furthest away (using perhaps the decrease bind off). There are now 20 sts left on the back needle. Repeat this process starting at the other shoulder and the other yarn tail.

10. Seam up garment sides, leaving room for the sleeves. (Try on the garment to help decided how big a hole to leave for the sleeves.)

You can stop at this point and weave in all loose ends. The result is a nice-looking shell.

11. Pick up stitches to begin knitting a sleeve from the armhole down, starting at the bottom of the armhole. Because of the gauge, pick up 4 sts for every 6 rows on the armhole opening. Also, pick up an extra stitch at the garment side seam and the garment top seam. The total number doesn't matter, just so the same number of stitches are picked up when doing the other sleeve.

12. Knit the sleeves. Mark the starting point. This is the beginning of all rounds. For a tapered sleeve, make decreases every inch and a half, approximately.

Rounds 1-8: Knit around
Round 9: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts of round, ssk, k1
Repeat these 9 rounds until sleeve is desired length.

13. Make sleeve ribbing and bind off.

Round 1: *K1, p2 tog, k1, p1* around, ending either with k1, p1 or k1, p2tog
OR -- Round 1: *k1, p2tog* around, ending with k1, p1 or k1, p2tog or k1, p3tog
Round 2: *K1, p1* around
Repeat Round 2 for about an inch and a half. Bind off.

14. Make second sleeve the same as the first.

Tags: boatneck pullover knit shell

Edges

I thought I'd better write these thoughts down before I forget them.

First of all, I've discovered by watching Knitty Gritty, that I've been doing my knit cast on and probably cable cast on incorrectly.  I'd been slipping the newly cast on sts with the needles pointing toward each other instead of pointing in the same direction.  The latter gives a twist to the bottom of the sts and makes for a looser cast on.  However, for the lace project I'm working on now, I prefer my old method.  (The cast on loops aren't as large.)

Secondly, although a slipped st edge look nice for scarves, it doesn't look as good on lace.
(---s1 is slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front ---)

For scarves:
Start each row with s1, k2 and end with k3. 
This gives a slipped st edging with the slipped sts facing outward.
Though, ....  for a feather and fan shawl, I instead began and ended each row with k1 or more.  It remained flat since every very other WS row began with k17 and ended with k16.  The alternate WS rows were k1, p across, k1.  A garter sitch edging seemed too bunchy for the shawl.

For my latest (lace) knit project:
(RS): s1, k4, ... and end with k4, p1
(WS): s1, (k1 tbl, p1) twice, ... and end with (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1
This lies flat and gives an edging with bumps plus a little interest and sturdiness to the edge.

For sock heel flaps:
(RS): k across
(WS): s1, p across, end with s1 (for a regular heel flap)
or
(WS): s1, (p1, s1) across, end with s1 (for thicker heel flap)
or
(WS1): s1, (s1, p1) across, end with s1
(WS2): s1, (p1, s1) across, end with s1 (for eye of partridge heel)
These give a slipped st edge that lies on the WS of the heel flap.  (I like to do knit sts better than purl ones and so figured why not do the slipping on the WS.)

For dishcloths, I prefer not to start rows with slipped sts.  However, the one dishcloth I made with a k1 edge didn't lie flat.  So, in the future, I'm going to start and end rows with k2 (or more) or else start rows with (k1, p1) and end with (p1, k1) or some repeat of the moss st.

Finally, OfTroy has a nice summary of cast ons in several linked blog entries.  (The picot cast on sounds interesting.)

Tubey variation

I love Tubey, but I wanted a higher neckline. So, here's my variation of Tubey with an underarm seam and a square garter stitch neckline. The neckline goes down further in back, but not as far in front as the original. I also put in fewer stripes. The underarm seam plus the neckline construction make the neck front higher.

Gauge: 4 sts and 6 rows per inch
Materials: This pullover used 1 skein Dark Sage Red Heart Super Saver (7 oz, 364 yds), 1 skein Espresso Caron (7 oz, 355 yds), and 1 skein Claret Red Heart Super Saver (7 oz, 364 yds).

Notes: I was intending to have the striping on both the TUBE and SHRUG SLEEVE to be essentially the same. However, it turned out that the Espresso was running out as I was working on the TUBE (I'd already made one stripe of Espresso per sleeve.), and so I decided to have Claret for the bottom half of each sleeve instead of Espresso.

I made the SHRUG SLEEVEs a little bigger around at the top than I would if this were a raglan – in fact, by about an inch . It was an accident, but I'm glad that I did for the fit at the shoulder.

I use s1 instead of sl1 for slip one to avoid confusing myself. (Also, unless otherwise stated, I used a single cast on. I've been using it for dishcloths and like how unobtrusive it is.)

Where the numbers come from: The important numbers in this pattern are the number of sts around for the TUBE (176 sts, which is divisible by 8), the number of sts around at the top of the SHRUG SLEEVE (60 sts), and the length of the underarm cast on (11 sts). (The underarm cast on will work as small as zero sts but shouldn't be any larger than around 1/15th of the number of sts for the TUBE part.) All the other numbers come from these. The number of sts cast on for the SHRUG MIDDLE is 60 – 11 or 49. Take 176, divide it by 4, multiply the result by 3, and then subtract twice 11. This gives the number of rows for the SHRUG MIDDLE (110 rows). (Also, 110 plus twice 11 is the 132, which is the circumference of the TUBE, before the increase rnd.) These 110 rows are divided into thirds after subtracting the 16 rows for the side neck edgings, with 30 rows for the sides and 34 for the middle (which are all divisible by 2). The cast on for the SHRUG MIDDLE (continued) is 17, which is half of 34. The “k25” in Rows 32, etc. of the SHRUG MIDDLE is just over half of 49. The “21” in Rows 38 and 73 is 4 less than 25.

Directions:
SHRUG MIDDLE:
CO49 (using a crochet provisional cast on) – in Dark Sage
Row 1 (RS): s1, k48
Row 2 (WS): s1, p48
Repeat Rows 1 and 2. Then:
Row 31 (RS) s1, k across, end w k2tog, k1
Row 32 (WS): s1, k25, p to end
Repeat Rows 31 and 32. Then:
Row 37 (RS) s1, k across, end w k2tog, k1 (45 sts)
Row 38 (WS) s1 to begin BO of 21 sts, k4, p19 (24 sts – the last bind off leaves a loop on the needle)
Row 39 (RS) s1, k23
Row 40 (WS) s1, k4, p19
Repeat Rows 39 and 40. Then:
Row 73 (RS) s1, k23, CO 21 (45 sts)
Row 74 (WS) s1, k25, p to end
Row 75 (RS) s1, k across, end k row w kfb (an increase made by knitting in the front and then back of a st), k1
Repeat Rows 74 and 75. Then:
Row 82 (WS): s1, p48
Repeat Rows 1 and 2. Then:
Row 111 (RS): s1, k48, co 11 (60 sts)

SHRUG SLEEVE: Start knitting in the round.
Rnds 1-8: k around
Rnd 9: k around, end w ssk, k1.
Rnd 10: k1, k2tog, k to end
Repeat Rnds 1-10 to 50 sts,. Then knit without decreasing to cuff, changing colors as desired.
Rnds 1-45 in Dark Sage
Rnds 46 – 51 in Espresso
Rest in Claret – for me (with short arms), to 91st rnd.

Cuff:
*K4, k2tog, k4* to end of round, ending w knit sts
P around then k around 3 times, then purl around once more (to match the garter st neckline). Bind off. (I used a single bind off, knitting into each purl st to bind off.) -- The cuff edging matches the neck edging.

Other Shrug Sleeve:
Carefully undo crochet sts and put the other sides of the CO sts onto circ needle. Knit these sts. Then co 11 (or possibly 12) using single cast on. (60 sts on needle) (Sometimes this provisional cast on gives me the number originally cast on, sometimes one fewer.)
Follow directions for SHRUG SLEEVE.

SHRUG MIDDLE (continued):
Starting at the right side of the neck opening (the last st of Row 73), pick up and knit 1 st, CO 17 using single cast on, pick up and knit the equivalent st on the other side of the neck opening (the first “st” of Row 38). (Pick up and knit the sts here by pulling the yarn through both loops of the slip st edging from WS to RS.) Turn.
*Slip 1, k across, pick up and knit one st (the st below the one previously picked up). Turn.*
Repeat * to * until there are 27 sts on needle.

TUBE:
Slip 1, k26, pick up and knit 14 sts from the left front of the garment, pick up and knit 11 sts from the left sleeve, pick up and knit 55 sts from the garment back, pick up and knit 11 sts from the right sleeve, pick up and knit 14 sts from the right front of the garment. (132 sts)

(To pick up and knit for the front and back, first pick up the sts by sliding, for example, a size 3 circular needle through the back/WS loops of the sts to be picked up, count the loops to make sure it's the correct number, then knit the loops off of the smaller needle untwisted. To pick up and knit for the underarm, identify the sts that were cast on, then use a crochet hook to pull the yarn from the WS to the RS through the tops of the sts.)

Then:
*k1, m1p, k2* around (176 sts)
(To m1p, I did *k1, yo, k2* in this round and then *k1, p the yo twisted, k2* in the next. Then:)
*k1, p1, k2* around (176 sts)

Continue this k3p1 ribbing until garment is desired length.

Change colors as desired, making changes under right armhole.
Rnds 1 – 14 in Dark Sage
Rnds 15 – 21 in Espresso
Rnds 22 – 32 in Claret
Rest in Espresso (for me, to 78th rnd, but I'm short)
Bind off. (I used a single bind off, knitting the knit sts and purling the purl sts.)
edited to re-add pictures to directions

sleeve for Dec 2006 raglan

First, some instructions and pictures on smocking in the round on 2 circular needles:

The sleeves are pretty straighforward except for the smocking, especially the smocking over 2 needles. I like 2 circs better than Magic Loop or dpn's. To smock over 2 needles, put the needle points of the 2 needles together, pointing the same direction, and draw the yarn through as if there were just one needle. I used longer circs and so left a "Magic loop" between the sts that had been worked and the sts that are now to be worked. Then finish off the sts with the first circular. Use the second circ to work the rest of the sts that were smocked, being careful to keep the horizontal yarn on the correct sides. The first pic is placing the needle between sts in order to draw it through. The second is putting this yarn onto the circ, and the third is starting to knit the yarn and st together.

Now, to continue the pattern from the previous post:

Sleeves:
Starting at the middle of the 18 sts that were cast on, pick up and knit 9 sts. Return the last st knitted to the left-hand needle. Pass the next st (This st was put on scrap.) over the st. Slip the st back to the right-hand needle. K68. Slip the next st (This st was put on scrap.). Pick up and knit 1 st. Pass slipped st over. Pick up and knit 8 sts. (end of rnd, 86 sts on needle)
Rounds 1-7: K around
Round 7: K around to third to last st, ssk, k1
Round 8: K1, k2tog, k around

Repeat rounds 1-8 until the sleeve comes to the elbow (about 50% of total usual sleeve length). This gives a bit of room around the elbow. Though, if desired, the full length sleeve can be worn pushed up to ¾ length with sort of a puffy sleeve for the top. (I worked it to the 52nd rnd, but then I have short arms.) Then:

Do smocking pattern – except decrease 2 sts about every 8th rnd, as follows, ending on Rnd 2 or 6. Then bind off as for the main part of the garment:
(Note: I started with the pattern for a rnd 1 of 74 sts = 2 mod 8 sts = 2 plus a multiple of 8 sts)

Smock over 6:Insert right needle, from front to back, between 6th and 7th sts on left needle, wrap working yarn around right needle and pull loop through to front of work, place loop on left needle; k loop together with next st onleft needle

Smocking Pattern (When rnd 1 is 0 mod 8 sts -- and rnd 8 is 6 mod 8 sts)
Rnds 1, 2, 3, 5: *P1, k2, p1* around.
Rnd 4: *P1, smock over 6, k1, p2, k2 , p1* around.
Rnd 6: P1, k2tog, p1, *p1, k2, p1* around, p1, ssk, p1
Rnd 7: P1, k1, *p2, k2* around, p2, k1, p1
Rnd 8: *P1, k2 (first repeat, k1), p2, smock over 6 (last repeat, smock over 4), k1 (last repeat, no k1), p1* around. (For the last repeat, the 4th and 5th sts on the left needle are beyond the end of the round.).

Smocking Pattern (When rnd 1 is 6 mod 8 sts -- and rnd 8 is 4 mod 8 sts)
Rnds 1, 2, 3, 5:: P1, k1, *p2, k2* around, p2, k1, p1
Rnd 4: *P1, smock over 6 (first and last repeats, smock over 5), k1 (first repeat, no k1), p2, k2 (last repeat, k1), p1* around.
Rnd 6: P1, k2tog, *p1, k2, p1* around, ssk, p1
Rnd 7: P1, k1, *P1, k2, p1* around, k1, p1.
Rnd 8: *P1, k2 (first repeat, k1), p2 (first repeat, p1), smock over 6 (last repeat, smock over 4), k1 (last repeat, no k1), p1* around.

Smocking Pattern (When rnd 1 is 4 mod 8 sts -- and rnd 8 is 2 mod 8 sts)
Rnds 1, 2, 3, 5:: P1, k1, *P1, k2, p1* around, k1, p1.
Rnd 4: *P1, smock over 6 (first repeat, smock over 4), k1 (first repeat, no k1), p2 (first and last repeats, p1), k2 (last repeat, k1), p1* around.
(Alternate Rnd 4: P1, k1, p1, k2, p1, *p1, smock over 6, k1, p2, k2, p1* around, p1, smock over 10, k1, p1, k1, p1.)
Rnd 6: P1, k2tog,*k2, p2* around, k2, ssk, p1
Rnds 7, 9,10, 11: P1, k1, *k2, p2* around, k3, p1.
Rnd 8: *P1, smock over 6 (first and last repeats, smock over 7), k1 (first repeat, no k1), p2, k2 (last repeat, k3), p1* around.
Rnd 12: *P1, k2 (first repeat, k3), p2, smock over 6 (last repeat, smock over 8) , k1 (last repeat, k2), p1* around.

Smocking Pattern (When rnd 1 is 2 mod 8 sts -- and rnd 8 is 0 mod 8 sts)
Rnds 1, 2, 3, 5:: P1, k1, *k2, p2* around, k3, p1.
Rnd 4: *P1, smock over 6 (first and last repeats, smock over 7), k1 (first repeat, no k1), p2, k2 (last repeat, k3), p1* around.
Rnd 6: P1, k2tog, *k1, p2, k1* around, ssk, p1
Rnd 7: *P1, k2, p1* around.
Rnd 8: *P1, k2, p2, smock over 6, k1, p1* around.