Math for the neckline – neck ribbing

Here's the math that I use to figure out how many stitches to cast on for the neck. 

If you don't like math, don't read this because a lot of it is in mathematical shorthand.

These calculations give a neck that is at least 120% the size of the person's neck (for comfort).  The lower case b, s, and f are for adjusting the number of stitches cast on to give some symmetry.  C = garment circumference times the gauge and N = person’s actual neck size times the gauge.  Then choose:

B = 30 % of N + 7% of C + b -- the number of stitches at the neck belonging to the garment back

S = 30 % of N - 7% of C + s -- the number of stitches at the neck belonging to the sleeve

F = B + f -- the number of stitches at the neck belonging to the garment front

For a simple crew neck, b = s = 0 or 1, and f = 8 or 10.

For a wider neck, change 30% to 35% or 40%. For a deeper neck, add a multiple of 4 to f.

However, to adjust for the ribbing (because I like symmetry):  For k1p1 ribbing, choose B, S, and usually F = 1 mod 2. (I.e., when divided by 2, the remainder is 1)

For k2p2 ribbing, choose B, S, and usually F = 2 mod 4.

For k3p2 ribbing, choose S = 2 mod 5 and B and usually F = 3 mod 5, or vice versa.

To take k2p2 ribbing to a k6p2 garment pattern, choose S = 2 mod 8 and B and usually F = 6 mod 8.  -- For the ribbed (k6p2) sweater in the last post, C = 160, N = 56, S =10 = 2 mod 8, and B = F = 30 = 6 mod 8.

Ribbed sweater with turtleneck option

This sweater is fully reversible (front to back or inside out). Also because the cuff has the same number of stitches as the sleeve, the cuff can be worn down over the hand for warmth or rolled up once or twice.

This pattern is knitted in the round from the top down. Directions are for worsted (4-ply) yarn and size 7 needles (gauge: 4 st/inch, 6 rows/inch). Changes for double-knit (2-ply) yarn are in brackets. (size 5 needles, gauge: 5.5 st/inch, 7.5 rows/inch) This gives a sweater for a 14" neck and 38-40" around. For the turtleneck option, start with one size larger needles than the rest of the pattern, if desired. The raglan seam is k2p2k2 with the purl stitches belonging to the sleeve. (The picture is worked with no change of needle and 30 rows of ribbing.)

Neck ribbing: Using a 16" or 24" circular needle, cast on 80 [96] stitches, using chain cast on. Join by working patt into the first stitches cast on, starting with p2. Make sure the ribbing is not twisted. Work patt (p2 k2) around for 9-15 [11-18] rounds, or, for the turtleneck, for 30-45 [35-55] rows, starting with one size larger needles, if desired, and switching to the pattern needles halfway through. On last round, put markers before 1st [1st], after 10th [10th], after 40th [48th], and after 50th [58th] stitch. Stop 2 stitches before the first marker

Then, to establish the garment pattern: k2, (1st marker), p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, (2nd marker), k2, p2, *k6, p2* 3 [4] times, k2, (3rd marker), p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, (4th marker), k2, p2, *k6, p2* 3 [4] times

Upper garment. Each round for the upper body ends 2 stitches before the first marker. For "inc1" use invisible lifted increase (http://www.wonderful-things.com/newknit4a.htm) or any other increase. The pattern is k6p2.

R1: inc1, k2, (marker), p2, k2, inc1, patt, inc1, k2 p2, (marker), k2, inc1, patt, inc1, k2, (marker), p2, k2, inc1, patt, inc1, k2, p2, (marker), k2, inc1, patt

R2: k2, (marker), p2, k2, patt, k2 p2, (marker), k2, patt, k2, (marker), p2, k2, patt, k2, p2, (marker), k2, patt

Alternate R1 and R2 (ending w R2) for a total of 28 [48] rounds -- until there are 58 [86] st between the markers on the back (and also front) – and 38 [58] st on each sleeve.

Do R1, R2, R2, R2 four times ? for a total of 44 [64] upper garment rounds. There are now 66 [94] st on the back (and front) and 46 [66] on each sleeve.

Do R2 until the upper body is long enough to reach 2" below the underarm. (Underarm seam should lie 2" below the actual underarm.) Then (to prepare for the sleeves):

k2, (marker), p2tog, k2, patt, k2, p2tog, (marker), k2, patt, k2, (marker), p2tog, k2, patt, k2, p2tog, (marker), k2, patt

Lower garment: k2 to reach the first marker. Slip the stitches between the first and second markers (sleeve) onto a spare circular needle or some scrap yarn. Using single cast on, cast on 14 [18] stitches. Work patt (k6p2) across the back to next marker, ending with k2. Slip the stitches between the third and fourth markers (sleeve) onto a spare circular needle or some scrap yarn. Cast on 14 [18] stitches. Work patt (k6p2) across the front to marker, ending with k2. The last 6 stitches worked are p2k4 [k2p2k2].

Work patt (k6p2), starting w k2, p2, k6 [k4, p2, k6], until garment is 2" shy of desired length. Do not switch to a smaller needle.

Work 1 row of (k2, k2tog, k2, p2). Then work (k2, p1, k2, p2) for 14 [18] rounds. Bind off.

Sleeves: (There are 44 [64] stitches in scrap.) To start the sleeve: With the garment right side out, identify the 14 [18] stitches that were cast on at the bottom of the sleeve opening. (Using a crochet hook,) pull yarn from the nearest scrap stitch through the top of the right-most of these stitches and then place the stitch back in scrap. Do the same for the left-most stitch. Slide a double-pointed needle --or a 16" circular needle -- into the garment to the right of the sleeve opening (to keep the needle from slipping). Pull yarn through the tops of the 12 [16] remaining underarm stitches and slide onto the needle (making sure that the long end of the yarn is behind the needle). (Pull the yarn from back to front through the top of knit stitches, and from front to back for purl stitches.) (There are now 12 [16] stitches on the needle and 44 [64] stitches in scrap.)

Work the k6p2 pattern around, starting with k1, p2 [k2, p2]. There are 56 [80] st on sleeve.

Work k6p2 around until sleeve reaches wrist. For a tighter sleeve, decrease 1 st every 10 rows 8 times. (At the end of these decreases there would be 48 [72] st on sleeve.)

Then k2p2k2p2 for 14 [18] rounds. Bind off.

Work the other sleeve the same way. Weave in all loose ends, and the garment is complete.

knit skirt

Finally finished the skirt. It looks nice, but I probably won't wear it around town. I don't want to stand out.
For finishing the hem, I decided against doing the garter stitch and the picot finishing. The checkerboard pattern meant that it wouldn't curl (and so it didn't need the garter stitches)-- and picots aren't my style. So I just finished it by a knit cast off on the knit stitches and a purl one on the purl stitches.

knit skirt

Decided that I didn't like eyelets in a skirt. So decided to make a checkerboard pattern instead for the bottom of the skirt with each square in the checkerboard 4 stitches by 6 rows. To my eye, it looks a lot nicer.
Also, realized that the skirt I'm making is a 4-panel skirt -- with increases taken where the panels meet. On increase rows, if there is no stitch between panels, add a stitch between the panels. If there is a stitch between panels, knit or purl in front and back of that stitch (and divide the two stitches among the adjacent panels). -- I also centered the checkerboard pattern on each of the 4 panels.

knit skirt

I decided I didn't like the waistband or the fit for the skirt. So I started over.

First, to make the waist more substantial: CO a multiple of 4 stitches. Do 6 rnds of *k2,p2*, 1 rnd of p, 2 rnds of *p2,k2*, 1 rnd of *p2tog, yo, k2tog, yo*, 3 rnds of *p2,k2*. Then pick up a loop from each of the CO stitches onto a spare circular needle and ktog 1 st from original needle with 1 loop from spare needle. Finally 1 rnd of p. (There are the same number of stitches on the needle as were originally cast on..) I'm also going to use a knitted cord instead of a crocheted one in the waistband.

Next, to make it roomier (since I'm short). Increase by 8 st evenly around the next rnd -- (All of the top half of the skirt is knit.) Then every 6th row instead of every 7th row make 4 increases. So as not to have all the increases on the sides, I divided the skirt into fourths (with markers to mark the fourths.) On the 6th and 12th rnds, make increases right after the first marker, right before the second, right after the third, and right before the last. On the 18th and 24th rnds, make increases after the 1st st after the first marker, before the 1st st before the second, after the 1st st after the third, and before the 1st st before the last. On the 30th and 36th, after or before the 2nd st, etc.

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I'm happy that I accidentally found a knit skirt pattern online (at http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/PATTeyelet.html). I've been looking for a skirt pattern off and on for a while. So far it looks nice. I've had to change the numbers because I have a different gauge that the pattern's. I've also decided to knit it in the round -- because I don't like to join seams.

boat neck vs crew

Because of the heighth of the boat neck neck, there should be more rows in the upper garment in the boat neck than in the crew.  Add 1"-2" of rows.

Also because of the k3p2 pattern in the boat neck -- at least with springy yarn and a size 7 needle--, continue adding stitches at the raglan seams until there are 10 stitches extra before starting the lower garment.