Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook (51 page)

**Dec row 1 (WS): right cup: p3, p2tog, p to end; left cup: p all sts.

**Dec row 2 (RS): left cup: k3, ssk, k to last 2 sts, slip 1 knitwise, k1; right cup: k1, slip 1 knitwise, k to end. Rep last 2 rows 7 times more, then row 1 once—36 (38, 43, 48) sts each side.

ARMHOLE SHAPING

Row 1 (RS): left cup: BO 6 sts, k3, sssk, k to last 2 sts, slip 1 knitwise; k1; right cup: k1, slip 1 knitwise, k to end.

Row 2 (WS): right cup: BO 6 sts, p3, p3tog, p to end; left cup: p to end.

Row 3: left cup: k3, sssk, k to last 2 sts, slip 1 knitwise, k1; right cup: k1, slip 1 knitwise, k to end.

Row 4: right cup: p3, p3tog, p to end; left cup: p to end.

Rep last 2 rows 3 (3, 5, 7) times more; then rep **dec row 1–2 above (dec 1 st each row) 10 (10, 9, 7) times—10 (12, 14, 17) sts rem each side.

Work even until armhole measures 8 (8¼, 8½, 9)". BO all sts.

SLEEVE

CO 46 (46, 50, 50) sts. Working in k2, p2 rib, inc 1 st each edge every 4th row 10 times, then every 6th row 7 (9, 8, 10) times—80 (84, 86, 90 sts). Work even until piece measures 17 (18, 18½, 19)" from beg, end with a WS row.

CAP SHAPING

BO 6 sts at beg of next 2 rows—68 (72, 74, 78) sts. Cont BO as foll:

BO 3 sts at beg of next 4 rows—56 (60, 62, 66) sts.

BO 1 st at beg next 18 (20, 20, 22) rows—38 (40, 42, 44) sts.

BO 6 sts at beg next 4 rows—14 (16, 18, 20) sts rem.

BO all sts.

FINISHING

Carefully steam-block pieces by holding a steam iron several inches above work. Do not oversteam or press iron directly onto the knitted ribbing or it will lose its elasticity.

Sew shoulders together. Turn under 1 st at either side of front neck opening, turning on the slipped stitch, and stitch in place on underside. Turn back neck facing under, turning on the rev St st row, and stitch in place. Pin sleeve in place, matching center top of sleeve to shoulder seam, and each sleeve cap edge to the start of armhole shaping. Stitch sleeve in place. Sew underarm and side seams.

Pinup Queen
(left)
&
Tank Girl
(right)

ABOUT ANNIE

How can I put into words the love affair among my fingers, yarn, and a couple of sticks? A friend taught me the knit stitch and I promptly forgot it. A few days later, I reinvented the stitch for myself, and—without realizing it—began knitting in a totally unconventional style. As fast and easy as my knitting technique is, it looks weird to most knitters who sometimes try to show me the “right way” to knit. I tell my knitting students now, “I don’t care how you knit, I only care that you understand why your stitches look the way they do.”

Today I knit for a living: I design for most of the major knitting magazines and have an instructional Web site where I offer tips and kits to make knit furniture and other unusual items (
http://www.modeknit.com
). My advice to new knitters is: Knit with confidence. Don’t run with the pack!

KATE WISSON

As a self-taught knitter, I never realized that certain things weren’t “supposed” to be tackled by beginners. So when I wanted to make a sweater for my husband, I just sketched out a design, took all of the applicable measurements, and figured out the numbers from there. I wanted it to suit him, as well as other body types and tastes, so I went for something both classic and comfortable. The sweater was a big hit. It’s not only the first piece I designed, but the first adult sweater I ever knit.

S
IZES

Small (Medium, Large, Extra-Large)

Finished chest: 41 (45, 50, 56)"

Finished length: 25 (26½, 28½, 29½)"

M
ATERIALS

Brown Sheep Company,
Lamb’s Pride Worsted
(85% wool/15% mohair; 4 oz/190 yds)

MC:
4 (5, 6, 7) skeins #M04 Charcoal Heather

A:
2 (3, 3, 4) skeins #M83 Raspberry

B:
1 skein #M05 Onyx

US 8 (5mm) knitting needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

US 7 (4.5mm) 16" circular needle

Stitch holders

G
AUGE

19 sts and 26 rows = 4" in k5, p1 rib on larger needles

C
OLOR
P
ATTERN

Work 1" in B, end with a WS row.

Work 6" in A, end with a WS row.

Work 1" in B, end with a WS row.

D
IRECTIONS

BACK

With MC and larger needles, CO 97 (109, 121, 133) sts.

Set-up row: K3, p1, *k5, p1; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3. Work in k5, p1 rib as set for 16½ (17, 18, 18½)".
At the same time,
work 8½ (9, 10, 10½)" in MC, end with a WS row, then work color pattern.

With MC, work 1 row even.

ARMHOLES

BO 3 (4, 6, 7) sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st each side of next row; then every other row 2 (3, 5, 6) times total—87 (95, 99, 107) sts.**

Work even until work measures 7½ (8½, 9½, 10)" from beg of armholes, end with a WS row.

SHAPE NECK AND SHOULDERS

Right side: *BO 7 (8, 8, 9) sts, work 25 (28, 28, 31) sts, turn. Place rem sts on a holder. Dec 1 st from the neck edge every row 4 times;
at the same time,
BO 7 (8, 8, 9) sts from shoulder edge 3 times. Break off yarn.

Left side: With WS facing, join yarn to shoulder edge. Work as for left side from *—23 (23, 27, 27) sts rem on holder for back neck.

FRONT

Work as for back and armholes to **. Work even until work measures 3 (3½, 4, 4½)" from beg of armholes.

SHAPE NECK AND SHOULDERS

Left side: *Work 42 (46, 48, 52) sts, ssk, turn. Place rem sts on a holder. Dec 1 st at neck edge every other row 8 (8, 11, 11) times then every third row 3 (3, 2, 2) times.

At the same time,
when the armhole measures 7½ (8, 8½, 9)", work shoulder shaping: BO 7 (8, 8, 9) sts from shoulder edge 4 times. Break off yarn.

Right side: With WS facing, join yarn to shoulder edge and work as for left side from *.

SLEEVES

With MC and larger needles, CO 45 (49, 49, 51) sts.

Set-up row (RS): K0 (0, 0, 1), *p1, k5; rep from * to last 1 (1, 1, 2) sts, p1, k0 (0, 0, 1). Work even in k5, p1 rib, inc 1 st each edge of next and every 4th row 0 (0, 2, 3) times; then every 6th row 15 (18, 19, 20) times—77 (85, 91, 97) sts.
At the same time,
work 10 (11, 11½, 12)" in MC, end with a WS row; then work color pattern.

With MC, work 1 row even.

CAP SHAPING

Cont in rib, BO 3 (4, 6, 7) sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st at each edge of next and every other row 7 (10, 11, 12) times; then every row 14 times. BO 3 sts at beg of next 4 rows. BO rem 15 (17, 17, 19) sts.

NECKBAND

With RS facing, B and smaller needle; pu and k 35 sts up right front, 4 sts down back neck, 23 (23, 27, 27) sts from back holder, 4 sts up back neck, 35 sts down left front—101 (101, 105, 105) sts.

Beg with p1 on WS, work k1, p1 rib for 6 rows. BO loosely in pattern.

Sew down one edge of neckband to the inside of the neck shaping, then overlap the other neckband edge and sew it to the outside of the neck shaping.

FINISHING

Sew shoulder seams, then set in sleeves, matching center p st with shoulder seam. Use mattress st to sew body and sleeve seams. Weave in ends.