Materials:
500 - 600gr. Two different shades of multi-colored 8ply wool
4mm and 5mm circular needles, 100cm long
4 stitch-markers.
1 stitch holder
Design notes:
This is basically a striped garment, with the body knitted diagonally, giving a slimming shape. The exact number of rows of each color is left to the knitter, however I suggest you change color at either all the odds or all the even rows, and keep the stripes narrow, so that the yarn can be carried and not have to be cut.
The fronts and back are knitted in one piece to the armholes and then finished off separately.
The sleeves are standard set-in sleeves.
When knitting in the round Garter stitch is made by knitting 1 round and purling the 2nd, and stockinet stitch by knitting all rounds.
Sizing:
This pattern is written in Medium with the instructions for Large, 1X and 2X given in brackets.
Tension:
Using 5mm needles, 10cm2 = 17 stitches by 27 rows.
Instructions:
With 4mm circular needles, cast on 236 (252, 268, 284) stitches, close round and knit 8 rounds of Garter stitch.
Change to 5mm needles.
Round 9: knit 1, place marker at this stitch, make 1, knit 57 (61, 65, 69), slip 1, knit 2 tog, pass the slipped stitch over, place marker at this decrease, knit 57 (61, 65, 69), make 1, knit 1, place marker at this stitch, make 1, knit 57 (61, 65, 69), slip 1, knit 2 tog, pass the slipped stitch over, place marker at this decrease, knit 57 (61, 65, 69), make 1.
This completes the round and you now have markers at the sides and in the front and back centers.
Round 10: knit.
Repeat round 9 and 10 until work measures 33 (35, 37, 39) cm, moving the markers whenever necessary.
To complete, rest front stitches, placing the marked side stitch to the back.
Back—119 (127, 135, 143) stitches:
Arm-hole shaping:
Continue with the centre decreases and work the sides as follows.
Cast of 4 st at the beginning of the next 2 rows,
Knit 8 rows without any side increases but continue to work the centre decrease— there are now 99 (107, 115, 123) stitches
You now need to resume making 1 stitch after the 1st stitch and before the last stitch, and continue to decrease at the centre until the armhole measures 25 (25.5, 30, 30.5) cm.
Shoulder:
Continuing with the centre decreases, cast off 1 stitch each end every row until 3 stitches remain, slip 1, knit 2 tog, pass the slipped stitch over.
Front—117 (125, 133, 141) stitches:
Arm-hole shaping:
Continue with the centre decreases and work the sides as follows.
Cast of 4 st at the beginning of the next 2 rows,
Knit 8 rows without any side increases but continue to work the centre decrease— there are now 97 (105, 113, 121) stitches
You now need to resume making 1 stitch after the 1st stitch and before the last stitch, and continue to decrease at the centre until the armhole measures 25(25.5, 30, 30.5) cm
Continuing with the centre decreases, cast off 1 stitch each end every row for 12 (12, 14, 14) rows— there are now 59 (67, 71, 79) stitches.
Place on stitch holder.
Sleeves:
With 4mm needles cast on 41 (44, 47, 50) stitches, knit 8 rows in Garter-stitch.
Change to 5mm needles and knit 6 rows of stocking stitch.
Increase 1 stitch each end of this and every following 6 rows until there are 69 (72, 75, 78) stitches. Work straight until sleeves measures 42 (42.5, 43, 43.5) cm.
Shape top:
Cast of 4 st at the beginning of the next 2 rows,
Cast off 1 st at the beginning of each row until there are 37 stitches and then at each end every row until there are 13 stitches. Cast off. Make another sleeve.
Finishing:
Sew up shoulder seam, With 4mm needles pick up 30 (32, 34, 36) st across back and knit across the 59 (67, 71, 79) st front stitches on hold, close round and knit 8 rounds off garter-stitch, continuing the centre front decrease every 2nd round; 51 (59, 63, 71)st.
Cast off loosely.
Sew up sleeves and sew in. Press when completed.