Autumn Striped Raglan recipe

For the last a4A drive, I knitted my standard, top-down, raglan pullover, adapting the directions posted for it on the official a4A website to worsted-weight wool. Ann suggested that I post the new and improved directions, here in case I am not the only knitter around with partial skeins of worsted-weight wools and the desire to combine them into a warm sweater intended to fit a 10-12 year-old child. I like to reserve the wool which I have in greater quantity for the ribbings and the collar, and to incorporate other wools in narrow or wide stripes depending on the amount available (remember that you will need to knit two sleeves, although of course they don’t have to match exactly!). The instructions are a bit wordy, I know, but I have strived to make them as clear as possible. Once you figure out what you are doing, you will have a very quick, mindless project on the needle, with almost no finishing required.

The doubled crew-neck collar is something I taught myself after noticing it on several sweaters during my shifts in the AFSC basement. It looks very neat and is a good place to bury a few yarn ends, to boot. But it is easy to substitute either a simple crew neck or a turtleneck instead.

Needles: 6 and 7 or other size needed for gauge. Size: child 10-12 Gauge: 4.5 sts and 5.75 rows per 1"

Estimated Yardage: 732 yards

With larger needle, cast on 38 sts. Do not join.

Set Up Row (right side): Knit 1, place marker (pm), K1 (seam st), place marker (pm), knit 6 (sleeve sts), pm, k 1 (seam st), pm, k 20 (back), pm, k 1 (seam st), pm, k 6 (sleeve), pm, k 1 (seam st), pm, k last st.

Turn, purl WS row (and all following WS rows until the body is joined later).

NeckShaping

Working back and forth in stockinette, increase 8 sts on the next Right Side row as follows: k to marker, M1, pm, k1(seam st), pm, M1; repeat from *. (46 sts)

On the next RS row, increase 10 sts on each right size row as follows:

Inc 1 in the first st. *k to the marker, M1,pm, k1(seam st), pm, M1; repeat from *, end by increasing 1 in the last stitch. Continue in this manner until there are 10 sts before first marker. [10, 16, 30, 16, 10, + 4 seam sts] (86 total sts)

On the next right size row, increase before and after each seam stitch (8 increases). Complete the row, then cast on 10 sts. These new stitches form the top of the body front. Join and continue in stockinette, knitting in the round. The first marker marks the beginning of each round. However, if you are going to knit stripes, color changes should take place at the seam for the back left shoulder (to your left as you knit. This will actually be the back of the right shoulder once the sweater is held with the neck up). This is the least conspicuous spot for a color change in the raglan seam. On the pullover pictured above, stripes are 5-round wide on the body, 10-round wide on the lower sleeves.

Round sequence: sleeve, back, sleeve, front. Sts: [18, 32, 18, 32, + 4 seam sts] (104 total sts)

Continue body and sleeve increases: M1 on either side of each seam st (8 incs) every other round 9 times, then every 3rd round 3 times until you have the following stitch count on the needle: [42, 56, 42, 56, + 4 seam sts.] Work even until the body measures 8.5" from the point where you started knitting in the round.

Slip the 42 stitches for each sleeve onto separate pieces of scrap yarn or stitch holders.

Body from armscye down: Slip front (58 stitches +2 seam stitches) and back (again 58+2) body sts onto a circular needle. Cast on 7 sts, knit across front, cast on 7 sts, pm(side seam), cast on 7 sts, join front and back, knit across back, cast on 7 sts, pm(beg of rnd marker), join. The body now has 144 stitches. Work in the round until the body from the underarm up measures 12". On the last round, decrease by 2 stitches as follows: K 47, k2tog., K 46, k2tog., K 47. (142 sts)

Change to a #6 circular. Knit in K1, P1 ribbing for 6 rounds.[1"]. Bind off loosely.

Sleeves

With #7 dpns or circular needle, cast on 7 sts, knit 42 sleeve sts from the stitch holder, cast on 7 sts, place marker and join. After 3 rounds, begin sleeve decreases as follows: Decrease 1 st on each side of marker every 6th round 4 times, then every 8th round 5 times.Continue in stockinette until the sleeve measures 12" from the armhole. On the last round, decrease as follows: [k 6, k2tog] 4 times, k 6 : 34 stitches remain.

Change to #6 dpns or circular needle for cuff. K1, p1 for 14 rounds (2 “) and bind off loosely.

Graft underarms. Weave in all ends.

Double Crew Neck Finishing:

With smaller needle, pick up 60 sts around neck edge. K1, p1 rib for 3" . Do not bind off. Sew collar on the inside collar “seam” (the line where stitches were picked up for the neck), tacking the live stitches one by one and making sure not to sew too tightly.

Autumn Stipes pullover @2010 by Laura Truffaut, designed with the help of Sweater Wizard software. This pattern is to be used for charitable purposes – to knit for the children of Afghanistan.