This feminine, flattering sweater in knitted in all directions. It begins with two center panels (one for the front and one for the back) that are knitted up and down as simple rectangles with no shaping. They’re joined with single crochet along the selvedge edges from the hemline of the front panel to the hemline of the back panel, leaving a straight opening for the boat neck. Stitches are picked up along the crocheted edging and the side panels are worked side to side to the side “seams,” then continue to the cuffs of the three-quarter-length sleeves. The armholes extend to the hemline, and the angel-wing sleeves taper along a gentle arc to the cuffs. A crocheted detail and a narrow shaped gusset are added along the side and sleeve “seams.”
I designed this sweater before I understood the need to compensate for differences in stitch and row gauge. I simply worked a chain stitch selvedge along the center panels to provide a loop every two rows that I could crochet into to provide a foundation for working the side panels. What seems like a mistake from a traditional point of view becomes a workable design element for any type of openwork or collapsible fabric. By slightly compacting the rows at the side seam, I caused the center panel to widen and curve gracefully at the neckline and at the hem.
Because the half-brioche stitch has a tendency to contract in length (especially when a crocheted edging is added) and also expand in width when it contracts, you may need to adjust stitch and row counts to maintain the basic shape measurements. If you find the center panel is compacting too much, change the size of the crochet hook or add or subtract stitches as necessary. Minor changes aren’t difficult in this project, and the results are definitely worth the effort. But take the time to make a large swatch in half-brioche stitch and measure it before and after adding single crochet along the side edges to learn how much the piece will compact. Be prepared to factor in a few extra rows to get the length you want.
The Fitter List for Angel Wing Lace Float
Measure your body and allow for the appropriate amount of ease (see page 14) or measure a sweater that fits the way you like and enter the numbers below. Refer to your gauge swatch for your stitch and row gauges, then translate each measurement into numbers of stitches and/or rows as you go along.
Yarn name: Crystal Palace Country Silk. This discontinued yarn is a 2-ply sportweight silk noil.
Fiber content: 100% silk noil
Weight classification: Sportweight (#2 Fine)
WPI: 16
Number of yards/pounds used: 1,130
Stitches per inch: 3½ for center panel (in half-brioche stitch) on smaller needles; 3⅓ for sleeves and side panel on larger needle (in garter stitch, stockinette stitch and half-brioche stitch)
Rows per inch: 6¾ for center panel (in half-brioche stitch) on smaller needles; 6½ for sleeves (in half-brioche stitch) on larger needles; between 5 and 6½ for side panel (in garter stitch, stockinette stitch, and half-brioche stitch). Note: Work the number of rows you want in each pattern until the side panel is the desired width, adjusting stitch count if necessary to maintain length.
Needle size: US 10 (6 mm) for center panels (straight); US 10½ (6.5 mm) for side panels and sleeves (36" circular)
Hook size: E/4 (3.5 mm); change to larger hook if work compacts too much
Cast-on method: Cable
Bind-off method: Chain
Selvedge treatment: Chain stitch
Sleeve increase/decrease method: Combination of bind-offs and paired decreases
Seam technique: Whipstitch
Bodice worked in Sections
Width of Center Panel: 10"; 32 stitches
Width of Side Panel: 5"; 28 rows
Sleeve Gusset
Gusset Width At Hem: 2"; 10 rows
Gusset Width at Cuff: 1"; 5 rows
Gusset Length: 24"; 78 stitches
Bodice
Circumference: 48 inches
Width: 24 inches
Center Panel Width: 10 inches; 32 stitches
Side Panel: 5 inches; 28 rows
Cast-On Stitches: 32 stitches (center panel)
Length With Edging: NA
Side Panel Length Without Edging: 20 inches; 68 stitches
Center Panel Length Without Edging: 20 inches; 136 rows
Length of Lower Edging: NA
Armhole Depth: 20 inches; 68 stitches
Back Neck Width Without Edging: 10 inches; 32 stitches
Back Neck Width With Edging: NA
Front Neck Depth: 0 inches
Shoulder Width: 5 inches; 28 rows
Sleeves
Sleeve Length Without Edging: 12 inches; 78 rows
Sleeve Length With Edging: NA
Cuff Circumference: 10 inches; 32 stitches (not including gusset)
Half Cuff Circumference: 5 inches; 16 stitches (not including gusset)
Cuff Length: NA
Upper Arm Circumference: 40 inches; 136 stitches
Half Upper Arm Circumference: 20 inches; 68 stitches
Sleeve Taper Rate: 4 stitches bound off every row 6 times, then 2 stitches bound off every row 12 times, then 2 stitches decreased every 2 rows to cuff circumference
Sweater Map for Angle Wing Lace Float
Work as for the Up-and-Down Classic Crew (page 17), working a swatch at least 6" wide and 4" long in half-brioche stitch, using the backward-loop cast-on and chain selvedges. Half-brioche stitch tends to expand widthwise and contract lengthwise (which lends the subtle shape to the sweater). Before measuring the gauge, loosely work 2 rows of single crochet along the selvedge edges at a rate of 1 stitch per selvedge chain. The crochet stitch will draw up the selvedge somewhat, but if you pull sideways on the crochet when you are finished, it will stretch back out. You want the crochet to compress the row gauge slightly, but not obviously. If your crochet draws the selvedge so noticeably that the fabric bunches, try working with a larger hook.
Half-Brioche Stitch (even number of stitches)
Set-up row: (WS) Purl.
Row 1: (RS) K1, knit into the stitch below the stitch on the needle, slip the stitch off the needle; repeat from *. (Caution: Don’t make an increase by mistake; there should be no change in stitch count.)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *Knit into the stitch below the stitch on the needle and slip the stitch off the needle, k1; repeat from *.
Row 4: Purl.
Repeat Rows 1–4 for pattern.
Work as for the Up-and-Down Classic Crew (page 17), measuring your actual hip circumference (without any ease) for the bodice circumference.
The bodice front and back are each knitted in three panels. The center panel is worked up and down, and its width is determined by the desired boat neckline width.
Using a ruler, measure the desired neck width, which will determine the center panel width. Multiply this width by your stitch gauge to determine the number of stitches to cast on for each center panel. I wanted my neckline to be about 10" wide, so I cast on 32 stitches. Determine bodice length as for Up-and-Down Classic Crew (page 17).
Subtract the width of the bodice center panel from the bodice width and divide this number in half to determine the width of each side panel.
The bodice back and bodice front are identical. Both begin with a center panel that is worked up and down, then the two panels are joined along the selvedge edges with single crochet. Stitches are then picked up along each long crochet edge, and the side panels are worked side to side to the shoulders, then continue to the sleeve cuffs.
Using the cable method (Glossary, page 132), cast on stitches for the center panel. Using chain stitch selvedges (Glossary, page 139), work in seed stitch for 1", then work in half-brioche stitch until the piece measures 1" less than the desired total bodice length, using your row gauge as a guide for determining length. Work the final 1" in seed stitch, then use the chain method (Glossary, page 131) to bind off all the stitches. Keep in mind that when you work single crochet along the edges of the panel, the panel will become somewhat shorter and wider. Therefore, you may need to knit the panel 1" to 2" longer. Consult your gauge swatch to determine how much length is affected by the crochet. Make another piece to match.
Position the front and back center panels so that the top rows of stitches are parallel. Beginning at the bottom right-hand corner of the front panel, work 1 single crochet stitch into each chain selvedge (1 stitch for every 2 rows of knitting). Continue along the side of the front panel to the top right hand corner, then continue along the back panel from the neck to the hemline. Turn the piece around and work a second row of single crochet on top of the first. When you’re done, stretch the crochet stitches as necessary to straighten the edge. Repeat for the other selvedge edge of the panels, beginning at the back hemline and ending at the front hemline.
Using the larger-size circular needle, and working with the wrong side of the piece facing (so the line of crochet chains will show as a design element on the right side), pick up and knit 1 stitch in each crochet stitch from hemline to hemline. Work garter stitch for 2", stockinette stitch for ½", seed stitch for 1", then continue in half-brioche stitch to the desired side panel width (including the 2 rows of crochet along the center panel). Leave the stitches live to continue in Step 9.
Place the stitches on several circular needles or waste yarn so that they can spread out to their full width. Slip the bodice over your head and determine the sleeve length as described for the Up-and-Down Classic Crew (page 23). You don’t need to determine the armhole depth because the “wing” extends from the hemline to the cuff. Measure the length for a three-quarter-length sleeve. Determine the cuff circumference by measuring your arm where you want the three-quarter-length sleeve to end (the gusset will add 2" of ease to this circumference). My arm measured 10" in circumference at this point, which translated to 32 stitches.
Determine the taper as for the Up-and-Down Classic Crew (page 24), but instead of using the knitted fabric, draw the shape onto knitter’s graph paper or make a full-sized template on Pellon yardage (page 46), and instead of drawing a straight line from the cuff to the base of the armhole, draw a gently curving line.
Knit the sleeves from shoulder to cuff as for the Up-and-Down Classic Crew (page 26), working in half-brioche stitch and following the desired taper rate. I shaped my sleeves by using the chain method to bind off 4 stitches at the beginning of the first 6 rows, then to bind off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 12 rows. Then I worked paired decreases every other row until I reached the number of stitches in my cuff circumference. I then continued straight until the sleeve measured the desired 17" from the pick-up row. Use the chain method to bind off all the stitches.
The gussets are worked in two parts along each side/sleeve edge. The width can be adjusted, if desired, to add inches to or subtract inches from the bodice width. To prepare for picking up stitches along the side/sleeve edge, first work a row of single crochet (Glossary, page 134) around the entire edge of the sweater, working stitch for stitch along the bodice edge, 2 stitches into the corner stitch at the hem/sleeve junction, stitch for stitch into the front half of the bind-off loops along the bottom portion of the sleeve taper, 1 stitch for every 2 rows along the sleeve selvedge (work into the front half of the selvedge chain), and stitch for stitch along the cuff. Turn the work around and work another row of single crochet, working stitch for stitch in the previous row.
With the larger knitting needle, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the back half of every stitch in the first row of crochet along the side/sleeve edge (I picked up 78 stitches) so that the 2 rows of crochet form a decorative edge that stands out from the knitting. Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch. Work short-rows (Glossary, page 140) in stockinette stitch so that the gusset is 1" wide at the cuff edge and 2" wide at the hem edge. I worked three sets of short-rows as follows:
Short-Row 1: (RS) Knit 15 stitches, wrap the next stitch, turn work.
Short-Rows 2 and 4: (WS) Purl to end of row.
Short-Row 3: Knit 25 stitches (work the wrapped stitch from Short-Row 1 together with its wrap), wrap the next stitch, turn work.
Short-Row 5: Knit 42 stitches (work the wrapped stitch from Short-Row 3 together with its wrap), wrap the next stitch, turn work.
Short-Row 6: Purl to end of row.
Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch, working the wrapped stitch from Short-Row 5 together with its wrap when you come to it. Bind off all the stitches.
Reverse the shaping for second half of the gusset as follows:
Work 3 rows in stockinette stitch (ending at hemline edge).
Short-Row 1: (WS) Purl 15 stitches, wrap the next stitch, turn work.
Short-Rows 2 and 4: (RS) Knit to end of row.
Short-Row 3: Purl 25 stitches (work the wrapped stitch from Short-Row 1 together with its wrap), wrap the next stitch, turn work.
Short-Row 5: Purl 42 stitches (work the wrapped stitch from Short-Row 3 together with its wrap), wrap the next stitch, turn work.
Short-Row 6: Knit to end of row.
Work 3 rows in stockinette stitch, working last wrapped stitch together with its wrap when you come to it. Use the chain method to bind off all the stitches.
Join the two gusset halves with a whipstitch (Glossary, page 139) through one-half of the bind-off loops so that the bind-off stitches lie flat for a decorative seam.
The side gussets extend from hem to cuff (shown in apricot).
Tip Adjusting Gusset Shape
You can adjust the shape of the gusset by increasing or decreasing the number of short-rows. For example, if you want each side of the gusset to be 4" wide at the hemline and 1" wide at the cuff, work fewer stitches between short-row turns and work more short-rows to increase the overall number of rows at the hemline edge.
This seam lies where the two halves of the gusset meet under the arms. For a decorative seam, place the two bind-off edges side by side and join with a whipstitch.
Work 2 rows of single crochet around the neck opening, working 1 crochet stitch in each stitch around the neck opening.
Work as for the Side-to-Side Classic Crew (page 27).
