Chapter 18
Starter Garments
In This Chapter
Putting your new knitting skills into practice
Knitting a sweater, a baby’s layette, and a jacket
Varying a pattern
Making accessories is a great way to develop your knitting skills and explore creative possibilities, but making a soft, attractive garment to wrap yourself in is another kind of satisfaction entirely.
The sweaters in this chapter use simple shapes and garment construction to introduce you to sweater-making and enable you to apply the techniques and skills you’ve picked up in this part of the book. You can see them photographed in the color insert.
The sweaters are basic with detailed instructions. You can knit up all three quickly on relatively big needles. Make them as they are or as a springboard for trying ideas from earlier chapters. Or you can work up one of the variations listed at the end of each pattern.
In the “Materials and vital statistics” sections, we list the specific yarns used in the sweaters you see photographed in the color insert, but feel free to substitute any other yarn that meets the gauge. Or you can take what you know about gauge and dimensions and apply it to these patterns, writing in your own numbers to achieve the fit you want.
Your First Sweater: Easy Top-Down Raglan
This Easy Top-Down Raglan sweater pattern simply couldn’t be any more basic. In fact, it’s probably one of the easiest sweater patterns you’ll ever follow. You don’t even need to worry about gauge. If you can knit in the round and do increases, you can make this sweater. Figure 18-1 shows the schematic for this top-down sweater.
Figure 18-1: Diagram of the Easy Top-Down Raglan sweater.
Materials and vital statistics
Measurements: Entirely custom
Yarn: Heavy worsted-weight yarn (our favorites are Malabrigo and Brown Sheep Bulky); 800–1200 yards
Needles: 16-inch and 24-inch size US 10 (6 mm) circular needles; tapestry or yarn needle for weaving in ends
Gauge: Not important. The key is to get the sweater to fit around your chest. Basically, you increase until it’s big enough to fit around your chest. From there, it’s straight knitting.
Directions
Measure yourself around the chest under your arms (armpit level), or measure a favorite sweater that fits well there. This is your chest measurement.
With a 16-inch size US 10 circular needle, cast on 80 sts, placing markers after the 15th, 40th, 55th, and 80th st. (The 15-stitch sections become the top of your sleeves and the 25-stitch sections become the front and back of your sweater.) Join round.
Work 10 rounds of k1, p1 rib.
Round 1 (increase): * K1, yo, k to 2 sts before next marker, yo, k1, slip marker; rep from * to end of round. Note: There should be 2 sts between each yo at each of the four markers on this round.
Round 2: Knit.
Rep Rounds 1 and 2 until piece is your chest measurement plus 1–2 inches (depending on how loose you like your sweaters to be).
On the next round, knit to the first sleeve stitches. Place these stitches on a stitch holder or piece of waste yarn, and then cast on 8 extra stitches at each armpit, using the thumb (or e-loop) cast on. Continue across to the next set of sleeve stitches, place these on a stitch holder, and cast on 8 extra. Knit to the end of the round.
Continue knitting the body in the round until the piece measures 16 inches from the underarm. Work 10 rounds of 1 x 1 rib to complete the bottom of the sweater. Bind off.
To complete the sleeve: Place the sleeve stitches and the 8 extra stitches on the 16-inch circular needle. Place a marker in the center of the 8 extra stitches. Then proceed as follows:
Rounds 1–5: Knit.
Round 6 (decrease): K1, make left-slanting decrease, k to 3 sts before end of round, make right-slanting decrease, k1. Rep this round until sleeve measures 17 inches or your preferred length. Work 10 rounds of 1 x 1 rib to complete the sleeve. Bind off.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
Finishing
Although most sweaters created in this manner don’t require much (if any) blocking, to even out your stitches and make your sweater look its best, rinse gently but thoroughly in water with wool wash and lay flat to dry.
Baby’s Layette
Layettes make for great starter projects because they knit up quickly and use the same pattern for multiple pieces. This layette consists of a cardigan, booties, hat, and a blanket that any new parent will love. Figure 18-2 shows the schematic for the layette cardigan.
Figure 18-2: The Layette Cardigan construction.
Cardigan
This cardigan is quite possibly the simplest construction imaginable — garter stitch with a few seams. It knits fast and looks great on any baby. (Then again, what doesn’t look great on a baby?)
Materials and vital statistics
Size: Newborn to 3 months
• Finished chest circumference: 17 inches
• Finished sleeve length: 6 inches
• Finished length: 10 inches
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK sport-weight yarn (50% Superfine Nylon/50% Superfine Acrylic); 178 yards per 50 grams; 2 skeins; Color: 2740
Needles: One pair each of size US 6 (4 mm) and US 4 (31⁄4 mm) needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Gauge: 51⁄2 stitches and 6 rows per 1 inch
Directions
The following sections break down the instructions for creating this cardigan piece by piece.
Back
Using size US 6 needles, cast on 50 sts and work in garter st for 9 inches.
Neck and shoulder shaping:
To shape the neck, you bind off stitches in the middle of the row. Doing so creates the shoulders, which you then work separately:
Row 1: K30, turn.
Row 2: Bind off 15 sts, k to end of row. (The bound-off stitches form the neck. After these stitches are bound off, you’ve effectively divided the shoulders; you will proceed to work first one, then the other.)
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Bind off 5 sts, k to end of row.
Work this shoulder in garter st until back measures 10 inches. Bind off shoulder sts.
Pick up remaining sts and repeat shaping from Row 3 for the second shoulder.
Front
Make 2 (both the same).
With size US 6 needles, cast on 34 sts and work in garter st for 5 inches.
Neck shaping:
To create the neck, you decrease stitches along what will become the neck edge.
Row 1: Ssk, k to end of row.
Row 2: Knit.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until 10 sts remain, then knit until same length as back. Bind off.
Sleeve
Make 2 (both the same).
With size US 6 needles, cast on 35 sts and work 10 rows in garter st.
Inc at each end every 4th row until you have 55 sts. Work straight until sleeve measures 6 inches. Bind off loosely.
Finishing
Block the pieces to size.
Sew the shoulder seams, and then set the sleeves into the body.
Sew the side seams and sleeves together.
Make a fastener by adding ribbon, a button and buttonhole, or three sets of I-cord ties evenly down the front. (For the I-cord, work six 5-inch ties of 5 sts each on size US 4 needles.)
Booties
Booties look complex, but these are anything but. The ribbon trim pulls together the edges to create the top and close across the foot — just right for teeny tiny baby feet!
Materials and vital statistics
Size: Newborn to 3 months
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK sport-weight yarn (50% Superfine Nylon/50% Superfine Acrylic); 178 yards per 50 grams; 1 skein; Color: 2740
Needles: One pair of US 6 (4 mm) needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Gauge: 51⁄2 stitches and 6 rows per 1 inch
Directions
With size US 6 needles, cast on 38 sts.
Rows 1–6: Work in garter st.
Row 7: K2, m1 in next 2 sts, k10, m1 in next 4 sts, k2, m1 in next 4 sts, k10, m1 in next 2 sts, k2 (50 sts).
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: K17, m1 in next 4 sts, k8, m1 in next 4 sts, k17.
Rows 10–13: Work in garter st.
Row 14: K17, (k2tog, k2) twice, k2tog, k4, (k2tog, k2) twice, k2tog, k17.
Row 15: Knit.
Row 16: K17, (k2tog, k1) twice, k1, (k2tog, k1) twice, k2tog, k17.
Row 17: Knit.
Row 18: K17, k2tog 6 times, k17.
Row 19: Knit.
Row 20: Bind off.
Finishing: Starting at cast-on seam, sew along seam and up side of work to form the bootie. Thread ribbon or I-cord through the final row for decoration if desired.
Hat
Knit flat and seamed, this adorable hat will keep sun and chill off baby’s head, but it also knits up super-quick. Make more than one in different colors for the ultimate accessory.
Materials and vital statistics
Size: Newborn to 3 months
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK sport-weight yarn (50% Superfine Nylon/50% Superfine Acrylic); 178 yards per 50 grams; 1 skein; Color: 2740
Needles: One pair of size US 6 (4 mm) needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Gauge: 51⁄2 stitches and 6 rows per 1 inch
Directions
Using size US 6 needles, cast on 74 sts and work in garter st for 3 inches.
Begin decreases:
Row 1: K3, k2tog tbl, (k10, k2tog tbl) 5 times, k to end of row.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: K3, k2tog tbl, (k9, k2tog tbl) 5times, k to end of row.
Row 4: Knit.
Continue in this manner, decreasing k9, k8, k7, and so on, until 14 sts remain.
Last row: (K2tog tbl) 7 times.
Finishing: Cut yarn about 18 inches from work. Draw yarn through remaining 7 sts and pull tightly. Use the remaining yarn to sew down the side seam.
Blanket
This blanket isn’t square or rectangular . . . it’s actually kite-shaped, with lengthy edges perfect for wrapping baby tight or (some time from now) dragging behind a toddler’s cautious steps. In other words, it’s not just a blanket, it’s a capital-B Blankie, knit in the same sturdy, washable yarn used throughout the layette.
Materials and vital statistics
Size: Approximately 30 inches x 30 inches, slightly stretched
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK sport-weight yarn (50% Superfine Nylon/50% Superfine Acrylic); 178 yards per 50 grams; 6 skeins; Color: 2740
Needles: 36-inch size US 11 (71⁄2 mm) circular needle (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Gauge: 31⁄2 stitches and 4 rows per 1 inch in garter stitch
Directions
Use double strands throughout:
Using a size US 11 circular needle, cast on 3 sts.
Row 1: M1, k to end (4 sts).
Row 2: M1, k to end (5 sts).
Rep Row 2, increasing 1 st each row until you have 16 sts total.
Begin stockinette insert:
Row 14: M1, k6, p1, k to end of row (17 sts).
Row 15: M1, k to end of row (18 sts).
Row 16: M1, k6, p3, k to end of row (19 sts).
Row 17: M1, k to end of row (20 sts).
Continue working the odd and even rows as established, increasing the number of purl sts by 2 on each even row until you have 130 sts total.
Dec Row 1: K2tog, work in pattern as established to end of row.
Work the decreases as established, decreasing the number of purl sts by 2 on each odd row, until the stockinette insert is finished; then continue in garter st until 3 sts remain.
“Work in pattern as established” simply means that after you work the edge stitches (whether decreases or increases), you continue to knit or purl every row between those edge stitches.
Finishing: Bind off and weave in ends very securely.
Toggle Jacket
This Toggle Jacket, which you can see featured in the color insert, is cozy on autumn walks or when the thermostat doesn’t kick in. You can forget the pockets if you don’t want to bother with them.
We provide the instructions for this pattern in the standard way, with lengths measured in inches. But we also tell you the number of rows to knit for each piece because if you knit by the row method, you don’t have to figure out where to put the buttonholes — we’ve already done that for you. (Of course, if your row gauge is different from ours, your sweater and sleeves may be a bit shorter or longer than the length given in the pattern.)
We also include charts of the left and right neckline shapings. If you find it comforting to work from a graph, you may want to chart out the right front piece so that you can track where you are and when to work each buttonhole. Figure 18-3 shows the schematic of the jacket pieces.
Figure 18-3: Schematic of the Toggle Jacket.
Materials and vital statistics
Size: Women’s small (medium, large). If only one figure is given, it applies to all sizes.
• Finished chest circumference: 42 (451⁄2, 49) inches
• Finished length: 26 (27, 28) inches
• Finished width at upper arm: 17 (18, 18) inches
Yarn: Tahki Soho Bulky Tweed; 110 yards per 100 grams; 8 (8, 9) skeins; Color: 373; also need 1 skein or partial skein of medium-weight yarn in a color close to the main color for seaming
Needles: One pair each of size US 10 (6 mm) and US 101⁄2 (7 mm) needles
Other materials: Several yarn holders or scrap yarn to hold stitches; stitch markers or scrap yarn; five toggle buttons
Gauge: 12 stitches and 16 rows per 4 inches over stockinette stitch using the larger needles
Directions
The following sections break down the instructions for creating this jacket piece by piece.
Back panel
Using size US 10 needles, cast on 66 (70, 74) sts.
Starting with a RS row, work 8 rows in garter st (knit every row).
Next row (RS): Switch to size US 101⁄2 needles, and knit.
Next row: Purl.
Cont in St st (knit RS rows, purl WS rows) until back measures 26 (27, 28) inches or 104 (108, 112) rows from beg, end with a WS row.
To separate shoulders:
Work 22 (24, 26) sts, bind off the center 22 sts, and knit the remaining 22 (24, 26) sts. Place the shoulder stitches on holders or thread the stitches onto scrap yarn so they’re ready for the three-needle bind-off.
Pocket linings
You need to have your pocket linings ready to go when you work the front panels of the sweater, so it’s best to make them in advance.
Using size US 101⁄2 needles, cast on 23 sts.
Work in St st until pocket measures 7 inches (28 rows) from beg, end with WS row.
Next row (RS): Bind off 1 st, work to end.
Next row (WS): Bind off 1 st, work to end (21 sts). Place sts on holder.
Make another pocket lining the same way.
Left front panel
Using size US 10 needles, cast on 36 (38, 40) sts.
Starting with RS row, work 8 rows of garter st.
Next row (RS): Change to size US 101⁄2 needles, and knit.
Next row: K6, pm, purl to end of row. The 6 sts between the edge and the marker make the front border. While you work the rest of the sweater front in St st, you’ll be working these 6 stitches in garter stitch.
Cont as established (working 6 border stitches in garter st and the rest of the stitches in St st) until piece measures approximately 9 inches (38 rows) from beg, end with WS row.
Add a pocket:
Next row (RS): K5 (6, 7), place next 21 sts on holder (you’ll finish them off later), slide the 21 pocket lining sts from holder to LH needle with RS facing. Knit across these 21 sts, and then knit the remaining 10 (11, 12) sts in the established pattern.
Cont as established until piece measures 231⁄4 (233⁄4, 243⁄4) inches or 93 (95, 99) rows from beg, end with RS row.
Count garter stitch ridges up the center front border, RS facing. You’re ready to start the neck shaping when you have 46 (47, 49) ridges up the center front (not counting the cast-on ridge at the very bottom edge).
Left front neck shaping (decreases) always takes place on the wrong side of the piece. Right front neck shaping always takes place on the right side of the piece.
Shape the neck (Figure 18-4 shows the chart for the left front neck shaping):
Next row (WS): Bind off 9 sts, purl to end.
Next row: Knit.
Next row (WS) dec row: Purl 2, p2tbl, purl to end. Cont to dec at neck edge on WS rows 4 more times (22 [24, 26] sts).
Cont in St st until front is same number of rows as back.
Thread the 22 (24, 26) shoulder sts onto a piece of scrap yarn to secure them.
Figure 18-4: Chart of the Toggle Jacket’s left front neck shaping.
Right front panel
You work the right front panel the same as the left front panel with these changes: You work buttonholes along the center front border as you go, and you work the neckline shaping on RS rows instead of WS rows.
Using size US 10 needles, cast on 36 (38, 40) sts.
Beginning with a RS row, work 8 rows of garter st.
Next row (RS): Change to size US 101⁄2 needles, and knit.
Next row: P30 (32, 34) sts, pm, k6 (these 6 sts make the front border).
Cont as established (6 border stitches in garter st, the rest of the sweater front in St st) until piece measures approximately 41⁄2 (5, 6) inches or 18 (21, 25) rows (9 [10, 12] garter st ridges from beg), end with a WS row.
Next row (RS) beg buttonhole: K2, make double yo, k2tog, knit to end of row.
To work a double yarn over (double yo), bring the yarn to the front, wrap the yarn over the top and under to the front again. When you knit the next 2 stitches together, the yarn crosses the needle, making two wraps on the needle.
Next row: Purl to marker, knit next 6 sts, including yo.
As you knit into the yo wraps, you’ll catch one yarn over and the other will simply slide off the needle.
Next row (RS): K2, knit into hole made by yo (go into the hole as if it were a stitch), knit to end of row.
As you continue to work the right front panel, work the buttonholes on the rows listed, depending on the size of your jacket:
Size small: Buttonholes on Rows 37, 55, 73, 91
Size medium: Buttonholes on Rows 39, 57, 75, 93
Size large: Buttonholes on Rows 43, 61, 79, 97
For all sizes, continue as established until the piece measures approximately 91⁄2 inches or 38 rows, ending with a WS row.
Next row (RS): K10 (11, 12) sts, place next 21 sts on holder, slide the 21 pocket lining sts to LH needle with RS facing, knit these sts, knit the remaining 5 (6, 7) sts.
Cont in St st and garter st patterns as established until piece measures 231⁄4 (233⁄4, 243⁄4) inches or 94 (96, 100) rows from beg, end with a WS row.
When you have 47 (48, 50) garter ridges up the front, begin the neck shaping:
Next row (RS): Bind off 10 (9, 9) sts, knit to end.
Next row: Purl.
Next row (RS): K2, k2tog, knit to end of row. Cont to dec at neck edge on RS rows 3 (4, 4) more times (22 [24, 26] sts).
Cont in St st until front is same number of rows as back. Thread the 22 (24, 26) shoulder sts onto a piece of scrap yarn.
A note on counting your rows
The easiest way to count rows in stockinette stitch is to count the purl bumps on the wrong side. They’re clearer to see than the Vs on the right side. When you’re counting rows on the Toggle Jacket, you can easily identify the first 8 rows of garter stitch border. Start counting the stockinette rows beginning with Row 9. Use safety pins to help you keep track of the number of rows you’ve worked. Pin the first stitch you want to count from; then, as you knit, stop every once in a while to count 20 rows and place a safety pin. If you mark as you go, you don’t have to count from the very beginning each time.
Sleeve
Using size US 10 needles, cast on 32 (34, 34) sts.
Beginning with RS row, work 8 rows in garter st.
Next row (RS): Change to size US 101⁄2 needles, and knit.
Next row: Purl.
Increase row (RS): K2, m1, knit to last 2 sts, m1, k2 (34 [36, 36] sts).
Continue as follows:
For size small: Cont to work in St st, working inc row every 6 rows 9 more times (52 sts).
For size medium and large: Cont to work in St st, working inc row every 6 rows 7 more times, and then every 4 rows 3 more times (56 sts).
After you finish making the increases, work even (that is, without increasing or decreasing) until the piece measures 18 inches from beg.
Bind off stitches if you want to sew the tops of the sleeves to the sweater. Or, if you want to graft the sleeve stitches to the sweater body for a smoother join (see Chapter 16), thread the stitches onto a piece of scrap yarn instead of binding off.
Finishing
Steam block the sweater pieces.
Join the shoulders using the three-needle bind-off shown in Chapter 16.
Adding the collar
Using size US 10 needles and with the right side of the jacket facing you, start at the center of the front band and pick up 18 sts to shoulder, pick up 22 sts along back neck, pick up 18 sts to center of front band (58 sts). (For a refresher on picking up stitches, turn to Chapter 17.)
Work in garter st for 12 rows (6 ridges), change to size US 101⁄2 needles, and continue in garter st for 12 more rows.
Work 1 more RS row. Then bind off loosely.
Adding pocket trim
Slide the 21 pocket sts placed on holders when you made the left and right front pieces to the LH needle from left to right with the RS facing.
Turn your work so the WS is facing. With the yarn you’ll use to knit the trim, make a slip knot on the RH needle, knit the 21 sts, turn work, and cable cast-on 1 more st as follows: Insert RH needle into first st, wrap and pull through a loop, leaving old loop on LH needle. Bring new loop to the right and put it on the LH needle (23 sts). (Chapter 4 covers the cable cast-on.)
Work in garter st for 5 more rows (3 ridges). Bind off in knit sts from the WS for a final garter ridge.
Using your knitting yarn or a smooth medium-weight yarn in a similar color, sew the sides of the pocket trim to the jacket front using the mattress stitch.
Rep these steps with the pocket stitches on the other front.
Sew the pocket linings to the inside of the jacket. Use a strand of the knitting yarn for this task, and work a version of the mattress stitch, going back and forth between running threads on the sweater body and the pocket.
Sewing it all together
Measure down 81⁄2 (9, 9) inches on either side of the shoulder seam and mark the armhole with safety pins or yarn markers. Sew or graft the tops of the sleeves to the front and back between the markers.
Sew up the side and sleeve seams using the mattress stitch.
Sew the buttons to the left front jacket band opposite the buttonholes.
Use a smooth medium-weight yarn in a similar color to work the seams. It will be much less bulky than a heavier yarn.
Variations
Try some of the following variations to redesign the Toggle Jacket into a garment all your own:
Work the entire sweater in garter stitch or the stitch pattern of your choice. See Chapter 5 and Appendix A for ideas.
Use different buttons — a matching set or five different buttons.
Make the jacket shorter for a cropped version or longer for a coat.
Make it in stockinette stitch with “self” edges that roll in a casual fashion, and forget the collar.
Work the sweater without pockets, or add patch pockets instead of hidden ones. For patch pockets, complete the sweater and then knit two squares the size you’d like your pockets to be. Sew them onto the fronts unobtrusively with the mattress stitch, or use a decorative blanket stitch in a contrasting color.
Make patch pockets and the collar in a different color. Then add 4 or 5 inches to the sleeve in the same color as the pockets and collar, and turn up the sleeves for contrasting color cuffs.
Work a little embroidery on the pockets and collar.
Getting to know Elizabeth Zimmerman
There are many ways to knit a sweater (or a hat, or a mitten, or a sock). Knitting legend Elizabeth Zimmerman, in her words, “unvented” many a technique for knitting garments. Her innovative use of circular knitting, her common-sense approach to knitting garments and accessories, and her incomparable wit have earned her a strong following. Look to her books for knitting ideas and basic patterns that allow ample room for your own creative variations:
Knitter’s Almanac (Dover)
Knitting Without Tears (Simon Schuster)
Knitting Workshop (Schoolhouse Press)