Diamond days
Is it a sweater? Is it a poncho? No, it’s the best of both – a swancho!
Slip on an easy-to-wear swancho and you’ll be away – the wide neck and sleeves coupled with a boxy body mean there’s plenty of room for movement.
NOTES
Yoke is worked in rounds from the top down. Body and Sleeves are worked vertically in rows, then sewn into Yoke between markers. The colourwork for the Yoke is worked using the tapestry crochet method. The colour changes are shown on the Chart on page 89. On the Chart, each square represents 1dc stitch, except for sts marked with ‘v’ symbol where 2dc are worked in one st. Read all rows from right to left. When changing colour mid-row, twist the ends of the two colours together. Pick up the new colour in the last yrh of the previous stitch. Carry the unused strands of yarn loosely across the top ot the sts and enclose it by working sts over it.
Ch2 at beg of round/row does not count as st throughout.
SWANCHO
YOKE
Beg at neck edge, with Yarn A, ch60 ( 64: 68: 72: 80: 88) loosely, ss to first ch to join into round, being careful not to twist, pm in first st. Round 1 (RS) Ch2, 1htr in each ch around, ss to first st. [60 ( 64: 68: 72: 80: 88) htr]
Round 2 Ch2, *1FPtr around next st, 1htr in next st; rep from * around, ss to first FPtr. Rep last round twice more.
Work Chart in dc from Rounds 1-51, reading rows of Chart from right to left and noting Chart will be repeated 15 ( 16: 17: 18: 20: 22) times. [225 ( 240: 255: 270: 300: 330) dc]
Next round With Yarn A, ch1 (does not count as st), 1dc in each dc to last 1 ( 0: 1: 0: 0: 0) dc, 2( 0: 2: 0: 0: 0) dc in last 1 ( 0: 1: 0: 0: 0) dc, ss to first st. [226 ( 240: 256: 270: 300: 330) sts]
Next round With Yarn A, 1dc in each dc around, ss to first st. Rep last round 0 ( 2: 4: 4: 6: 6) times more. Fasten off.
DIVIDE FOR BODY AND SLEEVES Starting at beg of round, pm at 4 points across last row of Yoke, mark 66th ( 71st: 75th: 81st: 91st:
103rd) dc for Back, then following 47th ( 49th: 53rd: 54th: 59th: 62nd) dc for Left Sleeve, then
following 66th ( 71st: 75th: 81st: 91st: 103rd) dc for Front and leave rem 47 ( 49: 53: 54: 59: 62) dc for Right Sleeve.
LOWER BODY
Lower Body is worked vertically in rows, then sewn to Yoke.
With Yarn A, ch25 ( 25: 25: 28: 32: 34).
Row 1 (RS) 1htr in third ch from hook and in each ch to end of chain, turn.
[23 ( 23: 23: 26: 30: 32) htr]
Row 2 Ch2, *work 1htr into horizontal bar created below st in previous row (bar is below loops normally worked – see Diagram below); rep from * 5 times more, 1htr in each htr to end of row, turn.
Row 3 Ch2, 1htr in each htr to last 6 htr, *work 1htr into horizontal bar created below st in previous row; rep from * 5 times more, 1htr in each of last 6htr, turn.
Rep last 2 rows until work from beg matches length between markers for Front plus Back. Sew in place as you work.
SLEEVE RIBBING !BOTH ALIKE"
Sleeve Ribbing is worked vertically in rows, then sewn to Yoke.
With Yarn A, ch25.
Row 1 (RS) 1htr in third ch from hook and each ch to end of chain, turn. [23 htr]
Row 2 Ch2, *work 1htr into horizontal bar created below st in previous row as before; rep from * to end of row, turn.
Rep last row until work from beg matches, when slightly stretched, length between markers for Sleeve.
Fasten off.
Beg at underarm, sew in place as you work.
TO FINISH Weave in all ends.