Mavis
1940s-inspired sweater
DESIGNER AND historian Penelope Hemingway has been researching the lives of the Land Girls - the members of the Women’s Land Army during the Second World War - and brings us an insight into their day-to-day lives in her article on page 43. She was inspired to create a jumper in their honour, and her design features a simple textured pattern found on many gloves of this era. It is knitted in a vivid shade of Baa Ram Ewe’s Dovestone DK yarn,
BACK
Using 3.25mm needles cast on 113 ( 119: 127: 133: 139: 145: 153: 159) sts. Row 1 (RS): K1, *P1, K1; rep from * to end. Row 2: *P1, K1; rep from * to last st, P1. These 2 rows set rib. Work 6cm in rib as set. Working inc sts into rib, inc 1 st at each end of next row and the foll RS row. 117 ( 123: 131: 137: 143: 149: 157: 163) sts. Cont until work meas 8cm, ending with RS facing for next row. Change to 4mm needles. Cont as folls: Rows 1 to 6: Work rib as set. Row 7 (RS): Purl. Row 8: Work in rib as set. These 8 rows set pattern. Working in patt as set throughout, cont until work meas 15 ( 16: 16: 17: 17: 18: 18: 19) cm, ending with RS facing for next row. Working inc sts into patt, inc 1 st at each end of next and foll 12th row. 121 ( 127: 135: 141: 147: 153: 161: 167) sts. Cont in pattern as set without shaping until work meas 33 ( 34: 34: 35: 35: 36: 36: 37) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE ARMHOLES
Cast off 4 ( 4:5: 4: 4: 4: 5: 5) sts at beg of next 6(6: 2: 8: 10: 10: 6: 8) rows, then cast off 3 ( 3:4: 3: 0: 0: 4: 4) sts at beg of next 2 ( 2:6: 2: 0: 0: 4: 2) rows. 91 ( 97: 101: 103: 107: 113: 115: 119) sts. ** Cont without shaping until armhole meas 19 ( 19: 20: 20: 21: 21: 22: 22) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE SHOULDERS
Cast off 5 ( 6:7: 7: 7: 8: 8: 8) sts at beg of next 2 ( 4:8: 8: 4: 6: 6: 2) rows, then cast off 6 ( 7:0: 0: 8: 9: 9: 9) sts at beg of next 6 ( 4:0: 0: 4: 2: 2: 6) foll rows. 45 ( 45: 45: 47: 47: 47: 49: 49) sts. Leave these sts on a stitch holder.
FRONT
Work as given for Back to **. Cont without shaping until armhole meas 14 ( 14: 15: 15: 15: 15: 16: 16) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE FRONT NECK
Next row (RS): Patt 33 ( 36: 38: 39: 41: 44: 45: 47), turn and leave rem sts on a holder. Cont on these sts for first side of neck. ***Next row: Slipping first st, cast off 2 ( 2:2: 2: 2: 2: 3: 3) sts, patt to end. 2 ( 2:2: 2: 2: 2: 3: 3) sts dec’d. Work 1 row. Work these 2 rows 1 ( 1:1: 0: 0: 1: 1: 1) more time. 29 ( 32: 34: 37: 39: 40: 39: 41) sts. Next row: Slipping first st, cast off 2 sts, patt to end. 2 sts dec’d. Work 1 row. Rep these 2 rows 2 ( 2:2: 3: 3: 3: 2: 2) more times. 23 ( 26: 28: 29: 31: 32: 33: 35) sts. Work 2 ( 2:2: 2: 4: 2: 4: 4) rows more without shaping, ending with RS facing for next row. (Work should now match Back to start of shoulder shaping).***
SHAPE SHOULDER
Cast off 5 ( 6:7: 7: 7: 8: 8: 8) sts at beg of next row and 0 ( 1:2: 2: 1: 2: 2: 0) foll RS rows, then cast off 6 ( 7:0: 0: 8: 0: 0: 9) sts at beg of next row and 1 ( 0:0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0) foll RS row. 6 ( 7:7: 8: 9: 8: 9: 9) sts. Work 1 row, ending with RS facing for next row. Cast off rem sts. With WS facing, rejoin yarn to armhole side of right front. Next row (WS): Patt 33 ( 36: 38: 39: 41: 44: 45: 47), turn and leave rem 25 sts on a holder for neck. Work as given for first side from *** to ***. Shape shoulder as given for first side, reversing shapings, ending with WS facing for next row.
Cast off rem sts.
SLEEVES
(both alike) Using 3.25mm needles cast on 55 ( 55: 59: 59: 61: 61: 63: 63) sts. Work in 1x1 rib as set on Back for 8cm, ending with RS facing for next row. Next row: Rib 4 ( 4:2: 2: 3: 3: 4: 4), [M1, rib 7 ( 7:8: 8: 8: 8: 8: 8)] 7 times, M1, rib to end. 63 ( 63: 67: 67: 69: 69: 71: 71) sts. Next row (WS): Knit. Change to 4mm needles. Row 1 (RS): K2 ( 2:4: 4: 1: 1: 2: 2), *P1, K1, P1, K5; rep from * to last 5 ( 5:7: 7: 4: 4: 5: 5) sts, P1, K1, P1, K2 ( 2:4: 4: 1: 1: 2: 2). Row 2: P3 ( 3:5: 5: 2: 2: 3: 3), K1, P1, *P6, K1, P1; rep from * to last 2 ( 2:4: 4: 1: 1: 2: 2) sts, P2 ( 2:4: 4: 1: 1: 2: 2). These 2 rows set pattern. Working all inc sts into pattern, inc 1 st at each end of 3rd and 11 ( 1:1: 3: 6: 9: 12: 13) foll 6th ( 4th: 4th: 4th: 4th: 4th: 4th: 4th) rows then on every foll 8th ( 6th: 6th: 6th: 6th: 6th: 6th: 6th) row to 91 ( 93: 97: 99: 103: 105: 109: 111) sts. Cont without shaping until Sleeve meas 45 ( 45: 46: 46: 46: 46: 47: 47) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE SLEEVE TOP
Dec 1 st at each end of next 15 rows, on 7 ( 8: 10: 11: 11: 12: 14: 15) foll alt rows and then on 7 ( 7:7: 7: 9: 9: 9: 9) foll rows. 33 sts. Cast off 4 sts at beg of next 4 rows. Cast off rem 17 sts.
MAKING UP
Join right shoulder seam.
NECKBAND
Using 3.25mm needles and with RS facing, pick up and knit 14 ( 14: 14: 14: 16: 16: 16: 16) sts down left side of neck, knit across 25 sts on holder at front neck, pick up and knit 14 ( 14: 14: 14: 16: 16: 16: 16) sts up right side of neck, 4 sts down right back neck, knit across 45 ( 45: 45: 47: 47: 47: 49: 49) sts from back neck holder and pick up and knit 4 sts up right side of back neck. 106 ( 106: 106: 108: 112: 112: 114: 114) sts. Next row: (P1, K1) to end. Rep last row until rib meas 6cm. Cast off loosely in rib, leaving a long yarn tail. Join left shoulder and neck band seam. Fold neckband in half onto WS and slip-stitch in position. Join side and sleeve seams. Sew sleeves in position. Weave in ends and block to measurements, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band.