Buttonside Sweater
BOXY AND swingy, this design by Jennifer Dassau uses German short rows to shape the shoulders below the textured saddles, the curved hems, and the sleeve caps. The textured garter-stripe edging that borders the sides and hem is worked along with the body until the hem shaping, then applied seamlessly using additional short rows to curve smoothly around the corners. The sweater is worked from the top down, starting with the textured shoulder saddles.
PATTERN NOTES
SHOULDER STITCH PATTERN (worked over 16 sts) Row 1 (WS): K3, (P2, K2) to last 5 sts, P2, K3. Row 2 (RS): Knit. Rep Rows 1 and 2 for patt. BUTTONHOLES Sl 1 kwise, move yarn to front and drop it. *Sl 1 kwise and pass first slipped st over second slipped st and off needle; rep from * twice more. Slip last st on right needle back to left needle. Turn work and move yarn to front; cast on 4 sts using twisted pwise cast-on (see below). Turn work. Slip first st on left needle to right needle and slip last cast-on st over this st. Then slip this st onto left needle. Twisted pwise cast-on: Insert right needle pwise into first st on left needle; draw a loop of yarn through and place on left needle.
SHOULDER SADDLES
(make 2) Using 3.75mm circular needles and the long-tail method, cast on 16 sts. Work Shoulder Stitch Pattern for 28 ( 32: 34: 36: 40) rows. Cast off all sts and cut yarn.
BACK
With RS facing, beg at cast-on edge, pick up and knit 22 ( 24: 26: 28: 30) sts along long edge of one shoulder saddle, pm, cast on 34 ( 35: 36: 37: 38) sts using the backwards loop method, pm, then with RS facing, beg at cast-off edge, pick up and knit 22 ( 24: 26: 28: 30) sts along the long edge of second shoulder saddle. 78 ( 83: 88: 93: 98) sts. Purl 1 WS row. SHAPE BACK SHOULDERS Short row 1 (RS): K to 2nd mrk, K5 ( 6:6: 7:7), turn. Short row 2 (WS): DS, P to 2nd mrk, P5 ( 6:6:7: 7), turn. Short row 3: DS, K to previous double st, knit both loops together as 1 st, K5 ( 6:6: 7:7), turn. Short row 4: DS, P to previous double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P5 ( 6:6: 7:7), turn. Short row 5: DS, K to previous double st, knit both loops together as 1 st, K6 ( 6:7: 7:8), turn. Short row 6: DS, P to previous double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P6 ( 6:7:7: 8), turn. Row 7: DS, K to previous double st, knit both loops together as 1 st, K to end. Row 8: DS, P to previous double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P to end, removing all mrks. Work 38 ( 42: 46: 52: 56) more rows in st st, working both loops of rem double sts together on the first row, or until armhole edge measures 14 ( 16: 17: 19 :21) cm from shoulder saddle pick-up. SHAPE ARMHOLE AND BEGIN BUTTONBAND Set-up row (RS): Cast on 12 ( 15: 18: 21: 24) sts using the cable method, K14, pm, K to end. 90 ( 98: 106: 114: 122) sts. Set-up row (WS): Cast on 12 ( 15: 18: 21: 24) sts using the cable method, K3, P8, K3, pm, P to next mrk, K3, P8, K3. 102 ( 113: 124: 135: 146) sts; 74 ( 85: 96: 107: 118) sts between mrks. Row 1 (RS): Knit. Row 2 (WS): K3, P8, K3, slm, P to next mrk, K3, P8, K3. Row 3: Knit. Row 4: K to mrk, P to next mrk, K to end. Row 5: Knit. Row 6: K to mrk, P to next mrk, K to end. Rep Rows 1–6, 12 more times, dec 1 ( 0:2: 1:0) sts between mrks on last row for a multiple of 3 sts plus 1 between mrks. 101 ( 113: 122: 134: 146) sts rem; 73 ( 85: 94: 106: 118) sts between markers. BACK HEM Short row 1 (RS): Knit to 1 st before second mrk, turn.
Short row 2 (WS): DS, P to 1 st before mrk, turn. Short row 3: DS, K to 1 st before previous double st, turn. Short row 4: DS, P to 1 st before previous double st, turn. Rep Short rows 3 and 4, 9 more times. Next row (RS): DS, K to end, knitting both loops of each double st together as 1 st. Next row(WS): K3, P8, K3, P to next mrk, K3, P8, K3. Short row 1 (RS): K5, turn. Short row 2 (WS): DS, P1, K3. Short row 3: K10, knitting both loops together as 1 st, turn. Short row 4: DS, P6, K3. Row 5: K to mrk, knitting both loops together as 1 st, slm, K2tog tbl, turn. 1 body st dec’d. Row 6: Sl 1 wyif, slm, K to end. Row 7: Knit to mrk, slm, K2tog tbl, turn. 1 body st dec’d. Row 8: Sl 1 wyif, slm, K to end. Row 9: Knit to mrk, slm, K2tog tbl, turn. 1 body st dec’d. Row 10: Sl 1 wyif, slm, K3, P8, K3. Rep last 10 rows 6 more times. 52 ( 64: 73: 85: 97) sts rem between markers. Rep Rows 5–10, 11( 15: 18: 22: 26) times. 19 sts rem between markers. Rep Rows 1–10, 5 times, then Rows 1–8 once, then Short rows 1–4 once. 30 sts total rem. K15, leaving sts on needle. Place rem 15 sts on another needle, cut yarn and graft as foll: Set-up: Insert needle through first st on front needle pwise, then through first st on back needle kwise. Front needle: Insert needle through first st kwise and drop st off needle, then through next st pwise, leaving st on needle. Back needle: Insert needle through first st pwise and drop st off needle, then through next st kwise, leaving st on needle. Rep Front Needle and Back Needle steps until all sts are grafted.
FRONT
Using 3.75mm circular needles, with RS facing and back neck cast-on edge at top, beg at inner neck edge, pick up and knit 22 ( 24: 26: 28: 30) sts along open long edge of left shoulder saddle. SHAPE LEFT FRONT SHOULDER Row 1 (WS): P to end. Short row 2 (RS): K5 ( 6:6:7: 7), turn. Short row 3: DS, P to end. Short row 4: K to double st, knit both loops together as 1 st, K5 ( 6:6: 7:7), turn. Short row 5: DS, P to end. Short row 6: K to double st, knit both loops together as 1 st, K6 ( 6:7: 7:8), turn. Next row (WS): DS, P to end. SHAPE LEFT FRONT NECK Next row (RS): K1, M1R, K to end. 1 st inc’d. Next row (WS): Purl. Rep last 2 rows, 3 more times. 26 ( 28: 30: 32: 34) sts. Cut yarn and place left front sts on holder. With RS facing and back neck cast-on edge at top, beg at outer armhole edge, pick up and knit 22 ( 24: 26: 28: 30) sts along open long edge of right shoulder saddle. SHAPE RIGHT FRONT SHOULDER Short row 1 (WS): P5 ( 6:6:7: 7), turn. Short row 2 (RS): DS, K to end. Short row 3: P to double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P5 ( 6:6: 7: 7), turn. Short row 4: DS, K to end. Short row 5: P to double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P6 ( 6:7:7: 8), turn. Short row 6: DS, K to end. Next row (WS): P to double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P to end. SHAPE RIGHT FRONT NECK Next row (RS): K to last st, M1L, K1. 1 st inc’d. Next row (WS): Purl. Rep last 2 rows, 3 more times. 26 ( 28: 30: 32: 34) sts. JOIN RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT Next row (RS): Using working yarn, knit across all sts of right front, cast on 26 ( 27: 28: 29: 30) sts using the backwards loop method, then knit left front sts from holder. 78 ( 83: 88: 93: 98) sts. Work 29 ( 33: 37: 43: 47) more rows in st st, or until armhole edge meas 14 ( 16: 17: 19 :21) cm from shoulder saddle pick-up. SHAPE ARMHOLE & BEGIN BUTTONBAND Set-up row (RS): Cast on 12 ( 15: 18: 21: 24) sts using the cable method, K14, pm, K to end. 90 ( 98: 106: 114: 122) sts.
GERMAN SHORT ROWS SHAPE THE SHOULDERS AND CURVED HEMS
Set-up row (WS): Cast on 12 ( 15: 18: 21: 24) sts using the cable method, K3, P8, K3, pm, P to next mrk, K3, P8, K3. 102 ( 113: 124: 135: 146) sts. Row 1 (RS): Knit. Row 2 (WS): K3, P8, K3, slm, P to next mrk, K3, P8, K3. Row 3: Knit. Row 4: K to mrk, P to next mrk, K to end. Row 5: Knit. Row 6: K to mrk, P to next mrk, K to end. Rep Rows 1–6, 12 more times, AT THE SAME TIME make three buttonholes by working every fourth Row 5 as follows (see Pattern Notes): Buttonhole row 5 (RS): K5, MB, knit to last 10 sts, MB, K5. FRONT HEM Work as for Back Hem.
SLEEVES
Overlap front over back at side seams so that 8 ( 14: 14: 14: 14) sts of 14-st textured buttonbands line up, and tack in place temporarily using smooth waste yarn. With RS facing, beg at centre bottom of armhole, pick up and knit 8 ( 8: 11: 14: 17) sts with first 4 ( 7:7: 7:7) sts through both layers, along cast-on sts of underarm, 19 ( 22: 24: 25: 25) sts evenly spaced around armhole edge to shoulder saddle, 12 ( 12: 12: 10: 10) sts along edge of shoulder saddle, 19 ( 22: 24: 25: 25) sts evenly spaced around other armhole edge to underarm, and 8 ( 8: 11: 14: 17) sts with last 4 ( 7:7:7: 7) sts through both layers, along rem cast-on sts of underarm. 66 ( 72: 82: 88: 94) sts. Pm and join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. SHAPE SLEEVE CAP Set-up short row 1 (RS): K44 ( 48: 54: 58: 62), turn. Set-up short row 2 (WS): DS, P21 ( 23: 25: 27: 29), turn. Short row 1: DS, K to previous double st, knit both loops together as 1 st, K1, turn. Short row 2: DS, P to previous double st, purl both loops together as 1 st, P1, turn. Rep Short rows 1 and 2 until 1 st rem unworked on each side of marker. Knit 7 ( 6:4: 3:3) rnds, knitting rem loops together as 1 st. Dec rnd: K1, SSK, K to 3 sts before mrk, K2tog, K1. 2 sts dec’d. Rep Dec rnd every 8 ( 7:5:5: 4) rnds 6( 11: 9: 2: 12) more times, then every 9 ( 8:6:5: 5) rnds 4 ( 1: 7: 16: 8) times. 44 ( 46: 48: 50: 52) sts rem. Knit 14 more rnds. CUFF Round 1: Knit. Round 2: Purl. Rep Rounds 1 and 2 four more times. Bind off all sts kwise.
FINISHING
NECK EDGE With RS facing and beg at cast-on sts of right back neck, pick up and knit 26 ( 28: 29: 29: 30) sts from cast-on sts of back neck, 10 sts from left shoulder saddle, 10 sts from left front neck edge, 19 ( 20: 21: 21: 22) sts from cast-on sts of front neck, 10 sts from right front neck edge, and 10 sts from right shoulder saddle. 85 ( 88: 90: 90: 92) sts. Pm and join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Next round: Purl. Next round: Knit. Rep last 2 rnds 3 more times, then purl 1 rnd. Cast off all sts kwise. Weave in ends and block to measurements, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band. Sew buttons to buttonband of back piece opposite buttonholes of front piece.
This pattern is taken from Knitting
Short Rows, a book of 17 women’s projects exploring short-row shaping, by Jennifer Dassau. (Interweave Press, £18.99). Readers can save £5 on this book! To buy a copy for just £13.99 inc. free UK p&p, call 01206 255777 and quote ref. IM1717 before 10 November 2017.