Thrill of the lace

Snuggle up in this soft-tothe-touch lacy sweater

MEASUREMENTS

To fit bust 81-86(92-97:102-107)cm. Finished measurements: Bust 137(145:157)cm; Length to shoulder 74(76:78)cm; Sleeve length 42(43:44)cm.

MATERIALS

14(16:17) 50g balls of Rowan Softyak DK in Shell 247.

Pair each of 3.25mm and 4mm knitting needles.

3.25mm and 4mm circular needles, both 40cm long.

TENSION

23 sts and 32 rows to 10cm square over patt using 4mm needles.

ABBREVIATIONS beg beginning; cm centimetres; cont continue; dec decrease; foll following; inc increase; k knit; p purl; patt pattern; psso pass slipped st over; rem remaining; rep repeat; RS right side; skpo sl 1, k1, pass slipped st over; st(s) stitch(es); st-st stocking stitch; tog together; yf yarn forward to make one st between k sts; WS wrong side.

NOTE

Ensure each patt decrease is matched by an increase, if there are insufficient sts to work both, work end sts in st-st.

BACK With 3.25mm needles, cast on 16 157(167:182) sts. 1st row (RS) P2, 14 [k3, p2] to end. 2nd row K2, [p3, 12 k2] to end. These 2 rows form rib and are repeated a further 8 10 times, dec 1 st in centre of last 8 row in patt for 3rd size only. 6 157(167:181) sts. Change to 4mm 4 needles and work from chart 2 between lines for correct size and garment piece, repeating the 22-st patt rep 7(7:8) times and repeating the 16-row repeat throughout. Working correct chart rows, cont until back measures 71(73:75)cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row. Shape back neck and shoulders

Next row (RS) Cast off 9(10:11) sts, patt until there are 57(61:66) sts on right hand needles, turn and leave rem sts on a spare needle. Keeping patt correct, dec 1 st at neck edge of next 8 rows, at the same time, cast off 9(10:11) sts at beg of 2nd and 0(1:1) foll RS row, then 10(11:12) sts at beg of foll 3(2:2) RS rows. Patt 1 row. Cast off rem 10(11:12) sts. With RS facing, slip 25(25:27) sts at centre front onto a holder, rejoin yarn to rem sts, patt to end. Complete to match first side of neck, reversing shapings.

FRONT Work exactly as given for Back until 18(18:22) rows fewer have been worked than on Back to start of shoulder shaping, so ending with a WS row.

Shape front neck Next row (RS) Patt 70(75:82) sts, turn and cont on these sts only, leave rem sts on a spare needle. Keeping patt correct, dec 1 st at neck edge of next 6 rows, then on 3 foll RS rows, then on 1(1:2) foll 4th rows. 60(65:71) sts. Patt 1 row, so ending with a WS row. Shape shoulder Cast off 9(10:11) sts at beg of next row and foll 1(2:2) RS rows, then 10(11:12) sts at beg of foll 3(2:2) RS rows, at the same

time, dec 1 st at neck edge of 3rd and foll 4th row. Patt 1 row. Cast off rem 10(11:12) sts. With RS facing, slip 17 sts at centre front onto a holder, rejoin yarn to SLEEVES With 3.25mm needles, cast on 42(42:47) sts. Work 17 rows in rib as given for Back. Next (inc) row (WS) Rib 3(3:1), m1, [rib 3(0:4), m1] 12(0:11) times, [rib 3, m1, rib 2, m1] 0(7:0) times, rib 3(4:2). 55(57:59) sts. Change to 4mm needles and work from chart between lines for correct sleeve size, repeating the 22-st patt rep twice and repeating the 16-row repeat throughout. Taking inc sts into patt (see NOTE), inc 1 st at each end of 3rd row and every foll 4th row to 69(75:79) sts, then on every foll 6th row until there are 93(97:101) sts. Cont straight in patt until sleeve measures 42(43:44)cm, ending with a WS row. Shape top Keeping patt correct, cast off 6 sts at beg of next 8(6:2) rows, then 7 sts at beg of foll COLLAR Join shoulder seams. With RS facing and 3.25mm circular needle, pick up and k22(22:25) sts down left front neck, k across 17 sts at centre front, pick up and k22(22:25) sts up right front neck, 9 sts down right back neck, k across 25(25:27) sts at centre back, then pick up and k 9 sts up left back neck. 104(104:112) sts. Round 1 (RS of body, WS of collar) [K1, p2] to end. Rep this round 14 times more.

Round 16 [K2, p1, m1, p1] to end. 130(130:140) sts. Round 17 [K2, p3] to end. Rep the last round 13 times more. Round 31 [K1, m1, k1, p3] to end. 156(156:168) sts. Round 32 [K3, p3] to end. Change to 4mm circular needle and rep the last round until collar measures 25cm from pick up round.

Cast off in rib.

TO MAKE UP Place markers on front and back, 21(22:23)cm down from shoulders. Sew on sleeves between markers, easing to fit. Join side and sleeve seams.