Try your hand at our lovely textured aran jacket

MEASUREMENTS

To fit sizes: 81/86 cm (32/34 ins), 91/97 (36/38), 102/107 (40/42), 112/117 (44/46), 122/127 (48/50). Actual sizes: 94 cm

(37 ins), 104 (41),

113 (44½), 124 (49), 133 (52¼).

Length: 60 cm (23½ ins), 61 (24¼), 61 (24¼), 61 (24¼), 62 (24½). Sleeve seam: 45 cm (17¾ ins).

MATERIALS

13 (14, 15, 15, 16) 50-gram balls of Rico Essentials Soft Merino Aran in Mint (045). One pair 4 mm (No. 4) needles and 5 mm (No. 6) knitting needles. 6 buttons from Duttons for Buttons, tel: 01423 502092 e-mail: michelle@ duttonsforbuttons.co.uk.

If you have difficulty finding the yarn used, you can order directly Black Sheep Wools, website: www.blacksheepwools.com, telephone: 01925 764231.

TENSION

25 sts and 26 rows to 10 cm measured over pattern using 5 mm needles.

ABBREVIATIONS

cont – continue; dec – decrease; inc – increase; K– knit;

P– purl; rem – remain; sl – slip; st(s) – stitch(es); tw3 – slip next 2 sts knitways, K1, pass 2nd st on right needle over 1st st and knit into back of it, pass 3rd st on right needle over first 2 sts and knit into back of it.

Important Note

Directions are given for five sizes. Figures in brackets refer to the four larger sizes. Figures in square brackets [ ] refer to all sizes and are worked the number of times stated. When writing to us with your queries, you must enclose a stamped, addressed envelope if you would like a reply.

RIGHT FRONT

With 5 mm needles cast on 59 (67, 71, 79, 83) sts evenly.

1st rib row – K2, [P1, K1] to last st, K1.

2nd rib row – K1, [P1, K1] to end.

Rep these 2 rows 3 times more.

Change to patt with rib side border

1st (right-side) row – Knit until 10 sts rem, [K1, P1] 4 times, K2.

2nd row – [K1, P1] 5 times, purl to end.

3rd row – P1, [tw3, P1] until 10 sts rem, [K1, P1] 4 times, K2.

4th row – [K1, P1] 5 times, [K1, P3] to last st, K1.

5th & 6th row – As 1st and 2nd rows.

7th row – P3, [tw3, P1] until 12 sts rem, P2, [K1, P1]

4 times, K2.

8th row – [K1, P1] 5 times, K3, [P3, K1] until 2 sts rem, K2. These 8 rows set the patt. Cont in patt until work measures 56 cm from beginning, ending at front edge after a wrong-side row (left front end after a right-side row). Shape neck – Cast off 11 (14, 14, 16, 16) sts at beg of next row – 48 (53, 57, 63, 67) sts. Dec 1 st at neck edge on every row until 43 (48, 53, 57, 62) sts remain.

Cont straight until front measures 60 (61, 61, 61, 62) cm from beg, ending at side edge. Shape shoulder – Cast off 9 (10, 11, 12, 13) sts at beg of next row and the 3 following alternate rows – 7(8, 9, 9, 10) sts.

Work 1 row. Cast off.

LEFT FRONT

Work to match right front but noting that the 8 rows of pattern will be as follows:

1st (right side) row – K2, [P1, K1] 4 times, knit to end. 2nd row – Purl until 10 sts rem, [P1, K1] 5 times.

3rd row – K2, [P1, K1] 4 times, [P1, tw3] to last st, P1. 4th row – K1, [P3, K1] until 10 sts rem, [P1, K1] 5 times. 5th & 6th row – As 1st and 2nd rows.

7th row – K2, [P1, K1] 4 times, P2, [P1, tw3] until 3 sts rem, P3.

8th row – K2, [K1, P3] until 13 sts rem, K3, [P1, K1] 5 times.

BACK

With 5 mm needles cast on 121 (133, 145, 157, 169) sts evenly. 1st rib row – K2, [P1, K1] until 3 sts rem, P1, K2. 2nd rib row – [K1, P1] to last st, K1.

Rep these 2 rows 3 times more.

Change to pattern with rib side border. 1st (right side) row – K2, [P1, K1] 4 times, knit until 10 sts rem, [K1, P1] 4 times, K2. 2nd row – [K1, P1] 5 times, purl until 10 sts rem, [P1, K1] 5 times.

3rd row – K2, [P1, K1] 4 times, [P1, tw3] until 11 sts rem, P1, [K1, P1] 4 times, K2.

4th row – [K1, P1] 5 times, [K1, P3] until 11 sts rem, K1, [P1, K1] 5 times. 5th & 6th row – As 1st and 2nd rows. 7th row – K2, [P1, K1] 4 times, P3, [tw3, P1] until 12 sts rem, P2, [K1, P1] 4 times, K2. 8th row – [K1, P1] 5 times, K3, [P3, K1] until 12 sts rem, K2, [P1, K1] 5 times. These 8 rows set the pattern. Cont in patt until back measures same as fronts to shoulder shaping, ending after a wrong-side row. Shape shoulders – Cast off 9 (10, 11, 12, 13) sts at beg of next 8 rows, then 7 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts at the beg of the next 2 rows – 35 (37, 39, 43, 45) sts.

Slip remaining sts on a stitch-holder and leave.

SLEEVES

With 4 mm needles cast on 43 (45, 45, 47, 49) sts.

1st (right side) row – K2, [P1, K1] to last st, K1.

2nd row – K1, [P1, K1] to end.

Rep these 2 rows twice more, then 1st row again.

Inc row – Purl, inc 2 (4,8, 6, 8) sts evenly across – 45 (49, 53, 53, 57) sts. Change to 5 mm needles and place pattern thus:

1st (right side) row – Knit. 2nd row – Purl.

3rd row – P1, [tw3, P1] to end.

4th row – K1, [P3, K1] to end.

5th & 6th row – As 1st and 2nd rows.

Cont in pattern to match fronts and back, shaping sleeve by inc 1 st at each end of next row then on every foll 6th (4th, 4th, 4th, 4th) row until there are 51 (57, 61, 79, 83) sts, then on every following 6th row for all sizes until there are 73 (79, 83, 89, 93) sts, taking extra sts into pattern.

Work straight until sleeve measures 39 cm or desired length, measured through centre of work, ending after a wrong-side row.

Place a coloured marker at each end of last row.

Shape top – Work until 6 (7, 7, 10, 10) sts rem, turn.

2nd row – Sl1 firmly, work until 6 (7, 7, 10, 10) sts rem, turn.

3rd & 4th rows – Sl1 firmly, work until 10 (11, 11, 14, 14) sts rem, turn.

5th & 6th rows – Sl1 firmly, work to last 14 (15, 15, 18, 18) sts, turn.

7th & 8th rows – Sl1 firmly, work to last 18 (19, 19, 22, 22) sts, turn.

9th - 14th rows – Continue as set, working 4 sts fewer at end of every row.

15th row – Sl1 firmly, work to end of row.

16th row – Work to end of row. Cast off.

TO COMPLETE

Neckband – With 4 mm needles and right side facing, pick up and knit 27 (31, 31, 33, 35) sts evenly round right front neck, knit across 35 (37, 39, 43, 45) back neck sts, finally pick up and K27 (31, 31, 33, 35) sts evenly round left front neck – 89 (99, 101, 109, 115) sts.

Beg with a 2nd row, work 6 rows in rib as given for sleeves.

Cast off firmly in rib.

Borders – With 4 mm needles cast on 11 sts. Work a strip in rib as given for sleeves until border, when slightly stretched, fits up left front edge to top of neckband. Cast off in rib.

Mark position on border for 6 buttonholes, spaced as in photograph, or as desired. Work 2nd border as 1st but working buttonholes to match markers thus:

1st row – Rib 4, cast off

3 sts, rib to end.

2nd row – Rib, casting on

3 sts over those cast off.

To Make Up – Press work lightly on wrong side, following instructions given on ball-band. Stitch marked sections of sleeve tops to upper side edges of fronts and back. Join side and sleeve seams, leaving approx. 38 rows free at lower side edges to form slits. Sew on borders and buttons. Press seams. n