Back-zip SWEATER

MEASUREMENTS

To fit bust 81(86:92:97:102:107)cm; Finished measurements: Bust 87(95:102:109:116:123)cm; Back length to shoulder 53(53:55:55:57:57)cm; Sleeve length 46(46:46:48:48:48)cm.

MATERIALS

10(11:11:12:12:13) 50g balls of Erika Knight Gossypium Cotton in Steve 505.

Pair of 3.75mm knitting needles. 3.25mm circular needle, 60cm long. Closed-end zip fastener, 45cm long (see Notes).

TENSION

22 sts and 30 rows to 10cm square over patt on 3.75mm needles.

ABBREVIATIONS beg beginning; cm centimetres; cont continue; foll following; inc increase; k knit; m1 make one st by picking up and working into back of loop lying between st just worked and next st; p purl; patt pattern; rem remaining; rep repeat; RS right side; ssk [slip 1] twice, insert tip of lefthand needle from left to right through the fronts of both slipped sts and work 2 tog st(s) stitch(es); tbl through back loop; tog together; WS wrong side.

NOTES

The sweater opens down the back, with the zip opening from the bottom upwards. Don’t buy zip until sweater is finished – you may need a different length.

FRONT

With 3.75mm needles, cast on 98(106:114:122:130:138) sts. Work in patt as follows: 1st row (RS) P2, [k2, p2] to end. 2nd row K2, [p2, k2] to end. 3rd row K to end. 4th row P to end. These 4 rows

form the patt. Cont straight until front measures 35(35:36:36:37:37)cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row.

Shape armholes

Cast off 7(7:9:9:11:11) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 84(92:96:104:108:116) sts. Cont in patt until armhole measures 11cm, ending with a WS row.

Shape front neck

1st row (RS) Patt 33(36:38:41:43:46), turn and work on these sts only for first side of neck, leave rem sts on a spare needle**. Next row P1, p2tog, patt to end. Next row Patt to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. Rep the last 2 rows 5(6:7:8:9:10) times more, then the first of these 2 rows again. 20(21:21: 22:22:23) sts. Work straight until front measures 53(53:55:55:57:57)cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row. Shape shoulder

Next row Cast off 5 sts at beg of next row and foll 2 RS rows. Patt 1 row. Cast off rem 5(6:6:7:7:8) sts **. With RS facing, slip centre 18(20:20:22:22:24) sts onto a holder, rejoin yarn to rem 33(36:38:41:43:46) sts, patt to end.

*** Next row Patt to last 3 sts, p2tog tbl, p1. Next row K1, ssk, patt to end. Rep the last 2 rows 5(6:7:8:9:10) times more, then the first of these 2 rows again. 20(21:21:22:22:23) sts. Work straight until front measures 53(53:55:55:57:57)cm from cast on edge, ending with a RS row. Shape shoulder

Next row Cast off 5 sts at beg of next row and foll 2 WS rows. Patt 1 row. Cast off rem 5(6:6:7:7:8) sts ***.

RIGHT BACK

With 3.75mm needles, cast on 46(50:54:58:62:66) sts. Work in patt as given for Front until back measures 35(35:36:36:37:37)cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row.

Shape armhole

Next row Cast off 7(7:9:9:11:11) sts, patt to end. 39(43:45:49:51:55) sts. Cont in patt until armhole measures 11cm, ending with a WS row.

Shape back neck

1st row Patt 33(36:38:41:43:46), turn and work on these sts only, leave rem 6(7:7:8:8:9) sts on a holder. Work as given for Front from ** to **.

LEFT BACK

With 3.75mm needles, cast on 46(50:54: 58:62:66) sts. Work in patt as given for Front until back measures 35(35:36: 36:37:37)cm from cast on edge, ending with a RS row.

Shape armhole

Next row Cast off 7(7:9:9:11:11) sts, patt to end. 39(43:45:49:51:55) sts. Cont in patt until armhole measures 11cm, ending with a WS row. Shape back neck

1st row K6(7:7:8:8:9), leave these sts on a holder, patt to end. 33(36:38:41:43:46) sts. Work as given for Front from *** to ***.

SLEEVES

With 3.75mm needles, cast on 46(50:50: 54:54:58) sts. Work 14 rows in patt as given for Front. Inc row K1, m1, patt to last st, m1, k1. Work 5(7:5:7:7:7) rows. Taking inc sts into patt, rep the last 6(8:6:8:8:8) rows 15(13:15:13:15:13) times more, then the inc row again. 80(80:84:84:88:88) sts. Cont straight until sleeve measures 46(46:46:48:48:48)cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row. Place a marker at each end of last row. Work a further 10(10:12:12:14:14) rows. Cast off.

NECK EDGING

Join shoulder seams. With a length of yarn, and 3.75mm needles, cast on 6 sts, cut the yarn and leave these sts on the needle. With RS facing, 3.25mm circular needle and beg at right shoulder seam, pick up and k20(21:21:22:22:23) sts down right back neck, k across first 5(6:6:7:7:8) sts on right back holder, then k the last st tog with first st of the 6 cast on sts, k next 4 sts, then k last st tog with first st on left back holder, k rem 5(6:6: 7:7:8) sts, then pick up and k20(21:21:22: 22:23) sts up left back neck, 20(21:21: 22:22:23) sts down right front neck, k across 18(20:20:22:22:24) sts at centre front, then pick up and k20(21:21:22: 22:23) sts up right front neck. 114(122: 122:130:130:138) sts. Work in rounds as follows: P 1 round. K 1 round. Rep the last 2 rounds once more. Cast off purlwise.

TO MAKE UP

With centre of cast off edge of sleeve to shoulder seam, sew sleeves into armholes, easing to fit and with rowends above markers sewn to sts cast off at underarm. Join side and sleeve seams. With the closed end of the zip at the top of the back opening, hand sew the zip in place with most of the tape to each side of the teeth showing – the zip will open from the lower end upwards. The back opening may be longer than the zip, but not long enough for the next size up. If so, leave the lower edges of the back opening free.