CHRISTMAS CRACKER

Have yourself a chic little celebration

MEASUREMENTS

To fit bust 81-86(92-97:102-107)cm; Finished measurements Bust 95(106:117)cm; Length to shoulder 57(59:61)cm; Sleeve length 47(48:49)cm.

MATERIALS

8(9:9) 50g balls of Debbie Bliss Rialto DK in Scarlet 12 (A) and 9(9:10) balls in Ecru 02 (B).

Pair of 4mm knitting needles. 4mm circular needle.

TENSION

25 sts and 27 rows to 10cm square over patterned st-st using 4mm 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; st(s) stitch(es); st-st stocking stitch; WS wrong side.

BACK

** With 4mm needles and A, cast on 118(134:146) sts. 1st row K2, [p2, k2] to end. 2nd row P to end. These 2 rows

form broken rib and are repeated until welt measures 5(6:7)cm, ending with a 2nd row and inc 3(1:3) sts evenly across last row. 121(135:149) sts. Now work in st-st patt as follows: 1st row (RS) K 1B,

[1B, 1A, 3B, 1A, 1B, 7A] to last 8 sts, 1B, 1A, 3B, 1A, 2B. 2nd row P 1B, [2B, 1A, 4B, 3A, 1B, 3A] to last 8 sts, 2B, 1A, 5B. 3rd row

K 1B, [3B, 1A, 3B, 2A, 3B, 2A] to last 8 sts, 3B, 1A, 4B. 4th row P 1B, [4B, 1A, 2B, 3A, 1B, 3A] to last 8 sts, 4B, 1A, 3B. 5th row

As 1st row. 6th row As 4th row. 7th row

As 3rd row. 8th row As 2nd row. These 8 rows form the patt and are repeated throughout **. Cont until back measures approximately 57(59:61)cm from cast on edge, ending with a 4th or 8th row. Shape shoulders Cast off 36(41:46) sts, with 1 st on needle after cast off, slip next 48(52:56) sts at centre back onto a holder, cast off rem 36(41:46) sts.

FRONT

Work exactly as given for Back from ** to **. Cont in patt as set until front measures 51(53:55)cm, from cast on edge, ending with a WS row.

Shape neck Next row (RS) Patt 51(57:63) sts, turn and cont on these sts only, leave rem sts on a spare needle. Cast off 4 sts at beg (neck edge) of next row and foll 1(1:2) WS rows, 3 sts at beg of next 1(1:0) WS rows, 2 sts at beg of foll 2 WS rows and 1 st at beg of next 0(1:1) WS row. 36(41:46) sts. Cont straight in patt as set until Front measures same as Back to shoulder, ending with the same 4th or 8th row. Shape shoulder Cast off.

With RS facing, slip 19 sts at centre front onto a holder, rejoin yarn to rem sts, cast off 4 sts, patt to end. Cast off 4 sts at beg (neck edge) of next 1(1:2) RS rows, 3 sts at beg of next 1(1:0) RS row, 2 sts at beg of foll 2 RS rows and 1 st at beg of next 0(1:1) RS row. 36(41:46) sts. Cont straight in patt as set until front measures same as Back to shoulder, ending with the same 4th or 8th row. Shape shoulder Cast off.

SLEEVES

With 4mm needles and A, cast on 46 sts. 1st row K2, [p2, k2] to end. 2nd row

P to end. These 2 rows form broken rib and are repeated until cuff measures 4(5:6)cm, ending with a 2nd row and inc 5 sts evenly across last row. 51 sts.

1st row (RS) K 8B, [1B, 1A, 3B, 1A, 1B, 7A] to last st, 1A. 2nd row P 4A, 1B, 3A, [2B, 1A, 4B, 3A, 1B, 3A] to last st, 1A. 3rd row K 3A, 3B, 2A, [3B, 1A, 3B, 2A, 3B, 2A] to last st, 1A. 4th row P 4A, 1B, 3A, [4B, 1A, 2B, 3A, 1B, 3A] to last st, 1A. 5th row As 1st row. 6th

row As 4th row. 7th row As 3rd row.

8th row As 2nd row. These 8 rows form the patt and are repeated. Next

row Patt 1, m1, patt to last st, m1, patt 1. 53 sts. Taking inc sts into patt, patt 3 rows. Keeping patt correct, rep the last 4 rows 14 times more. 81 sts.

Next row Patt 1, m1, patt to last st, m1, patt 1. 83 sts. Taking inc sts into patt, patt 5 rows. Keeping patt correct, rep the last 6 rows 4 times more. 91 sts. Cont straight in patt until sleeve measures 47(48:49)cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row. Cast off.

COLLAR

Join shoulder seams. With RS facing, 4mm circular needle and A and beg at left shoulder seam, pick up and k24(26:28) sts down left front neck, k across 19 sts at centre front, pick up and k24(26:28) sts up right front neck, then k across 49 sts at centre back. 116(120:124) sts. 1st

round [K2, p2] to end of round. 2nd round

K to end of round. Rep these 2 rounds 4 times more, then 1st round again. Next

round P to end of round. Next round

[P2, k2] to end of round. Rep the last 2 rounds 10 times more. Cast off knitwise.

TO MAKE UP

Place markers 18cm down from shoulder seams on front and back, then with centre of cast off edge of sleeve to shoulder, sew on sleeves between markers. Join side seams.