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Son Of A.R.A.N. Project

Part 4b: Sports Weight Swatch Instructions

Copyright 1999 Janet Szabo. All rights reserved.

Our first swatch will be to determine gauge over the filler stitch. I would like everyone -- whether you are using worsted or sport weight yarn -- to work a gauge swatch over moss stitch, which is the filler stitch we'll be using in this design. The pattern is as follows:

Filler Swatch Directions

Over an even number of stitches:

Row 1 (right side): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 2:  *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Rows 3 and 4:  *P1, k1; rep from * to end.

Please select a suitable size needle for your yarn. Cast on 36 stitches. Work the pattern as given over those stitches, until your swatch resembles a square piece of fabric. Don't skimp on size -- we want an accurate gauge measurement. Bind off and -- this is the important part! -- block your swatch using a method appropriate for the fiber in the yarn. We will take our measurement from the blocked swatch.

Pattern Swatch Directions

Patterns used: Aran Honeycomb, Off-Center Trellis, Inverted Gull Stitch, Right Twist (all from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns.)

Abbreviations:

K: knit
P: purl
cn: cable needle
LH: left-hand
RH: right-hand
1/3 LC: slip next st to cable needle and hold at front of work, k3, k1 from cable
        needle
1/3 RC: slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold at back, k1, k3 from cable needle
2/1 RPC: slip next st to cn and hold at back of work, K2, then p1 from cn
2/1 LPC: slip next 2 sts to cn and hold at front of work, p1, k2 from cn
2/1 LC: slip next 2 sts to cn and hold at front of work, k1, k2 from cn
2/2 RC: slip next 2 sts to cn and hold at back of work, k2, then k2 from cn
2/2 LC: slip next 2 sts to cn and hold at front of work, k2, then k2 from cn

Cast on 100 sts.

Row 1 (WS):  k3, p2, k6, p4, [k1, p1] three times, p4, k5, p2, k2, p9, k2, p2,
        k2, p48, k3.

Row 2:  p3, k48, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from needle, p2,
        1/3 LC, k1, 1/3 RC, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from
        needle, p4, 2/1 RPC, 2/1 LPC, (k1, p1) twice, 2/1 RPC, 2/1 LC, p4, 2/1
        RPC, p3

Row 3 and all wrong-side rows:  work the stitches as they present themselves
        (knit the knits and purl the purls). 

Row 4:  p3, *2/2 RC, 2/2 LC; rep from * 5 more times, p2, knit 2nd st, then first
        st, then slip both from needle, p2, k9, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st,
        then slip both from needle, p3, 2/1 RPC, p2, 2/1 LPC, k1, p1, 2/1 RPC,
        k1, p1, 2/1 LC, p2, 2/1 RPC, p4

Row 6:  p3, k48, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from needle, p2,
        1/3 LC, k1, 1/3 RC, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from
        needle, p2, 2/1 RPC, p4, 2/1 LPC, 2/1 RPC, (k1, p1) twice, 2/1 LC, 2/1
        RPC, p5

Row 8:  p3, *2/2 LC, 2/2 RC; rep from * 5 more times, p2, knit 2nd st, then first
        st, then slip both from needle, p2, k9, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st,
        then slip both from needle, p2, k2, p6, 2/2 RC, (k1, p1) 3 times, 2/2 RC,
        p6

Row 10: p3, k48, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from needle, p2,
        1/3 LC, k1, 1/3 RC, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from
        needle, p2, 2/ 1LPC, p4, 2/1 RPC, 2/1 LC, (k1, p1) twice, 2/1 RPC, 2/1
        LPC, p5

Row 12: p3, *2/2 RC, 2/2 LC; rep from * 5 more times, p2, knit 2nd st, then first
        st, then slip both from needle, p2, k9, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st,
        then slip both from needle, p3, 2/1 LPC, p2, 2/1 RPC, k1, p1, 2/1 LC, k1,
        p1, 2/1 RPC, p2, 2/1 LPC, p4

Row 14: p3, k48, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from needle, p2,
        1/3 LC, k1, 1/3 RC, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st, then slip both from
        needle, p4, 2/1 LPC, 2/1 RPC, (k1, p1) twice, 2/1 LC, 2/1 RPC, p4, 2/1
        LPC, p3

Row 16: p3, *2/2 LC, 2/2 RC; rep from * 5 more times, p2, knit 2nd st, then first
        st, then slip both from needle, p2, k9, p2, knit 2nd st, then first st,
        then slip both from needle, p5, 2/2 LC, (k1, p1) 3 times, 2/2 LC, p6, k2,
        p3

Janet
jknitter@digisys.net

Q & A:

Having finished knitting the filler stitch swatch, I am currently working on
the pattern stitch swatch, which measures roughly 12-14 inches.  Am I right
that this swatch is worked until it resembles a square...making it approx. 14 x
14 inches?

Feel free to make it that big if you want -- I wanted everyone to knit at least one time through the repeat (16 rows). But you don't have to knit it square (mine never are...!)

Which is the center design on the worsted swatch?  The Four Rib Cable? If this
is true, then on the other side of the honeycomb would be the moss stitch 
filler (is this where we add stitches to get the desired bust measurement?).

(Although this question asks specifically about the worsted weight swatch, the concept applies to the sports weight version, too - Esther)

Good question. When I had you knit the swatch, I had you knit the center panel and the cables flanking it to one side only. I could have had you knit representing the whole front of the sweater, but that takes time and yarn. The center pattern of both the worsted weight and sport weight sweaters will be the Aran Honeycomb. Imagine that the narrower cables to one side on your swatch will also appear -- in mirror image -- on the other side of the AH pattern.

On my worsted weight sweater, then, the cables will be -- going from left to right as I look at the sweater:

Moss st -- Little Twist -- Right Twist -- Four-Rib Braid -- Right Twist -- Little Twist -- Aran Honeycomb -- Little Twist -- Right Twist -- Four-Rib Braid -- Right Twist -- Little Twist -- Moss st

Those of you who are doing the sport weight version of the SOA -- if you want the trellis pattern to be mirror-imaged on either side of the Aran Honeycomb, you need to begin the trellis pattern with row 1 on one side of the Honeycomb, and begin with row 8 (halfway up the chart) on the other side of the Honeycomb. You don't have to mirror-image them, BTW, but if it drives you nuts not to, that's how you do it. Janet
jknitter@digisys.net


Last Updated: January 15, 2001
Page maintained by: Esther S. Bozak, ebozak@cs.oswego.edu
URL: http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~ebozak/knit/soa/part4b.html