Directions
The sweater is knit in two pieces. The main piece is knit up the back and down the front. A detachable front panel is knit with buttonholes on both sides. Alternate panels could be knit to accommodate holidays, whims, or disastrous stains.
Back
- CO 36 (39, 45) sts.
- Rows 1-5: Work seed stitch, creating bottom band of back.
- Row 6: P across, increasing 5 (6, 6) sts evenly across the row; 41 (45, 51) sts.
- Row 7: K across.
- Continue in st st until back measures 6 (7, 9) inches from cast on edge.
Add sleeves
- Cast on 24 (28, 32) stitches at beginning of next 2 rows; 89 (101, 115) sts.
- Work k1, p1, k1 on first 3 sts, stockinette across row and k1, p1, k1 on last 3 sts of each row until back measures 9 (11, 13) inches from cast on edge.
- Begin seed stitch band for neck edge as follows: K1, p1, k1 (cuff), st st 29 (35, 42) sts, seed stitch on next 25 sts (neck border), st st 29 (35, 42), k1, p1, k1 (cuff). Repeat this row 4 more times.
Neck opening
- Next row: K1, p1, k1, st st 29 (35, 42); seed stitch 4 at neck edge, Cast off 17 sts, seed st 4, st st 29 (35, 42). k1, p1, k1.
- Sweater will now be worked back and forth to form one side of front. Continue in st st, maintaining 4 seed stitch border at neck edge and 3 seed stitch border at cuff. Work until sleeve measures 8 (10, 10) inches, ending at cuff edge. Piece measures 14 (17, 19) inches from cast on edge.
Side fronts
- Cast off 24 (28, 32) stitches to end sleeve; 12 (14, 17) sts remain.
- Work remaining stitches for side front in st st, maintaining 4 seed st border along inner edge.
- When work measures 6 (7, 9) inches from sleeve cast off edge, work seed st across row, decreasing 1 (1, 2) stitch(es) by k2tog.
- Work seed st 4 more rows.
- Cast off remaining stitches.
- Join yarn to neck edge for other side front.
- Work back and forth in st st maintaining 4 seed st border at inner edge and 3 seed st border at cuff.
- When second sleeve measures same as first, cast off 24 (28, 32) stitches to end sleeve.
- Work remaining sts as mirror image of other side front.
Front panel with cascading leaves
- Cast on 24.
- Row 1 (RS): K1, p1 across row.
- Row 2: P1, k1 across row.
- Row 3 (buttonhole row): K1, p1, yo, p2tog, k1, p1; repeat k1, p1 across row to last 4 sts. K2tog, yo, k1, p1.
- Row 4: P1, k1 across row.
- Row 5: K1, p1 across row.
- Row 6: P1, k1, p1, k1, p across row to last 4 sts, p1, k1, p1, k1.
- Maintain 4 seed st on each side of panel. Next row begins panel pattern.
- Pattern row 1 (row 7): Seed st border, p1, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p2, yo, k1, ssk, k3, p1, border.
- Pattern row 2 and every even row of panel pattern: Border, k1, p6, k2, p6, k1.
- Pattern row 3: Border, p1, k2, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, p2, k1, yo, k1, ssk, k2, p1.
- Pattern row 5: Border, p1, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, k1, ssk, k1, p1.
- Pattern row 7: Border, p1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, p2, k3, yo, k1, ssk, p1.
- Pattern row 8: Border, k1, p6, k2, p6, k1.
- Repeat these 8 rows. As the panel is knit, make a buttonhole in each side at an interval of 2 (2 1/2, 2 1/4) inches, approximately every 12 (15, 14) rows. The top buttonholes should be 1/2 inch from the top.
- Repeat the 8 pattern rows until panel is 6 (7 1/2, 9) inches from cast on edge.
- End with 5 rows of seed stitch (remember the top two buttonholes) then cast off. Panel measures 7 (8 1/2, 9) inches from cast on edge.
Finishing
- Sew side and under arm seams.
- Align front panel on sweater and mark placement for buttons. Sew buttons.
- Weave in all ends.
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