I’m thrilled to be testing another pattern for the talented Dani Sunshine (LOVE her name!). This one is classic, simple and easy. Stripes do all the talking here.

This yarn isn’t even close to being DK. I would put it in the sport category or even a heavier fingering weight. The gauge on the label is actually fingering weight gauge and even smaller than stated in this pattern. This is something of a mystery to me. The label gauge states 22 sts x 28 rows using a 4mm needle (size 5.5 US). This doesn’t seem possible to me because I can only come close to this with size 2.5 US needles.

I love the appearance of this yarn with its many interesting speckles of color. However, there’s something strange about it. It has a very high twist which gets even more twisted as I knit. I’m having to untwist my working yarn a lot. And it makes no difference whether I knit from the center pull of the ball or the outside end of the yarn. I found an easy way to untwist it, but having to do this twice per round is quite time consuming. The yarn is plied with at least 7 tiny strands - all twisting in the same direction. In spite of the irritating twisting characteristic, I’m giving this yarn 5 stars because 1) I didn’t find a single join in any of the 13 balls I purchased and 2) I didn’t even have to block it. The pictures show how it looks right off the needles and 3) it’s machine washable.

In this design, the 2 colors are carried along on the wrong side at the BOR every 2 rounds. So I had very few loose ends to weave in.

I use this jogless stripe technique which is easy and greatly helps with a smooth transition between stripe colors.

What I did differently:

My stripes are 9 rows wide due to my yarn being a heavier fingering weight.

I did the optional waste shaping, starting 1 inch below the underarm. However, when I got to the waist (or a little below), I did not go out again. Instead I immediately switched to the very stretchy twisted ribbing using 1 size smaller needles. (Be sure to do the 1 round of stockinette stitch first in ribbing color as recommended in the pattern.) But as I did the ribbing, I slowly increased the size of the needles until I was using the same size needle (2 US) near the bottom as I did for the body of the pullover.

Size 1 US needles - 1.75”
Size 1.5 US needles - 1.75”
Size 2.5 US needles - 1.5”
Total length of bottom ribbing - 5”

I used a size 3 US needle only for the bind-off in pattern.

Sleeves:

I had enough yarn to knit long sleeves. However, when I had completed an equal number of stripes as the body, I tried on the pullover. It wanted 3/4 length sleeves. I did the decreases exactly per the pattern instructions, ending with 62 sts (final decrease round) which occurred on the stockinette round (dark color) in preparation for the twisted ribbing.

Size 2 US needles - 1.5”
Size 1.5 US needles - 3”
Size 1 US needles - .5”
Total length of sleeve ribbing - 5”

I used a size 2 US needle only for the bind-off in pattern.

Many thanks to Dani for letting me test this cute design!

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