Around Sochi by Nancy Wilson

Around Sochi

Knitting
February 2014
Worsted (9 wpi) ?
23 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches
in One Color Knitting
US 4 - 3.5 mm
US 6 - 4.0 mm
1600 - 2000 yards (1463 - 1829 m)
Men's Medium (40" Chest)
English
This pattern is available for $3.00 USD buy it now

I am in love with a certain sweater created by a well-known American designer for a particular upcoming sporting event in Russia. Umm, in love until I saw that it was knitted flat, stranded, with lots of seams. As much as I love stranded knitting, I work in the round as much as possible. Let’s put this sweater in the round for the purpose of eliminating seams and making the knitting easier.

ABOUT THIS PATTERN: This pattern is written in one size only, Men’s Medium (40” chest finished measurement). You may be able to achieve a different size by 1) changing the gauge somewhat, 2) increasing or decreasing stitches on the body and sleeve, or 3) adding or deleting pattern repeat(s) on the yoke. Know your gauge to avoid disappointment! This 8 page pattern includes written directions, color charts for all colorwork, and schematic showing all measurements.

TECHNIQUES:
This pattern is written for the knitter who is comfortable with concepts and techniques listed below, and is not a tutorial for these concepts and techniques.
• How to achieve proper gauge (know your stitch and row gauge because you may be called upon to calculate when to start the design in the yoke).
• Knitting in the round
• Stranded knitting
• Duplicate stitching: the motifs on the front, the moose, tree, and snowflakes, are surrounded by a field of white. In order to prevent “ghosting” (stranded color shows through) and really long floats on the back, the motifs are duplicate stitched after all knitting is done. There is a lot of duplicate stitching in this design so please be very comfortable with this technique.
• Chart-reading including being able to spot when a pattern repeats
• Circular yoke sweater construction (the only seams are tiny ones under each arm)
• Short rows— rows on back neck to distinguish from the front and improve fit; “wrap and turn” is used.

MATERIALS: These three colors are beautiful together!
• 5 Skeins: Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Worsted in White (more of a cream color)
• 2 Skeins: Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Worsted in Navy (a deep, deep navy)
• 1 Skein: Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Worsted in Garnet (a cherry red with a touch of navy spun in)
About Shepherd’s Worsted: 100% merino, 250 yards per 113 gram skein, more of a “light worsted” or DK at my knitting gauge
• U.S. size 4 needles (29” circular for lower ribbing, 16” circular for neck ribbing, DPNs for sleeve cuffs)
• U.S. size 6 needles (29” circular for body of sweater, DPNS or shorter circular needles for sleeves above the cuff and smallest part of the circular yoke).
• Stitch markers
• Tapestry needle
• Highlighter (for keeping track while completing moose-tree-snowflake motifs in duplicate stitch)
• Pattern is written for men’s size medium only.

GAUGE:
One color knitting: 23 stitches and 32 rows = 4” Stranded knitting: 23 stitches and 28 rows = 4”
PLEASE KNOW the gauge at which you knit (both one color and stranded) the yarn you’re using. For me, this yarn knits at a much smaller gauge than regular worsted, and I knew that before knitting this sweater!