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The idea for Ghali Sweater was to create a colourwork project that would go on forever. I find the stranded process very rewarding, almost like painting with yarn, and this sweater turned out pretty much as I imagined. It has a festive quality, not just because the original yarn includes sparkly stelina, but also because of the intricate colourwork motif that extends well past the sleeve separation with a 130-row chart and an option to turn it into an all-over colourwork sweater, too.

This sweater features a top-down, seamless raglan construction. It’s designed for comfort, with plenty of positive ease and no shaping, making it a relaxed and easy-to-wear piece. The neckband is added last, offering the option to modify it to your style and even turn into a cosy turtleneck. The design begins with the contrast colour at the top and gradually transitions to the main colour and if you’d love to knit it, make sure you pick a yarn combo with high contrast between them!

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Translations provided by knitlingo.com

Difficulty: Intermediate.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Finished chest circumference:

• 103 (114, 123, 134, 143, 154, 163, 174, 183) cm
• 41¼ (45½, 49¼, 53½, 57¼, 61½, 65¼, 69½, 73¼)”

Designed to be worn with 25-30 cm / 10-12” positive ease around the chest.

Yarn: Sport weight, depending on the length of the sweater, allow approximately:

Main colour (MC):

• 945 (1015, 1090, 1170, 1230, 1315, 1395, 1520, 1630) m
• 1030 (1110, 1190, 1275, 1345, 1440, 1530, 1660, 1785) yds

Contrast colour (CC):

• 675 (715, 755, 815, 840, 915, 940, 975, 1015) m
• 740 (780, 825, 890, 920, 1000, 1025, 1065, 1110) yds

NOTE: The sweater starts with CC, and the chart motif is worked with MC. This naming might seem counterintuitive but is “swapped” because, as the design progresses, the sweater gradually uses more and finishes off in the darker yarn which is why it’s referred to as the MC.

Yarn used in the sample (size 2) is Artfil Glitter (75% Merino/Rambouillet, 25% Stellina; 283 m 310 yds / 100 g): 4 skeins of colourway Slate as the Main colour (MC) and 3 skeins of colourway Rhubarb as the Contrast colour (CC).

Gauge: 26 sts & 32 rows = 10 cm / 4” in stranded colourwork in the round, on larger needles, blocked.

Suggested needles:

• 3.25 mm (US 3) or needle size required to obtain gauge. These should be circulars 60-100 cm / 24-40” long.
• 2.75 mm (US 2) or size smaller than gauge needles for the neckband. These should be circulars 40-60 cm / 16-24” long.

Notions: Stitch markers, locking markers, row counter, tape measure, stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle.

Techniques used: Lifted increases, stranded colourwork, Backwards loop cast-on, knitting in the round, 3-needle bind-off.

Construction notes: The sweater is knit seamlessly from the top down. Stitches for the neckline are cast on and divided among the fronts, sleeves, and back. The piece is worked flat, increasing along four raglan lines and shaping the neckline using increases. Eventually, all sections are joined in the round with additional cast-on stitches to complete the front neckline.

The rest of the yoke is worked in the round down to the underarms with continued raglan shaping. The body and sleeves are then separated. The body is knit in the round straight down to the hem and finished with a 2x2 rib. The sleeves are worked in the round with decreases down to the cuffs, also ending in a 2x2 rib.

Finally, stitches are picked up from the neckline cast-on edge and worked in the round in 2x2 rib to create a folded neckband.