My First Knit Sweater Knit-along Weeks 4 and 5 is the start of the annual knit together hosted and designed by Marly Bird, sponsored by Red Heart Yarns. Join the fun at any time. Click here to find out all the details and the instructions for weeks 1-6.
The Last couple weeks you have been working on the body of the sweater. By now, you should have the back and the front complete.
With the body complete it is time to knit up the sleeves of the sweater. Over the next two weeks your homework is to make both of these pieces!
Is Row Gauge Important?
The long and the short of it, the answer is yes, row gauge is important. Especially if you are making something that requires shaping at regular intervals along the rows. Having said that, I don’t think those of you who didn’t get the row gauge for this sweater need to worry about the sleeve shaping.
As you follow the instructions for the shaping you should be okay as long as the total length of your sleeve does not exceed the given measurement for your size.
My First Knit Sweater Pattern Details
Just to make sure we are all on the same page, here are all the pattern details in one place. I know that is important since many of you print off this page.
MEASUREMENTS
To Fit Size: Small, (Medium, Large, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X)
Finished Size: Bust: 39 (44, 49, 54, 59, 64, 69)” / 99 (112, 124.5, 137, 150, 162.5, 175.5) cm
Length: 24.75 (25.5, 26.25, 27, 27.75, 28.5, 29.25)” / 63 (64.5, 66.5, 68.5, 70.5, 72.5, 74.5) cm
YARN
RED HEART® Hygge Charm™: Art E882 available in 7 oz (198 g), 432 yd (395 m) balls 2 (2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) balls 6724 Meteor
GAUGE
16 sts = 4” (10 cm); 22 rows = 4” (10 cm) in St st. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge
NOTIONS
removable stitch markers, tapestry needle
SPECIAL STITCHES/TECHNIQUES
Long Tail Cast-on: https://youtu.be/vEGwt4cedLM
M1: (make 1) Insert left hand needle under horizontal strand between st just worked and next st, from the front to the back, knit through the back loop (1 st increased). https://youtu.be/nT1e-WgynUc
Mattress Stitch: With RS of both pieces facing you, pass yarn needle from bottom to top under horizontal strand between first and second sts, pull yarn through. Insert needle into corresponding horizontal strand on the other pc. Cont these steps alternating from one pc to the other.
PATTERN (Continued)
SLEEVES (Make 2)
Cuff
CO 33 (33, 38, 38, 43, 43, 43) sts using long tail cast on.
Row 1 (WS): P3, *k2, p3; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (RS): K3, *p2, k3; rep from * to end.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 3” ending after a row 1.
Main Sleeve
Work in Stockinette stitch for 4 rows.
Increase Row (RS): K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, k1 — 2 sts inc’d, 35 (35, 40, 40, 45, 45, 45) sts. Work 3 (3, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1) row(s) even (without any increases and still in Stockinette Stitch). Repeat these 4 (4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2) rows, 2 (9, 8, 1, 4, 10, 18) more time(s).
Repeat Increase row. Work 5 (5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 3) rows even (without any increases and still in Stockinette Stitch). Repeat these 6 (6, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4) rows, 7 (3, 4, 14, 12, 9, 4) more times — 55 (61, 66, 72, 79, 85, 91) sts.
Work even in Stockinette Stitch until piece measures 13 (13.75, 14, 13.75, 13, 13.25, 12.5)” / 33 (35, 35.5, 35, 33, 33.5, 31.75) cm after Ribbing/16 (16.75, 17, 16.75, 16, 16.25, 15.5)” / 40.5 (42.5, 43, 42.5, 40.5, 41.5, 39.5) cm total.
Bind off all sts.
Row-by-Row Sleeve Instructions
Above, the pattern is written out the way you would typically find it in a pattern pdf. It is straight forward with no nonsense. But part of the beauty of working on this sweater as a knit-along is that you get ME! 🙂
I’ve written out the instructions for the sleeves row-by-row through the shaping part. Each size has its individual instructions on a spreadsheet pdf so you can tick off each row as you work it. Genius right?
CLICK THIS LINK TO GET THE SPREADSHEET PDF, (yes, there are a lot of pages but hey, I did a lot of work for you 🙂 ) On the spreadsheet you will see the beginning includes instructions for all sizes, then it is divided up by the sizes. Find the size you are making, then follow along with the row-by-row instructions for the shaping.
Because I know some of you are going to ask me…No, you don’t have to use the row-by-row instructions but I know many of you who will find this easier than just following the written instructions.
Again, here is the link.
https://bit.ly/MarlySweater_KAL_Sleeves_pdf
Video for Week 4
Follow along as you sit in on your fourth weeks lesson for the My First Knit Sweater Knit-along with Marly Bird. Remember, these KAL’s are like taking a class with Marly!
Remember…next week there is a YouTube Live Q&A with me about the sweater. You don’t want to miss it. Be sure you are subscribed to the YouTube channel so you can catch the show live or on rerun 🙂 https://bit.ly/SubscribeMarlyBird
????Be sure to watch until the end!????
GIVEAWAYS
Post your progress pictures each week in the Marly Bird KAL Facebook group to be entered for a chance to win a Red Heart prize pack! We’ll choose one winner each week for the prize pack. One week after the final video is posted we’ll ask you to share a photo of your finished sweater, and we’ll choose 3 winners to each win a $50 prize pack from everyone who finished.
To enter: Post your picture of your in-progress sweater in the Facebook group before Tuesday at 11:59pm Mountain Time (Marly’s time zone) to be entered. Winners will be announced on Thursdays.
Week 1: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 9; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 11
Week 2: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 16; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 18
Week 3: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 23; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 25
Week 4: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 30; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, May 2
Week 5: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, May 7; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, May 9
Week 6: Post a photo of your completed sweater by Tuesday, May 14; 3 winners of $50 prize packs announced Thursday, May 16
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