Astrakhan Sweater

Astrakhan Sweater



KNITTED LACE has never looked so monumental! This dramatic top from the design team at Schachenmayr Select uses a lace and bobble pattern worked in a super-chunky yarn on colossal 25mm needles. The sweater is knitted in three main pieces; the right and left fronts are partly seamed together, and a collar is sewn onto the finished garment. The mohair content of the Alegretto yarn adds a pleasing fluffiness to those huge stitches - neon shades are also available, if you feel this design is not bold enough!

SIZE AND YARN: look after the description

NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES

1 pair 25mm (UK -/US 50) knitting needles

TENSION

6 sts and 5 rows to 10cm over Astrakhan patt on 25mm needles

ASTRAKHAN PATTERN (multiple of 6 + 2 selvedge sts)

Row 1 (WS): P1, * P5tog, (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) all in next st; rep from * to last st, P1.

Row 2: Purl.

Row 3: K1, *(K1,P1,K1,P1,K1) all in next st, P5tog, rep from *; to last st, K1.

Row 4: Purl. Repeat rows 1-4 throughout.

BACK

Cast on 26 (38) sts and work in Astrakhan patt for 10 (12) rows until Back meas approx 20 (24) cm. Cut yarn at end of WS row.

Rejoin yarn, ready to work a RS row as foll: cast on 6 sts for right sleeve, work 26 (38) sts in patt as established, cast on 6 sts for left sleeve. 38 (44) sts.

Cont in patt as established until a total of 20 (24) rows have been worked and Back meas approx 40 (48) cm.

Next WS row: Cast off all sts in purl.

LEFT FRONT

Cast on 14 (20) sts and work in Astrakhan patt as for Back to sleeve cast-on. Cut yarn at end of WS row.

Rejoin yarn, ready to work a RS row as foll: cast on 6 sts for sleeve, work 14 (20) sts in patt as established. 20 (26) sts.

Cont in patt as established until a total of 16 (20) rows have been worked and left front meas approx 32 (40) cm.

SHAPEFRONT NECK

Next WS (dec) row (patt row 1): P1, P5tog, pass first st over P5tog. Repeat decrease row at beg of next 2 WS rows.

Next WS row: Cast off remaining 14 (20) sts in purl.

RIGHT FRONT

Work same as for left front, reversing all shaping. Cast on 6 sts for sleeve at end of RS row.

Work front neck shaping after a total of 15 (19) rows have been worked as foll:

Next RS (dec) row (pat row 4): Cast off 1 st. Repeat decrease row at beg of next 2 RS rows. When same length as left front to shoulder, cast off remaining 14 (20) sts in purl on a WS row.

COLLAR

Worked side to side. Cast on 14 sts and work in Astrakhan patt for 28 rows and collar measuring approx 56cm. Cast off all sts.

FINISHING

Sew shoulder, side and sleeve seams. Sew top 8 (12) cm of fronts together, leaving remaining 24 (28) cm open. Sew cast-on and cast-off edge of collar together, then sew side edge of collar around neck edge.