Monday, May 19, 2008

Long Weekend - Day Three...Oblique Matsuri - new pattern is ready!


I finished the Noro Matsuri Sweater and LOVE the results. It is super soft and cottony, totally different from the soft, but wooly goodness of my favourite Silk Garden. I can wear this in the spring and summer, perfect for cool mornings on the golf course, or after sunset evenings outdoors.Enjoy!









Oblique Matsuri

Yarn: Noro Matsuri, 8 balls (colour 7)- 50 gm balls: 87% cotton, 13% wool, 145m (159yds)
Needles: 4.0mm (US 6) for body, 3.5mm (US 5) for ribbing.
Gauge: 19 sts, 24 rows = 4 inches
Size: Ladies Medium (38 inch chest), hip length



Back: With smaller needle, cast on 85. Work in knit 1, purl 1 ribbing for 3 inches. Increase 10 stitches across last row and switch to larger needles. (95 sts)
Establish diagonal pattern: use 3 balls of Matsuri (make sure each starts with a different colour) Knit 32 from first ball, place marker, knit 31 from second ball, place marker, knit 32 from last ball.
Row 2 and all wrong side rows, purl across, changing to next ball above the change in the row below.
Shift Row (every right side): Knit across to marker, remove marker, knit one more stitch with same yarn, replace marker. Pick up next yarn and knit to next marker, remove and kit one more, replace marker and continue with next ball of yarn. This way of moving the vertical band one stitch to the left is used throughout the body, on the right side only.
ALSO: when your vertical panel on the right becomes 33 sts wide, add a new ball to the beginning of the row by Knitting 3 with a new ball, add a marker, then pick up and proceed with the Shift Row across the other three balls. (you will have 4 balls on the go at a time, with three markers and three shifts on every right side row – the left panel will shrink as the right panel grows, and you will add a new ball to the right as the left ball disappears.)
Continue in this diagonal pattern, until the body measures 16 inches from cast on edge. Cast off 3 stitches at beginning on next 2 rows. Work even until total length is 25 inches. Cast off all stitches.
Front: Work same as back until total length is 22 inches. Work until center 17 sts, attach a new ball and bind off center 17 sts. Complete row (keeping in diagonal pattern). Work both sides, decrease one stitch at each neck edge, every right side, 8 times.
Continue until 25 inches, cast off both shoulders.
Join shoulders.
Sleeves: Pick up from the straight armholes (knitting down from the shoulder). Pick up 84 sts evenly across armhole. (use just one ball of Matsuri) Knit down the sleeve, Decreasing one stitch each side, every 6th row, 14 times, then one stitch every 4th row until 44 sts remain. Work until 15 inches (or desired length of sleeve) and switch to smaller needles. Decrease 3 sts across first row of K1, P1 ribbing. Work rib for 2.5 inches, cast off all sts. Make 2nd sleeve to match.
Finish neck: With small circular needles (or DPNs) Pick up 80 sts around neck edge. Work in rib for 1.5 inches and cast off loosely. Join the upper underarm to the cast off edge of the armhole first, then sew the arm and side seams and sew in all the ends. tada.

5 comments:

Kitten With a Whiplash said...

A beautiful sweater! You're sure to get compliments every time you wear it.

Unknown said...

Lovely Sweater. Do you have directions for a ladies size XL?
thanks, Jeanne

chris said...

You can add 2 sts to the width of front and back for EVERY inch you need over the 38 inch size... it is a block shape, so it is easy to change the size! Hope that helps, Chris

Anonymous said...

I have recently finished this sweater. It is beautiful,and I have received many compliments. No-one believes that I made it myself. I plan to make another, and I am wondering if I can find 4 shades of the same color, although the Noro is beautiful. With my arthritic wrists, I find the weight of the whole sweater as I added the sleeves became quite painful,and I am planning to add the sleeves separately, probably knit from wrists up. Thank you for this patter,
Barbara Davis

Maryhelen said...

Can't wait to start this sweater! So unique. I have to use a substitute yarn since this one is discontinued...an adjustment of gauge by needle size. I need it to be slightly wider anyway.