Sweater of Sleeves

Air conditioning requires that I have sleeves. Just sleeves. My arms get cold and I'm cold all over.

So I decided to make something to take care of that.

Actually, I made something a few years ago. But it recently developed a rip and I didn't have the original yarn, so the repair to my gray sleeves is blue.  That's fine around the house, but at church (where the temperature is almost always hovering around 68 degrees) I needed something that wasn't quite so ratty looking. The original was worked in a basic basketweave pattern, but in the years since, I've found a different basketweave pattern that has a more pronounced 3-D effect.

You can get the pattern by clicking here.

If the link should not work for some reason, it's also written out below:

Sweater of Sleeves

Worked in basketweave. 

Finished length is 45 inches. 

Finished height of the flat section is 10.5 inches. 

(I am short and this is below my elbows, but not long sleeved. If you have long arms, add length to the sleeves (in-the-round section) or if you have wide shoulders, add length to the worked-flat section. 

If you prefer not to have a ribbed cuff, cast on 60 and begin the basketweave stitch right off the bat. 

2.3 balls of Lion Brand MicroSpun French vanilla

Size 10.5 (6.5mm) needles (circular or dpn)

Gauge:  10st, 9 rows = 2 in. in basketweave pattern

K=knit

P=purl

KFSB increase=knit into the front of the stitch,don't slip it off yet.  Instead of knitting into the back for the increased stitch, when you put the needle into the back of the stitch, just slip it off without knitting it. See video here. 

PFSB=purl in the front of the stitch, don't slip it off. Instead of purling into the back for the increased stitch, when you put the needle into the back of the stitch, just slip it off without purling it. (Sorry, I couldn't find a video link for the purl version)

K2tog decrease= knit 2 stitches together

Note: Even though the sleeve and flat sections are laid out in repeats of 12 rows, they don't all have to start out with a row 1. Just make sure that wherever you choose to start to start working the flat section, you finish an odd numbered (right side) row. Then find the next numbered even row in the flat section. Start working that row number in the flat section of the pattern. Pay attention to whether or not you are on a right side (odd numbered) or wrong side (even numbered) row.

If it’s easier for you to keep to the absoluteness of the 12 row repeats of sleeve and flat section, adjust on the length inches. 

The flat section has a 3 stitch garter-stitch edge to keep that section from curling. Every row, right and wrong side of the flat section, will begin with K3. 

Cast on 40 st (multiples of 4). Place marker and join in the round. If you like to K2tog when joining in the round, be sure to add 1 more to your cast on. See here for how to. 

CUFF

K2, P2, around each row until cuff measures 2½ to 3 inches. End at the stitch marker.

Count the rows completed so that you can make the other cuff the same number. (I have 14 rows and 2.75 inches) Note: this is an excellent place to put in a lifeline! 

Now we’ll increase in the middle of each K2 and each P2 to make the sleeves a bit wider and to get to a multiple of 6 for the basketweave formula.

Increase row: *KFSB, K1, PFSB, P1* Repeat until you reach the stitch marker at the end of the round [60 stitches]

SLEEVE SECTION

Knitting Rows (in the round)
Row 1 : Knit
Row 2 : Knit

Row 3-6: * K1, P4, K1 *
Row 7-8: Knit

Row 9-12: * P2, K2, P2 *

Repeats rows 1-12 until work is 11 inches long.

Now you will switch to working flat for the next 25 inches. To keep the basketweave pattern going, you will have to adjust the above for working on right side rows and wrong side rows. Make sure that if you are switching from in-the-round to flat knitting somewhere other than Row 1 that you have finished an odd numbered (right side) row when you turn.

FLAT SECTION

Knitting Rows (flat)
Row 1 (Right Side): Knit all. Turn
Row 2 (Wrong Side): K3, Purl to last 3, K3. Turn. 

Row 3: K3, P2, K1, * K1, P4, K1 * to last 6, K1, P2, K3. Turn. 

Row 4: K3, K2,P1,* P1, K4, P1 * to last 6, P1, K2, K3. Turn. 

Row 5: K3, P2, K1, * K1, P4, K1 * to last 6, K1, P2, K3. Turn. 

Row 6: K3, K2,P1,* P1, K4, P1 * to last 6, P1, K2, K3. Turn. 

Row 7: Knit
Row 8: K3, Purl to last 3, K3. Turn. 

Row 9: K3, K1, P2, * P2, K2, P2 * to last 6, P2, K1, K3. Turn. 

Row 10: K3, P1, K2, * K2, P2, K2 * to last 6, K2, P1, K3. Turn.
Row 11: K3, K1, P2, * P2, K2, P2 * to last 6, P2, K1, K3. Turn. 

Row 12:  K3, P1, K2, * K2, P2, K2 * to last 6, K2, P1, K3. Turn. 

Repeat rows 1-12 until the entire piece is 36 inches long (11” of in the round plus 25” worked flat.

You've now done one arm and the shoulders/back. It's time to rejoin in the round for the other sleeve. Place a marker so you'll know the beginning of your rounds.  Go back to the original pattern for working rows 1-12

SLEEVE SECTION

Knitting Rows (in the round)
Row 1 : Knit
Row 2 : Knit

Row 3-6: * K1, P4, K1 * (do this for 4 rows)

Row 7-8: Knit

Row 9-12: * P2, K2, P2 * (do this for 4 rows)

Keep repeating these rows 1-12 until this sleeve section is as long as the first sleeve section of basketweave (about 8.25 inches of this 2nd in-the-round basketweave section.) Remember we still need to add the final ribbed cuff. End with a repeat of row 1 & 2 (the knit every stitch rows).

Now we need to decrease to 40 stitches to make the 2 x 2 ribbed cuff.

Decrease row: k2tog, k1, repeat around. This takes every 3 stitches and reduces it to 2. There should now be 40 stitches on your needles. 

CUFF

K2, P2, around each row until cuff measures the same length as the first one.

Bind off in pattern with larger needles or use a stretchy bind off. 

Finished 6/30/2019