Good old friend

good old friend

by Veera Välimäki

Simple things are often the best! This sweater is a wardrobe staple in every man’s closet, with simple stitches, easy-going fit and lovely relaxed saddle-shoulder yoke. The sweater is worked from top down in one piece in a durable BFL DK that will keep the sweater in use for years to come.

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finished size

materials

Yarn: 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 8) skeins of BFL DK by Rät & Avig (100% superwash BFL wool; 246 yards [225 meters] per skein). Approx. 1105 (1230, 1345, 1465, 1640, 1815) yards [1010 (1125, 1230, 1340, 1500, 1660) meters] of DK weight yarn. Sample is knit in size medium.

Needles: US 7 [4.5 mm] and US 6 [4 mm] circular needle, 32” [80 cm] long, and dpns. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Other: Tapestry needle, stitch markers and blocking aids.

sizing

S (M, L, Xl, Xxl, Xxxl)

Finished chest circumference: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56)” [90 (100, 110, 120, 130, 140 cm]. Choose a size with a small amount of positive ease.

gauge

20 sts and 34 rows = 4” [10 cm] in Stockinette stitch using larger needle.

Pattern Copyright © Veera Välimäki The pattern is for unlimited personal use. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern, or sell items that are knitted from this pattern.

For any questions, please contact veera.100rain@gmail.com. rainknitwear.com

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collar Using smaller circular needle, CO 112 (112, 112, 112, 116, 116) sts.

Place marker for beginning of round and join carefully not twisting your stitches. Knit the first round. Work 1” [2.5 cm] in twisted ribbing (*k1 tbl, p1; repeat from * to end).

yoke Change to larger circular needle and begin yoke shaping in St st and rev St st. Begin saddle shoulder shaping.

Note: the back and sleeve parts of the sweater will be worked in St st, the front in rev St st. You will first work short rows around the right shoulder, then around left shoulder and last from front to front, before continuing in the round again.

Setup row (RS): Sm, k 18, m1R, pm, k 20 (20, 20, 20, 22, 22), pm, m1L (purl), p1, turn work.

Row 1 (WS): Yo, k to m, m1L, sm, purl to m, sm, m1R (purl), p1, turn

work.

Row 2 (RS): Yo, k to m, m1R, sm, k to m, sm, m1L (purl), p to previous yarnover, p2tog the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Row 3 (WS): Yo, k to m, m1L, sm, purl to m, sm, m1R (purl), purl to previous yarnover, ssp the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Row 4 (RS): Yo, k to m, m1R, sm, k to m, sm, m1L (purl), p to previous yarnover, p2tog the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Work to left shoulder on next row – Row 5 (WS): Yo, k to m, m1R, sm, purl to m, sm, m1L (purl), p to previous yarnover, p2tog the yarnover with the next st, p to m, sm, p 18, m1R (purl), pm, p 20 (20, 20, 20, 22, 22), pm, m1L, k1, turn work.

Row 6 (RS): Yo, purl to m, m1R (purl), sm, knit to m, sm, m1L, k1, turn work.

Row 7 (WS): Yo, p to m, m1L (purl), sm, purl to m, sm, m1R, knit to previous yarnover, ssk the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Pattern Copyright © Veera Välimäki The pattern is for unlimited personal use. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern, or sell items that are knitted from this pattern.

For any questions, please contact veera.100rain@gmail.com. rainknitwear.com

4 Row 8 (RS): Yo, purl to m, m1R (purl), sm, k to m, sm, m1L, knit to previous yarnover, k2tog the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Row 9 (WS): Yo, p to m, m1L (purl), sm, purl to m, sm, m1R, knit to previous yarnover, ssk the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Now work from front to front – Row 10 (RS): Yo, purl to m, m1R (purl), sm, knit to m, sm, m1L, knit to previous yarnover, k2tog the yarnover with the next st, knit to m, sm, k to m, m1L, sm, knit to m, sm, m1R (purl), purl to previous yarnover, p2tog the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Row 11 (WS): Yo, knit to m, m1L, sm, purl to m, sm, m1R (purl), purl to m, sm, purl to m, m1L (purl), sm, purl to m, sm, m1R, knit to previous yarnover, ssk the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Row 12 (RS): Yo, purl to m, m1R (purl), sm, knit to m, sm, m1L, knit to m, sm, knit to m, m1L, sm, knit to m, sm, m1R (purl), purl to previous yarnover, p2tog the yarnover with the next st, turn work.

Continue working in the round as follows: Round 1 (pick up the last yarnovers): Sm, knit to m, m1R, sm, k to m, sm, m1L (purl), p to previous yarnover, p2tog the yarnover with the next st, purl until 1 st before next marker remains, ssp the yarnover with the previous st, p to m, m1R (purl), sm, k to m, sm, m1L, knit to m.

Round 2 (RS, shoulder increases): Sm, knit to m, m1R, sm, k to m, sm, m1L (purl), p to m, m1R (purl), sm, k to m, sm, m1L, knit to m.

Work round 2 – 2 (4, 4, 5, 7, 8) more times [176 (184, 192, 204, 224, 228) sts on needle].

Work rows 11 and 12 – 1 (1, 2, 3, 4, 4) time(s) more, and after that repeat row 11 (WS) once. Work to end on last short row (RS): Yo, purl to m, m1L (purl), sm, knit to m, sm, m1R, knit to m. [12 (12, 14, 16, 18, 18) increases worked for the shoulders: 160 (160, 168, 176, 188, 188) sts on needle].

Pattern Copyright © Veera Välimäki The pattern is for unlimited personal use. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern, or sell items that are knitted from this pattern.

For any questions, please contact veera.100rain@gmail.com. rainknitwear.com

5 Begin with both sleeve and body increases as follows – Round 3 (no increases): Sm, knit to m, sm, k to m, sm, p to m, sm, k to m, sm, knit to m.

Round 4 (sleeve increases only): Sm, knit to m, sm, m1L, k to m, m1R, sm, p to m, sm, m1L, k to m, m1R, sm, knit to m.

Round 5 (no increases): Sm, knit to m, sm, k to m, sm, p to m, sm, k to m, sm, knit to m.

Round 6 (sleeve and body increases): Sm, knit until 1 st before marker remains, m1R, k1, sm, m1L, k to m, m1R, sm, p1, m1L (purl), purl until 1 st before marker remains, m1R (purl), p1, sm, m1L, k to m, m1R, sm, k1, m1L, knit to m.

Repeat rounds 3-6 – 6 (7, 8, 9, 9, 11) more times [260 (280, 300, 324, 344, 372) sts on needle].

Divide for body and sleeves Next round (RS): Sm, knit to m, CO 10 (12, 14, 16, 20, 24) stitches using backwards-loop cast-on method, remove marker, place all stitches before next marker on holder for sleeve, slip marker, purl to m, slip marker, CO 10 (12, 14, 16, 20, 24) stitches using backwards-loop cast-on method, place all stitches before next marker on holder for second sleeve, remove marker, knit to end.

sleeves Place the held stitches on larger dpns. Join yarn to middle of caston stitches of underarm and pick up and knit 5 (6, 7, 8, 10, 12) sts to stitches on dpns, knit the sts on dpns, and pick up and knit 5 (6, 7, 8, 10, 12) sts to beginning of round [60 (64, 70, 76, 82, 94) sts on needle].

Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round and join. Work in St st until sleeve measures 4” [10 cm] from underarm begin sleeve decreases.

Decrease round (RS): Sm, k3, ssk, knit until 5 sts remain, k2tog, k to end.

Repeat the decrease row every 4” [10 cm] three more times [52 (56, 62, 68, 74, 86) sts remain]. Continue in St st until sleeve measures 18” [45 cm] from underarm. Change to smaller dpns and work 3” [8 cm] in twisted ribbing (*k1 tbl, p1; repeat from * to end).

Knit one round and BO all sts on next round.

finishing Weave in all yarn ends. Block the sweater using your preferred method.

body Continue in St st and rev St st and working in the round as established: Sm, knit to m, sm, purl to m, sm, knit to end. When the body measures 15 (16, 16, 17, 17, 17)” [38 (40, 40, 43, 43, 43) cm] from underarm, change to smaller circular needle. Work 2” [5 cm] in twisted ribbing (*k1 tbl, p1; repeat from * to end). Knit one round and BO all sts on next round.

Pattern Copyright © Veera Välimäki The pattern is for unlimited personal use. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern, or sell items that are knitted from this pattern.

For any questions, please contact veera.100rain@gmail.com. rainknitwear.com

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glossary abbreviations CO: cast on

BO: bind off st(s): stitch(es) RS: right side WS: wrong side k: knit p: purl St st: Stockinette stitch - knit on RS, purl on WS. rev St st: reverse Stockinette stitch - purl on RS, knit on WS. pm: place marker sm: slip marker p2tog: purl 2 sts together; decrease. ssp: slip, slip, purl slipped sts tbl; decrease. m1R: increase, make one right; lift loop between stitches from the back, knit into the front of loop. m1L: increase, make one left; lift loop between stitches from the front, knit into the back of loop. m1R (purl): increase, make one right; lift loop between stitches from the back, purl into the front of loop. m1L (purl): increase, make one left; lift loop between stitches from the front, purl into the back of loop.

Pattern Copyright © Veera Välimäki The pattern is for unlimited personal use. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern, or sell items that are knitted from this pattern.

For any questions, please contact veera.100rain@gmail.com. rainknitwear.com