Time-Consuming:
It's always nice to have a little sweater jacket I can throw on if I get a little chilly. And I thought it was time I had another, lacier alternative. Lace is an easy way to dress up any boring outfit, is it not?
Now, one of the reasons why I rate this pattern as being very difficult is that the stitch pattern I use changes the number of stitches on the needle, depending on which row of the stitch pattern you are on. Rows 2, 4, 8 and 10 of the stitch pattern leave more stitches on the needle,
which are
reduced again to the proper number through the skpssos and k2togs of the following front-side rows. So, this has to be taken into account when making decreases and increases on certain rows. I can't tell you how many times I had to go back and re-count the stitches on a given row, unravel, and re-do certain parts simply because I did not pay attention to my own advice! Sigh.
For this pattern, I used a #3/lightly worsted wool, 5.5mm needles, 4.5mm needles, 4.5mm circular needles (with a loooong cord, as you will be working a lot of stitches at a time), 20 stitch markers and, of course, a tapestry needle. This pattern also mainly uses my Lace #11 stitch pattern, to which I will be referring. This whole pattern is done in 4 pieces: the main body (front and back all done as one piece), the 2 sleeves, and the lace edging (worked with circular needles) to be attached all along the bottom, jacket flaps and neck of the body.
Abbreviations Used in Pattern:
Sts = stitches.
SM = stitch marker.
PM = place (stitch) marker.
K = knit (k4 = knit 4 stitches).
PM = place (stitch) marker.
K = knit (k4 = knit 4 stitches).
P = purl (p4 = purl 4 stitches).
P2tog = purl 2 stitches together.
P2togtbl = purl 2 stitches together through the back of the loop.
P2togtbl = purl 2 stitches together through the back of the loop.
YO = Yarn over: bring yarn around needle so that it will be knit/purled as a new stitch on the next row.
K2tog = knit 2 stitches together. psso = pass slipped stitch over (take the previously slipped stitch off the right needle and pull it over the stitch made after it was passed.).
skpsso = slip one stitch, knit one stitch, then pass slip stitch over (with the left-hand needle, take the previously slipped stitch off the right needle and pull it over the stitch knit after it was passed).
BO = bind off.
Getting Started (Body):
With 5.5mm needles, cast on 82 sts.
Row 1: purl.
Row 2: k1, begin working the first row of the Lace #11 stitch pattern, and repeat the stitch pattern to just before the last stitch. Knit 1.
Row 3: p1, work the second row of the Lace #11 stitch pattern, repeat to just before the last stitch, and purl the last stitch.
Rows 4 and 6: k1, work stitch pattern and repeat to just before last stitch. Knit last stitch.
Rows 5 and 7: p1, work stitch pattern and repeat to just before last stitch. Purl last stitch.
Row 8: k3, work the 7th row of the lace stitch pattern, repeat to just before the last 3 sts, and k3.
Row 9: p3, work the 8th row of the lace stitch pattern, repeat to just before the last 3 sts, and p3.
Rows 10 and 12: k3, continue to work next row of stitch pattern, repeat to just before last 3 sts, and k3.
Rows 11 and 13: p3, continue to work next row of stitch pattern, repeat to just before last 3 sts, and p3.
Continue to work 5 more rows with the lace stitch pattern (same as rows 2-6).
Next row (front-side): Begin making decreases at each end of the row. Make these decreases every 8 rows 5 more times.
**NOTE: most of these decreases will be done as k2tog (beginning of row) and skpsso (end of row).
**NOTE ALSO: after working rows 2, 4, 8 and 10 of the Lace #11 stitch pattern, there are MORE stitches in the row. In some decrease rows, for example, you may need to knit 3 together instead of just 2 to compensate for this, since decreases will eventually cut into part of the lace stitch pattern.
Next, work 9 more rows without any decreases.
Next row: Start making increases at each end of the row. Make these increases every 10 rows 2 more times.
Next, work 8 more rows without increase.
Next row (purl-side): work row, but just purl the last 10 sts.
Shaping Armholes...
Next row (front-side): knit and BO the first 7 sts, work the rest of the row.
Next row: purl and BO the first 7 sts, work the rest of the row.
Next, work and BO the first 2 sts from the beginning of the next 2 rows.
Work 25 more rows.
Next row (purl-side): purl 7, work rest of row with lace stitch pattern.
Shaping Shoulders and Neck...
Next row (front-side): k3, work stitch pattern to just before last 7 sts, k3, place stitch marker, turn work (ignoring remaining sts).
Next row (purl-side): p3, work stitch pattern to just before last 7 sts, p3, place marker, turn work.
Next row: k3, work stitch pattern to 3 before sm, pm, turn work.
Next row: purl to 3 before sm, pm, turn work.
Next row: k2, work stitch pattern to 6 before sm, k3, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: p4, work stitch pattern to 6 before sm, p3, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: k4, work stitch pattern to 4 before sm, k1, pm, turn work.
Next row: purl 5, work stitch pattern to 4 before sm, p1, pm, turn work.
Next row: k1, work stitch pattern to 5 before sm, k2, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: purl to 3 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: k5, work stitch pattern to 5 before sm, k2, pm, turn work.
Next row: p2, work stitch pattern to 5 before sm, p2, pm, turn work.
Next row: k2, work stitch pattern to 2 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: p5, work stitch pattern to 2 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: k1, work stitch pattern to 5 before sm, k3, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: purl to 2 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: k2, work stitch pattern to 2 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: p1, work stitch pattern to 2 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: k1, work stitch pattern to 1 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Next row: p1, work stitch pattern to 1 before sm, make 1 stitch, pm, turn work.
Repeat these last 2 rows one more time.
Next row (front-side): knit and BO sts to stitch marker. The remaining sts on this row will now be work into the Front Left Section of the jacket (the first, already-worked 27 sts of the row will later be worked as the Right Front Section, but for now will be ignored until later). So, knit the remaining sts.
Next row (purl-side): purl.
Next row: k1, start first row of lace stitch pattern, repeat until just before last 2 sts, and knit last 2 sts.
Next row: p2, work next row of stitch pattern, repeat to just before last stitch, p1.
Continue to work the stitch pattern through 31 more rows.
Next row (purl-side): case on and purl 2 sts. Work the rest of the row.
Work front-side row.
Next row (purl-side): case on and purl 7 sts, work rest of row.
Work 10 more rows.
Next row (front-side): make a decrease at the end of the row. Make this decrease every 10 rows 2 more times.
After the last decrease, work 9 more rows.
Next row (front-side): make an increase at the end of the row. Do this every 8 rows 5 more times. **At the same time, 4 rows before the last increase is made, start making decreases at the beginning of front-side row Make this decrease every 4 rows 3 more times, then every 2 rows 2 more times, then every row 4 more times.
Next row (purl-side): purl to just before last 5 stitches, (p2tog)x2, p1.
Next row: k1, (k2tog)x2, knit. BO the row.
Front Right Section:
Now the sts previously held aside will be worked. Slip the sts onto the other needle, if needed, so that the next row worked with these stitches will be a front-side row.
First row: knit.
Next row: purl.
Next row (front-side): k1, start first row of lace stitch pattern again, repeat until just before last 2 sts, k2.
Work 33 more rows.
Next row (front-side): cast on and knit 2 sts, work the rest of the row.
Work a purl-side row.
Next row (front-side): cast on and work 7 sts, work the rest of the row.
Work 9 more rows.
Next row (front-side): Make a decrease at the beginning of the row. Continue to make this decrease every 10 rows 2 more times.
Work 9 more rows.
Next row (front-side): Make an increase at the beginning of the row. Continue to make this increase every 8 rows 5 more times. **At the same time, 4 rows before the last increase is made, make a decrease at the end of the row. Continue to make this decrease every 4 rows 3 more times, then every 2 rows 2 more times, then every row 4 more times.
Next row (purl-side): p1, (p2togtbl)x2, purl.
Last row: knit to last 5 sts, (skpsso)x2, k1. BO the row.
Sew up the side egdes.
Sleeves:
With 4.5mm needles, cast on 72 sts.
Row 1: purl.
Row 2: k1, *yo, k2, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, repeat from * to just before last stitch, k1.
Row 3: p1, *p1, yo, p1, slip 1, k2tog, psso, p1, yo, p1, repeat from * to just before last stitch, p1.
Row 4: k1, *k2, yo, slip 1, k2tog, psso, yo k2, repeat from * to just before last stitch, k1.
Switch to 5.5mm needles.
Row 5: (p2, p2togtbl)x9, (p2tog, p2)x9
Row 6: (k2, k2tog)x7, k2, (skpsso, k2)x6
Row 7: (p2, p2togtbl)x5, p1, (p2tog, p2)x5
Row 8: k1, start first row of lace stitch pattern again and repeat to just before last 2 sts, k2.
Still continuing the lace stitch pattern, work 29 more rows.
Next row (front-side): make an increase at each end of the row. Continue to make these increases every 8 rows 9 more times.
Work 7 more rows (**for 7th row, just purl the last 7 sts).
Next row (front-side): knit and BO the first 7 sts, work the rest of the row.
Next row: purl and BO the first 7 sts, work the rest of the row.
Next row: knit and BO the first 2 sts, work the rest of the row.
Next row: purl and BO the first 2 sts, work the rest of the row.
Work 2 more rows.
Next row (front-side): make a decrease at each end of the row. Continue to make these decreases every 2 rows 2 more times, then every row 4 more times.
Last row: p1, (p2togtbl)x2, purl to last 5 sts, (p2tog)x2, p1. BO the row.
Sew up sleeve edges, and attach to armholes of the body section.
Lace Edging:
With 4.5mm circular needles, cast on 518 sts.
Round 1: knit.
Round 2: *yo, k2, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 3: *k1, yo, k1, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k1, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 4: *k2, yo, slip 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k2, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 5: knit.
Round 6: knit.
Round 7: *k1, skpsso, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 8: *skpsso, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 9: knit and BO.
Sew lace edging along body edge.
**Note: Once the jacket is finished, you may need to iron along the jacket edges, as the lace edging may curl depending on how tightly or loosely it was knit.
