Aljarafe sweater free knitting pattern with Malabrigo Caracol

Hello again!

Today it’s a free pattern! One super sweater, warm and exclusive, knit with the newest malabrigo yarn: Caracol.

When I saw the first pictures of this yarn, and even more, when I first touched it, I felt something I have rarely felt: terribly sad for living in a place as warm as the South of Spain! I quickly added up in my head how many days I would be able to wear a sweater knit with such a warm yarn here, in my homeland and the result was so few days… despite it all I couldn’t resist, I comforted myself planning trips to colder places, I travel a lot less than I would like, so I now have a reason to go North 😉

I love a single ply, bulky wool, and the result you get with them, but this one is spectacular: the thick and thin put up, the semisolid variegated dye, and lastly, the contrasting color thread that wraps the yarn, it’s a perfect marriage and the result is unique as you can see for yourselves.

So let’s get started, I share with all of you this design, at the service of this wonderful yarn.

I am proposing 3 sizes: S, M and L, even though it’s easy to adapt to smaller or bigger sizes, because the ratio from stitches/rounds to centimetres is almost 1 to 1, this way adding or removing 1 stitch and 1 round you’ll be adding/removing 1 cm to the finished garment, and also, as this is knit from top to bottom, you can try it on as you knit to add or remove increase rounds for the yoke.

Bust Measurement: Sizing is noted throughout the pattern as follows: S (M, L).

• Size S: 84-88 cm (33-34.5 in)
• Size M: 90-94 cm (35.5-37 in)
• Size L: 98-102 cm (38.5-40 in)

Gauge: 11 sts and 10 rnds = 10×10 cm (4×4 in), with 12mm (US17) needles, in stockinette st

Yardage: 329 – 411 m (360 – 450 yards)

Materials: 4 (5, 5) malabrigo Caracol skeins. 10mm (US 15) and 12mm (US 17) needles. 60 cm (24”) and 80 cm (32”) cables. For the sleeves you can either work in Magic Loop or use 12mm (US 17) needles with a 40 cm (16”) cable. Shown in size M and Poción colorway.

Abbreviations are linked at the end of the pattern.

Construction Notes: The garment is knit top-down, with 4 raglan increases through the yoke, until it’s time to divide for sleeves. The body is then knit straight to the end and the sleeves are worked the same way after the body is finished. The neck and the hip ribbing are hemmed and sewn inside the garment. The sleeve cuffs are worked in garter stitch and, as we will be working in the round, will take alternating knit and purl rounds.

Pattern:

With 10mm (US15) needles and  60 cm (24”) cables, CO 42 (44, 46) stitches, place beginning of round marker (pBoRm), in a different color than the ones you’ll be using later, and join in the round taking care not to twist the stitches. Knit 6 rounds. You’ll now have approx 6cm (2.5″), fold it in half and sew to create a hem.

Change to 12mm (US 17) needles.

Next Round (Place markers for raglan increases): slip BoRm, k1, pm #2, k15 (15,16), pm #3, k1, pm #4, k4 (5, 5), pm #5, k1, pm #6, k15 (15,16), pm #7, k1, pm #8, k4 (5, 5).

Now before starting the yoke increases, we’ll make two short rows to shape the back of the neck, so that it stands taller than the front, keeping our neck a bit warmer.

Short Row 1: slip BoRm, k until marker #3, slm and wrap the next stitch and turn your work (W&T).

Short Row 2: slm, p until the BoRm, slip BoRm and W&T.

Next Round: slip BoRm, k all round, knitting the wrapped stitches (one after marker #3 and the last one in the round) together with their wraps.

Next Round (Increases for the front and back): slip BoRm,  k1, slm,  *M1L, k until the next m, M1R, slm,  k1, slm,  k until the next m, slm,  k1, slm and repeat from * once more until the end of round.

Next Round: k all round.

Repeat the last two rounds 2 more times. You’ll be making the Increases for the front and back round a total of 3 times; 6 rounds total.

Next Round (Increases for the body and sleeves): slip BoRm,  k1, slm,  *M1L, k until the next m, M1R, slm,  k1, slm,  repeat from * 3 more times, until the end of round.

Next Round: k all round.

Repeat the Increases for the body and sleeves 7 (9, 11) more times. You’ll be making the Increases for the body and sleeves round a total of 8 (10, 12) times; 16 (20, 24) rounds total.

Sleeve Increase Round: slip BoRm,  k1, slm, * k until the next m, slm,  k1, slm, M1L, k until the next m, M1R, slm,  k1, slm,  repeat from * 1 more time until the end of the round.

Next Round: k all round.

Repeat the last two rounds 1 more time. You’ll be making the Sleeve Increase Round and the next one a total of 2 times; 4 rounds total.

After completing all rounds for the yoke, you will have worked a total of 26 ( 30, 34) rounds.

Next Round (Divide for Sleeves): slip BoRm, using the Knitted Cast on method, CO 4 (5, 6) new sts, k1, remove m, k until the next m, *remove m, k1, remove m, slip all sts until the next m onto waste yarn or stitch holder, use a darning needle to help you, * remove m, using the Knitted Cast on method, CO  8 (10, 12) new sts, k1, remove m, k until the next m, repeat from * to * once more, then CO another 4 (5, 6) new sts.

After completing this round, the sleeves are divided and we’ll only have the body sts on the needles. Continue knitting until desired length, minus 3cm (1.2”) for the hem. Approximately 36 (38, 42) cm, plus 3cm for the hem, or 14 (15, 16.5) inches, plus 1.2” for the hem. Bind off all stitches using a knitted BO.

Sleeves:

With your 12mm (US 17) needles, pick up and knit in the round all the sleeve sts, while also picking up and knitting the underarm Cast On sts, as follows:

Start in the middle of the underarm sts: from the underarm CO 8 (10, 12) sts, start on the 4th, (5th, 6th) counting from the Left Needle, pick up and knit these 4 (5, 6) sts, continue knitting all the sleeve stitches, then pick up and knit the remaining 4 (5, 6) sts from the underarm, place a BoRm and start knitting.

The sleeves are knit without decreases, the length is ¾ and they are designed to fit loosely. If you want to they can be knit longer, then I would recommend doing at least 4 decrease rounds along the sleeve, so that they fit less loosely around the wrist. In order to work a decrease round, do a k2tog at the beginning and at the end of the round, every 10 rounds, 4 times (8 stitches decreased in total), then continue kniting to to 3cm (1.2”) before the desired length.

When you get to 3cm (1.2”) before the desired length, purl one round, knit one round and purl another one. BO all sts as if to knit.

Your sweater is finished! Now there’s only ends to weave, sewing the neck and bottom hems. Just fold 3cm (1.2”) towards the inside of the garment and sew as if sewing a normal hem, with the same yarn.

NOTE FOR VERY LOOSE KNITTERS: This is a very Bulky yarn, if you knit it loosely the stitches can stretch once knit, after the first wash. If you are a loose knitter, it is recommended that you knit it with smaller size needles. Going from 12mm (US17) needles to 10mm (US15) can cause the sts to be too tight. If after making a gauge swatch you see that the sts are way too tight I would advise you to knit a smaller size using the recommended needles, then the garment will for sure stretch out  and fit properly 🙂

Stitch Guide – Abbreviations

Here ends my post for today, I hope you enjoy the design. For any doubt, suggestion or even errata that you might come up with, please drop me a note at info@devanalana.com, I’ll try my best to help you out!

I have a certain well-meaning envy of those of you who live in colder climates because you can show your Aljarafe sweaters off, I hope you enjoy it from the bottom of my heart.

Happy knitting!

B.

[printfriendly]

Don’t forget to visit Aljarafe’s ravelry page, to add to your favorites or start your project!

More patterns