Prairie Flower Sweater, Size 4

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MATERIALS

Sport Yarn: Main color, 4 oz. red
Design colors, 1 oz. white, ½ oz. green
Needles: 1 pair size 2, 1 pair size 3 (standard)
Knitting Chart

GAUGE

6 ½ stitches = 1 inch
8 ½ rows = 1 inch
Chest measurement of sweater = 24 inches

BACK

With size 2 needles and the main color, cast on 76 stitches. Work in ribbing of knit 2, purl 2, for 2 inches. Change to size 3 needles and knit across the next row, increasing to 79 stitches (increase about every 19th stitch). Purl back, then work in stockinette stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) until work measures 9 ½ inches from the beginning, ending with a purl row. Start underarm decreases as shown on the diagram on the next row by binding off the number of stitches shown. Always slip the first stitch when binding off. Continue following the diagram for the design. The solid line on diagram indicates change to white for background color. For the shoulders, start on the indicated row and bind off at the beginning of 6 consecutive rows the number of stitches shown, placing the remaining 23 stitches on a stitch holder for the neckband.

LEFT FRONT

With size 2 needles and the main color, cast on 43 stitches. Work the first 36 stitches in ribbing of knit 2, purl 2; then knit 1, purl 1, for the remaining 7 stitches. Continue working these 7 stitches in the seed stitch (knit 1, purl 1, knitting over purl stitches and purling over knit stitches on both right and wrong sides) for the front band. When the ribbing measures 2 inches and with the seed stitch at the left hand side, change to size 3 needles and work in the stockinette stitch to correspond with the back, continuing the seed stitch for the front band. When the piece measures 9 ¼ inches ending with a knit row, start the first row of the design as shown on the diagram marked "left front." Continue following the diagram for underarm decreases. For the neck opening, work the first 22 stitches and place the remaining 13 stitches on a stitch holder for the neckband. Continue working these shoulder stitches. For the neck decreases, knit to within 3 stitches of the end of the row, knit 2 together, knit 1. For the shoulder, bind off at the beginning of 3 consecutive knit rows the number of stitches shown.

RIGHT FRONT

Cast on 43 stitches on size 2 needles. Seed stitch the first 7 stitches and knit 2, purl 2 for the remaining 36 stitches. The first buttonhole is made in the seed stitch halfway up the ribbing, and the other 6, every 1 ¾ inches, the last one being in the neck ribbing. To make a buttonhole, bind off the 4th and 5th stitches in from the outer edge. On the next row, cast on 2 stitches to replace these. When the ribbing measures 2 inches and with the seed stitch at the right hand side, knit next row then continue in the stockinette stitch. When piece measures 9 ¼ inches from the beginning, ending with a knit row, start the first row of the design as shown on the diagram marked "right front." Continue following this diagram. For the neck opening, work the first 13 stitches and place them on a stitch holder. Then work the remaining 22 stitches for the shoulder. For the neck decreases, knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slip stitch over knit. Underarm and shoulder decreases are made at the beginning of purl rows.

SLEEVES

With size 2 needles and the main color, cast on 40 stitches and work in ribbing of knit 2, purl 2, for 2 inches. Change to size 3 needles and knit across the next row, increasing to 43 stitches (increase about every 10th stitch). This is the first row shown on the diagram. Change to white yarn and continue following the diagram, being sure to notice where background color changes to red again, increasing 1 stitch at each end of the rows shown. Then increase 1 stitch at each end every 8th row until there are 57 stitches. When the sleeve measures 10 ½ inches from the beginning, ending with a purl row, bind off 5 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows. Then bind off 1 stitch at the beginning of every row until 27 stitches remain, then 3 stitches at the beginning of every row until 15 stitches remain. Bind off these 15 stitches.

ASSEMBLY

Assemble the sweater according to the directions on patternbook page. For the neckband, with the right side facing, pick up 80 stitches, including those on stitch holders, with size 2 needles. Work in ribbing of knit 2, purl 2, for 8 rows, continuing the first and last 7 stitches in the seed stitch and also making the last buttonhole. Bind off loosely in the knit 2, purl 2 pattern.


Other great patterns from Wild West Sweaters, Volume 10:

Knitting Patterns

Rodeo Rider Sweater
Prairie Flower Sweater
Two Star Sheriff Sweater
Texas Longhorn Sweater
Thunder Bird Sweater
Cattle Brands Sweater
Lucky Ponies Sweater
Cowboy Sweater
Desert Flower Sweater
Prairie Cactus Sweater