This is a pattern for those brave enough to go down to a 2mm needle. I actually think this is an easy, straight forward pattern, but I made a couple of these in something called Punch Embroidery thread, which is superfine, and sometimes a bit fuzzy.
I made a dark blue fuzzy one, from which it was pretty much impossible to recover from a dropped stitch. Also, a silky light blue, which was slippery, but easier to see. After I made this sweater, I went on to design a simpler, chunkier version which is altogether easier. But for those of you with great eyesight, and willing to go the extra stitches, here is the original.
This sweater is actually quite easy except for the fact that
the stitches are so teeny tiny and any mistakes you may make are a pain to fix.
It’s really helpful to have a very small crochet hook handy (I know because I
just spent the morning crawling around the living room floor looking for my
grandmother’s hook which is much more minuscule than any I have bought myself –
I’ll let you know what size it is if I ever find it again). Something even
smaller than 2mm would be great.
Materials:
2mm/ US# 0 circular needle
Three 2mm/US# 0, or similar sized double pointed needles or
stitch holders, or combination of these.
Darning Needle.
Instructions
for Sweater, (knit in the
round from the hem up):
With 2mm circular needle, cast on 60 sts. Arrange stitches
for Magic Loop method with 30 stitches on each half of the needle.
Round 1: Knit in rib pattern – (k2,
p2), continue to the end of the round.
Continue the same as Round 1 for 7cm/2 ¾ in.
Next round: Bind off first two
sts, knit in rib pattern to end of 1st side of round. Bind off first
two stitches of 2nd side, knit in rib pattern to end of second side of
the round. Transfer work onto 2 dpn or stitch holder and set aside.
Sleeves
(make two):
With 2mm circular needles, cast on 12 sts.
Row 1(RS, knit flat in rib pattern):
P1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p1.
Row 2(WS): K1, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2,
k1.
Rows 3 and 4: same as 1 and 2.
Row 5: Inc 1 st at the beginning
and end of this row (14 sts total).
Rows 6 – 12: continue in rib
pattern.
Row 13: Inc 1 st at the
beginning and end of this row (16 sts total).
Rows 14 – 20: continue in rib
pattern.
Row 21: Inc 1 st at the
beginning and end of this row (18 sts total).
Rows 22 – 30: continue in rib
pattern.
Row 31: bind of first 2 sts,
knit in rib pattern to last 2 sts, bind off last 2 sts.
Break yarn and pull through last st. Push first sleeve out
of the way along needle, or slip onto a holding needle, and begin second
sleeve.
Finish second sleeve and slip both sleeves to holding
needle.
Join
Sleeves to Body:
Slip body back onto circular needle, placing gaps
(underarms) at the ends of each side of work.
Re – attach yarn and knit first side in established rib
pattern up to first underarm gap. Now knit first sleeve off of holding needle
and on to circular needle following the rib pattern on the sleeve. Make sure
that the sleeve is right way up,
that is, the center two stitches of the sleeve are knit stitches of the rib pattern.
Knit second half of round to second gap and knit second
sleeve off of the holding needle following the rib pattern on the sleeve.
Now adjust stitches on first sleeve to be half (7 sts) on
one side of work and half on the other. You do this by pulling the needles all
the way through the stitches so that the stitches are all on the cord and there
is no longer a loop sticking through. Knit to the first side and then adjust
the second sleeve as the first.
Next 4 rounds: Knit in
established rib pattern.
Sleeve Decreases:
Begin from center of first sleeve (following established rib
pattern unless otherwise indicated): (K1, p2, k1, sl1, k1, psso, knit in
established rib pattern across chest until the last 6 sts. K2 tog, k1, p2, k1).
Repeat on second side.
Repeat sleeve decreases as above on every row for 12 rows.
Collar:
Knit in (k2, p2) rib for 14 rows.
Next row: bind off.
Finishing:
Turn work inside out and with yarn tails sew undersides of
sleeves then underarms together. Sew in tails.