Birds on a wire - sweater
Birds on a wire are fun to look at. They sit on the wire with equal distance, but facing different directions. Some look at each other , others are sitting back to back. We think this is a fun pattern , and has put together two charts that make the pattern become more alive. The colors we have chosen are gray purple and mint green , and the white birds provide a nice and fresh contrast. The orange beaks gives a contrasting effect. The rounds with beaks and the black eyes are worked in three colors , the rest are in one or two colors. But it is possible to embroider the beak and eyes afterwards, if you prefer. The sweater is knitted top-down, and we have chosen a yarn from Hifa called Ask, you find it here:www.ull.no It is recommended to read through the whole pattern before you begin.
| Sizes: | S | (M) | L | (XL) | 2 XL |
| A.Yoke length, cm/inches | 21/8.3 | 22/8.7 | 23/9.1 | 24/9.4 | 25/9.8 |
| B. Bust, cm/inches: | 95/37.4 | 99/39 | 105/41.3 | 112/44 | 116/45.6 |
| C.Length, cm/inches: | 62/24.4 | 63/24.8 | 64/25.2 | 65/25.6 | 66/26 |
| D. Upper sleeve width; cm/inches | 34/13.4 | 36/14.2 | 39/15.3 | 42/16.5 | 45/17.7 |
| E: Sleeve length, cm/inches: | 45/17.7 | 45/17.7 | 46/18.1 | 46/18.1 | 46/18.1 |
Yarn and yarn amounts
We have used Ask by Hifa (100% wool, 100 g, 315 m/345 yds), but you can use any Sport/5 ply yarn with a gauge of 22 stitches and 28 rounds in stranded color work measuring 10 cm/4" square.
| Color suggestions | S | (M) | L | (XL) | 2XL | |
| AskHifa6541melertlysblalilla | 300 | 300 | 300 | 400 | 400 | |
| Ask Hifa 6587 melert mintgronn | 100 | 100 | 100 | 150 | 150 | |
| Ask Hifa 6054 melert lys gra | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | |
| You only need a remnant of orange and charcoal yarn for thebeak and eyes. |
Notions
Stitch marker, waste yarn and darning needle.
Needles
3 mm/Us 2.5 and 3.5 mm/US 4 small and large circular needles (40 cm/16" and 80 cm/32"). 3 mm/US 2.5 and 3.5 mm/US 4 double pointed needles. Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.
Gauge
22 stitches and 28 rounds in stockinette stitch measures 10 cm/4" square.
Yoke
You begin knitting at center of back neck. Using Melert mintgronn and 3.0 mm/US 2.5 short circular needle, cast on 90 (96) 102 (108) 114 stitches and join for knitting in the round, making sure no stitches are twisted. Knit 6 rows of garter stitch according to chart. Make sure you are not casting on too tight so that the sweater can easily be taken on over the head. Place a marker at the start of the round (which is center of back neck). Continue according to chart and increase as indicated in the chart. Chart only shows one pattern repeat for each size. Work 15 (16) 17 (18) 19 pattern repeats on each round. Join in contrast colors as necessary and work stranded knitting. Increases are marked with this symbol . The neatest way of increasing a stitch is by picking up the thread between two stitches from the round below, twist it and knit it as a new stitch = make 1. As the mask number increases, replace the small circular needles with the larger ones. At the end of the yoke, you will have 300 (320) 340 (360) 380 stitches on the needle.
| 1. Increasing round | *work 1 make 1, work 2 make 1* repeat to end |
| 2. Increasing round | word2make1,work3make1*r repeattoend |
| 3. Increasing round | *work 3 make 1, work 4 make 1* repeat to end |
| 4. Increasing round | *work 9 make 1* repeat to end |
Short rows
After the first increase according to the chart, work short rows on the back, see the mark in the chart. Short rounds are rounds where you turn before you have worked the round to the end, and work back so that you will make a few short extra rounds at the center back. This makes the cardigan higher at the back neck than the front and makes it fit better.
Table for short rows
On row 7 and 15, work short rows, to make the dress higher at neck than at front, Work the short rounds as shown in the table, and according to your chosen size. First short round (see mark in chart) is worked as follows:
| S | (M) | L | (XL) | 2 XL |
| Work 33 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 35 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 38 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 40 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 43 stitches, wrap & turn |
| Purl 66 stitches back, wrap & turn | Purl 70 stitches, wrap & turn | Purl 76 stitches, wrap & turn | Purl 80 stitches, wrap & turn | Purl 86 stitches, wrap & turn |
| Work 71 stitches, wrap & turn | Work75stitches, wrap & turn | Work81stitches, wrap & turn | Work 85 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 91 stitches, wrap & turn |
| Purl 76 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 80 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 86 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 90 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 96 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end |
Second short round (see mark in chart) is worked as follows:
| S | (M) | L | (XL) | 2 XL |
| Work 48 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 51 stitches, wrap & turn | Work55 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 58 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 62 stitches, wrap & turn |
| Purl 96 stitches back, wrap & turn | Purl 102 stitches, wrap & turn | Purl 110 stitches, wrap & turn | Purl 116 stitches, wrap & turn | Purl 124 stitches, wrap & turn |
| Work 101 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 107 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 115 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 121 stitches, wrap & turn | Work 129 stitches, wrap & turn |
| Purl 106 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 112 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 120 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 126 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end | Purl 134 stitches, wrap & turn, work to end |
To avoid holes when turning, make a wrap. You wrap a stitch by slipping the stitch purlwise, bring the yarn towards you to front of the work, slip the stitch back to the left needle and turn work and work back. On the next round you remove the wrap by working it together with the stitch as one stitch to avoid making a hole. See a video of how to do this here: http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/video.php?id=72&sort=2&thumbnails=on Yoke increases - see chart
| Size | S | (M) | L | (XL) | 2 XL |
| Number of stitches at start | 90 | 96 | 102 | 108 | 114 |
| 1. Increasing round, increase | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 |
| Stitches after 1. increasing round | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 |
| 2. Increasing round, increase | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 |
| Stitches after 2. increasing round | 210 | 224 | 238 | 252 | 266 |
| 3. Increasing round, increase | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 |
| Stitches after 3. increasing round | 270 | 288 | 306 | 324 | 242 |
| 4. Increasing round, increase | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 |
| Stitches after 4. increasing round | 300 | 320 | 340 | 360 | 380 |
Continue knitting the skirt in stockinette stitch with Melert lys blalilla.
| S | Work 45 stitches, place 60 stitches on waste yarn, cast on 14 stitches s ( stitches (underarm) and work last 45 stitches on round. Now you have 208 stitches on your needle. |
| M | Work 47 stitches, place 65 stitches on waste yarn, cast on 14 stitches s s ( stitches (underarm) and work last 48 stitches on round. Now you have 218 stitches on your needle. |
| L | Work 50 stitches, place 70 stitches on waste yarn, cast on 16 stitches (underarm), work 1o0 stitches, place 70 stitches on waste yarn, cast on 16 stitches (underarm) and work last 50 stitches on round. Now you have 232 stitches on your needle. |
| XL | Work 52 stitches, place 75 stitches on waste yarn, cast on 18 stitches 18 stitches (underarm) and work last 53 stitches on round. Now you have 256 stitches on your needle. |
| 2 XL | Work 55 stitches, place 80 stitches on waste yarn, cast on 18 stitches 18 stitches (underarm) and work last 55 stitches on round. Now you have 256 stitches onyour needle. |
Shaping
When you have worked 10 cm/4" you can shape the dress if you prefer. Decrease 14 (15) 16 (17) 18 stitches, by working knit 2 together every 14th stitch: \*work 12 stitches, knit 2 together\* repeat from \* to end of round. Now you have 194 (203) 216 (229) 238 stitches on your needle. Work 3 cm/1.2" with this stitch number. Then increase again the 14 (15) 16 (17) 18 stitches. \*Work 13 stitches, make 1\*; repeat from \* to end of round. Now you have 208 (218) 232 (246) 256 stitches on your needle. Continue knitting for another 7-8 cm/3". You may now make increases for A-shape. To do so, \*work 15 stitches, make 1\* repeat from \* to end of round. You have 221 (232) 247 (262) 273 stitches on your needle. Continue knitting for another 7-8 cm/3", and make one more increase, \*work 15 stitches, make 1\* repeat from \* to end of round. You have 235 (247) 263 (279) 291 stitches on your needle. Continue knitting, until the sweater is the length you want it to be, minus 6.5 cm/2.6" (length of the last border). Continue knitting the last border, but change to needles number 3/2.5 US before knitting the final garter stitch. Bind off.
Sleeves
Move the 60 (65) 70 (75) 80 stitches from the waste yarn to a 3 1/2mm/US 4 short circular needle. Using melert lys blalilla, cast on 14 (14) 16 (18) 18 stitches on the inside of the sleeve, altogether 74 (79) 86 (93) 98 stitches. Place marker and join for working in the round. Decrease 1 stitch on each side of marker every 8-9 (7-8) 8 (6-7) 5-6 round 12 (14) 13 (16) 19 times, now you have 50 (51) 60 (61) 60 remaining on your needle. In the next round, adjust to 50 (50) 60 (60) 60 stitches. Change from the circular needle to double pointed needles when the circular needle becomes too large. Work the bottom pattern (see chart). Change to 3 mm/US 2.5 double pointed needles before knitting the garter stitch border. Bind off and work the second sleeve identical. Sew in ends, wash or steam the sweater and shape while damp. Leave it to dry flat.
Bottom of sleeves and sweater
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