Breezy Swim Cover-Up or Robe Knitting Pattern with Dolman Sleeves and Moss Stitch Border

From Handknitting.com

Breezy Swim Cover-Up or Robe

Here's a classy swim suit cover-up that will have people asking where it came from. Not too hard, and fast to knit. The style is designed to be very loose fitting. The dolman sleeves are knit as part of the back and fronts. The pattern stitch includes drop-stitch rows, and the cover-up is bordered in moss stitch.Belt. The yarn, Sirocco, is a nubbly yarn that is flattering and easy to seam. Because it is cotton and linen, it will seem stiff at first, but will soften with washing. Techniques include drop-stitch, short rows, and knit in place belt loops. It is advisable to keep a pencil & paper record as well as row markers to keep track of where you are in the pattern Materials: Stylecraft Sirocco DK Cotton/Linen blend yarn, 80% Cotton, 20% Linen 50g skeins = 98 yards US 9 (5.5 mm) straight needles or size to give gauge

Size Information:

Gauge: 15 stitches and 19.5 rows = 4" or 10 cm in pattern stitch. A gauge swatch is highly recommended--be sure to stretch the drop stitches out completely before measuring. Moss stitch (over an even number of stitches): R1: K1, P1 acrosS R2: P1, K1 acrosS Main Pattern: Repeat these 22 rows for pattern stitch. This pattern results in stripes of varying widths of stockinette, reverse stockinette, and drop stitch. R1: K R2:P R3: K R4:P R5: K R6:P R7:P R8: K R9: K, wrapping the yarn over the needle twice, elongated drop stitch prepared R10: K through only one loop, dropping the second loop off the needle, drop stitch complete R11:P R12: K R13: K R14: P R15: K R16: K R17: P R18: Repeat row 9 R19: Repeat row 10 R20: K R21: P R22: K Repeat these rows for pattern stitch for the body of the garment. Back: Cast on loosely 66 (88, 110, 132) st Moss stitch border: Work 6 rows in moss stitch. Main body of robe: Switch to Main pattern stitch and work even for 15 (16, 17, 18"). Note: either count your rows or make sure the drop stitches are stretched out entirely before measuring. Add belt loops: On the first and last stitch of the next row, create belt loop. Insert needle as usual, yarn over, but do not remove the right hand needle. With your fingers, pull the loop out until it measures about 10 inches (22cm) in one direction (20 inches of yarn). Remove the right hand needle. Twist the loop around itself until it is tight and the yarn begins to kink up, then place the back end on the left hand needle. Work through both the added loop and the existing stitch together, drop all. This twisted double strand will be picked up later to anchor the top of the belt loop. Work 6 rows in pattern. Next row: On first and last stitch, pick up belt loop hanging below, and place end on left needle. Work belt loop end and first stitch together as one.

Work 4 rows in pattern.

Increase for sleeves: Working in pattern throughout, inc 1 st each side every 4th row, 4 times. Then, increase 1 st each side every other row, 4 times. Then, inc 1 st each side every row 4 times (112 st). On the next two rows, work across in pattern and cast on 6 st at the end of the row (124 st). Sleeve/Upper Back and Short Row Borders: Work first and last 6 stitches in moss stitch, and pattern stitch in between, except on Rows 9 & 18 (double wrap rows) work extra short rows for border as follows: Work 6 stitches in moss stitch, turn Work 6 st back in moss stitch to end (extra border row made) Work 6 st in moss stitch, work across row in pattern to last 6 st, work last 6 st in moss st, turn Work 6 st in moss stitch, turn Work 6 st in moss stitch to end. This gives the extra length for the drop stitch rows to “drop." Work in this manner until sleeve depth measures 9 (9 12, 10, 10 V2)inches. Shoulder Border: Work straight in moss stitch for 6 rows, bind off loosely.

Fronts

I highly recommend knitting both fronts at once, using two balls of yarn, one for each front. If you use this approach, you will always do the same increases and decreases for each piece, so they will match exactly. In this method, picture the two fronts on your needle as having the side edges at the extreme ends, and the center edges next to each other. Cast on: 33 (44, 55, 66) st using one ball of yarn. Then on the same needle, cast on the same number of stitches with the second ball of yarn. Turn. If you hold this needle with the stitches up in front of you, you are looking at the garment fronts as if they are on a hanger, with the side seams at either end of the needle, and the center fronts in the middle. Lower Border: Work as for back, six rows in moss stitch for the lower border. That is, work one front in moss stitch, drop first ball & use second ball, work second front in moss stitch. Main body of Robe: Work as for back, except work center 6 st on each piece in moss stitch. That is, the rows on the needle will be this: Work first 38 st in pattern, work next 6 st in moss stitch. Drop yarn & pick up second ball work 6 st in moss stitch, work in pattern until end. Remember that because you have a moss stitch border that you need to work the short row border on rows 9 and 18 in the pattern. (See above, Sleeve/Upper Back) Work as for back, without making belt loops, until sleeve increases are complete. Begin sleeve borders. From now on you will need to do short row border on rows 9 & 18 on both sides of each piece. Work 2 rows straight. 1 st where body meets front border every third row, 10 times. So, on the thir row, you will work in pattern across until the last 7 st, work 1 st from body together with first border st - 1 st decrease, finish border. Pick up yarn for other front, work 5 st in moss st, work next two st together, continue in pattern stitch until end. Work straight until sleeve depth is as for back, change to moss stitch and work even for 6 rows. Bind Off.

Finishing:

Sew together front and back underarm and side seams, being sure to keep belt loops on right side of robe. Sew shoulders starting at sleeve edges, working towards center, without stretching. There will be a gap at the center back of about 5-6 inches between the fronts. Work in all loose ends. : Cast on 6 stitches, work in moss stitch for 48-60 inches, as desired, bind off Copyright 2008, Laurel Murphy http://www.Handknitting.com