Five Fruits
by Amanda Kerr
I chanced across these colours in the bargain bin of my LYS. They reminded me of the Five Fruits Lifesavers I ate as a child and I couldn't resist making a bright, happy jumper for my daughter, to chase away those dull winter days.
This is a raglan jumper knit from the top down in one piece. It has knitted-in button plackets, rolled-edge collar and cuffs, and a knitted-on hem at the bottom.
Difficulty level
Intermediate
Sizes
6 (12, 18) months Finished chest 21.5 (23, 25)" [54.5 (58.5, 63.5) cm] Length 11 (12, 13)" [28 (30.5, 33) cm] Sleeve length from underarm approx. 6.5 (7.5, 8)" [16.5 (19, 20.5) cm]
Materials
Debbie Bliss Merino DK ( $100\%$ wool; 101 yds $\left[110\;\mathrm{m}\right]$ per $50\;\mathrm{g}$ ), 1 ball each of: #214 (navy blue) #008 (light blue) #002 (green) #504 (yellow) #701 (orange) #700 (red) US 7 $[4.5\;\mathrm{mm}]$ circular needle, $24"$ 一 $\left[60\;\mathrm{cm}\right]$ long US 7 $[4.5\;\mathrm{mm}]$ double pointed needles (optional) US 6 $[4\:\mathrm{mm}]$ circular needle, $24"$ 一 $\left[60\;\mathrm{cm}\right]$ long Four 5/8" [ $12\;\mathrm{mm}]$ buttons 5 stitch markers scrap yarn tapestry needle Note: This yarn has been discontinued.However there are many, many possible substitutions for DKweight yarns at this tension. I've listed several below.
Gauge
22 sts and $30\;\mathrm{rows}=4"\;[10\;\mathrm{cm}]$ in stockinette with US 7 $[4.5\;\mathrm{mm}]$ I needle
Stitch Instructions
Stripe sequence:
8 rows light blue 8 rows green 8 rows yellow 8 rows orange 8 rows red
One-row buttonhole:
Slip1 as ifto pur slp1 asif to pu pass seond slid stith over fist, sl asift pul, pa thid sld stitch over second, cast on 2 stitches to cover gap, continue in pattern.
Increases:
M1F: Using left needle pick up the yarn between the stitches from front to back, knit the resulting stitch throughtheback loop. M1B: Using left needle pick up the yarn between stitches from back to front, knit the resulting stitch.
Checking The Fit
Knit as per pattern until the point where the sleeves are divided. Put all sections onto scrap yarn and check to see it fits the recipient (or alternatively lay it against an existing sweater to check it's of similar size). If the chest is a little tight, knit a few more increase rows. If the chest is a little wide, take out a few increase rows. Continue as per pattern. Just before you start the hem section at the bottom of the sweater, check the length against an existing sweater. If it's a little short, add on an extra stripe or two, then knit the hem as per pattern.
Upsizing and Downsizing
As this is araglan knit from the top down it is relatively simple to change the size or work with a yarn at a different gauge.
Size and Gauge change
There are two basic measurements you will need to change the size of your Five Fruits: finished neck and chest circumference. With these two measurements and a gauge swatch you can knit Five Fruits to fit any size you want in any yarn you like. Calculate your gauge. Multiply your number of stitches per inch by the number of inches around the finished neck circumference. This number $^+$ 5 stitches is the number of stitches to cast on. Knit the collar and yoke as per pattern, joining at the end of the button placket. Continue knitting in the round until the width between your first and second marker is half your desired finished chest width. Divide the body and sleeve stitches leaving sleeve stitches on waste yarn. Continue knitting the body in stripe sequence until just short of your desired finished length. Make sure to stop at the end of a stripe. Change to navy blue and knit hem as per pattern. For sleeves: knit straight to elbow. Decrease 2 stitches on the fourth row of every stripe until 1 inch less than desired sleeve length. Change to navy blue. Work K1P1 ribbing for 5 stitches at the $^{1}\!/\!4$ and $\%$ point of the round for 8 rows. Knit 4 rounds even. Cast off.
Pattern
Collar
With navy blue and US 7 $[4.5\;\mathrm{mm}]$ circular needle, cast on 65 (71, 77) sts. Rows 1-7: Work in stockinette. Row 8 and all WS rows: (P1, k1) twice,p57 (63, 69), (k1,p1) twice. Row 9 (RS): (K1, p1) twice, k57 (63, 69), (p1, k1) twice. Row 11 (buttonhole row): (K1, p1) twice, k57 (63, 69), work one-row buttonhole, pl, k1. Rows 13, 15: As Row 9.
Yoke
Begin working in stripe sequence, beginning with light blue. Row 16 (set-up row): (P1, k1) twice, pl, place marker, p25 (28, 31), place marker, p5, place marker, p5 (28 31), place marker, (p1, k1) twice, p1. Row 17 (first inc row): (K1, p1) twice,\*work to 1 st before marker, M1B, k2, M1F; rep from $^*3$ times more, work to last 4 sts, (p1, k1) twice-73 (79, 85) sts. Row 18 and all wS rows: P1, k1) twice, purl to last 4 sts,(k1, p1) twice. Row 19 (buttonhole row): (K1, pl) twice, \*work to 1 st before marker, M1B, k2, M1F; rep from $^*3$ times more, work to last 4 sts, work one-row buttonhole, pl, k1—81 (87, 93) sts. Rows 21, 23, 25: As Row 17. Row 27: As Row 19. Rows 29, 31, 33: As Row 17. Row 35: As Row 19. Rows 37, 39, 41: As Row 17--169 (175, 181) sts. Row 43 (joining row): (K1, p1) twice, \*work to 1 st before marker, M1B, k2, M1F; rep from $^*3$ times more, work to last 5 sts. Now the first and last five sts will be knit together to complete the button placket and join in the round. Transfer the last 5 sts to the US 6 $[4\,\mathrm{mm}]$ needle, lay this needle on top of the needle holding the other sts so that the last 5 sts overlap the first 5. Knit one stitch from each needle together with the US 7 [4.5 mm] needle. Place marker for beginning of round. You should now have 172 (178, 184) sts. Rnd 45: \*Work to 1 st before marker, M1B, k2, M1F; rep from $^*3$ times more, work to end—180 (186, 192) sts. Rep Rnds 44-45 2 (3, 4) times more—-196 (210, 224) sts.
Body
Divide body and sleeves: Place each set of sleeve sts on scrap yarn, removing markers as you do so. Knit around on body stitches only, casting on 2 sts at each underarm—122 (132, 142) sts. Next rnd: Dec 2 sts at each underarm-118 (128, 138) sts. Work even on body sts until work measures approx. 10 (11, 12)" [25.5 (28, 30.5) cm] from shoulder, ending with a complete stripe of current color.
Hem:
Change to navy blue. Knit 8 rounds. Purl 1 round (the turning round). Change to US 6 $[4\:\mathrm{mm}]$ needle. Knit 7 rounds. Do not bind off. To make hem, fold on the turning round and sew or graft the live stitches to the wrong side of the work. Make sure the sewing or grafting is loose enough to stretch with the jumper.
Sleeves
Place the 39 (41, 43) held sts of one sleeve on US 7 $[4.5\;\mathrm{mm}]$ circular needle or double pointed needles. Join yarn at underarm, keeping in established stripe sequence. Pick up 2 sts from underarm (where 2 sts were cast on, on body), knit around, place marker for beg of round. Next rnd: Knit, dec 2 sts at underarm-39 (41, 43) sts. Work even for 8 rounds. Dec Rnd: K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, ssk-37 (39, 41) sts. Work 4 rounds even. Rep last 5 rnds 1 (2, 2) times more more-35 (35, 37) sts. Work even until sleeve measures approx. 5 (6, 6.5)" [12.5 (15, 16.5) cm] from underarm, ending with a complete stripe of current color.
Cuff:
Change to navy blue. Next rnd: K9 (9, 10), p1, kl, p1, k11, p1, k1, p1, k9 (9, 10). Rep last rnd 7 times more. Knit 4 rnds. Bind off loosely.
Finishing
Weave in ends. Lightly steam block. Attach buttons to placket.
Designer
Amanda lives with her husband and daughter in Oxford where she doesn't get nearly enough time to knit. She dreams of one day ditching the day job, learning to spin and settling in to a life of jumper self-sufficiency. $\copyright$ AmandaKerr2007
