A 'symmetrical neck' is the same in the back as in the front. This is the simplest way to knit the neckline, but it can feel as if the front of the neck sits too high. Option 1 involves working a regular cast-on at the neck, then later picking up your cast-on stitches and knitting the neckline ribbing.
Cast on 22 stitches, place a marker and join for working in the round (being careful not to twist). Your stitch marker marks the back right shoulder.
Option 2 involves doing a provisional cast-on, then later coming back and raising the back neck slightly with short rows, before knitting the neckline ribbing. This is a little more work, but it creates a neck that is lower in front and more comfortable to wear.
You can work your provisional cast-on any way you like, but I recommend the crochet hook cast-on method, where you use a crochet hook to create the cast-on stitches on your needle. If you need a tutorial on that method I highly recommend these instructions (with video) by Clare Mountain.
Using waste yarn, create 22 stitches on your knitting needle using your crochet hook. Start working into these stitches with your project yarn, and at the end of the first row place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. Your stitch marker marks the back right shoulder.
R0 (Setup round): k22
R1: [ k2, M1 ] 10 times, k2
You now have 32 stitches.
In this section you will knit your four colourwork sections, from the neck down to the armpit point. Scroll down to find your chart blanks and fill them in with your colourwork designs before you start.
On the next round (round 18) , knit 24 stitches across the back of the sweater , place 16 sleeve stitches onto a holder , KCO 2, pm, KCO 1
Join up to the front body stitches on the other side of the sleeve and knit 24 stitches across the front , place 16 sleeve stitches onto a holder , KCO 1, pm, KCO 2, join up to the back body stitches on the other side of the sleeve and continue knitting in the round. , The right hand side seam marker now marks the start & end of your rounds.
Work in stocking stitch for 10 rounds in total.
After row 28, work in k1p1 rib for 2.5cm.
Bind off in rib pattern and weave in ends.
Bind off, and weave in ends.
Reset your row counter to zero - sleeve row counts will be given counting from the first sleeve round as round 1.
Put the live stitches for the left sleeve onto a circular needle. With the right needle tip, pick up and knit 1 stitches between the center of the underarm and the first stitch on the needle. Work across the stitches on the needle, then pick up and knit 2 stitches between the last stitch on the needle and the center of the underarm. Place a marker, join here and begin working in the round.
Work in stocking stitch for 16 rows in total, following instructions and adjustments below:
At the same time, on rows 1
: decrease by 1 stitch either side of the center marker.
At the same time, on rows 9
: decrease by 0 stitches before the center marker, and 1 stitch after the center marker.
Now is a great time to try on your sweater again and check the sleeve length. If your sleeve is too short, add a few more rounds before knitting the final ribbing. If it's too long, frog a few rounds before knitting the final ribbing. In either case, make a note so you remember to make the same adjustment to the second sleeve.
Work k1p1 rib for 2.5cm. Bind off. Repeat for the other sleeve.
Pick up 22 stitches evenly around the cast-on edge of the neckline.
For the next 8 rounds: [ k1, p1 ] 11 times
Bind off loosely in rib. For a very stretchy edge try Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind-off, or for an extra polished finish try a tubular bind-off.
Unpick the crochet chain from your provisional cast on, and slide the 22 stitches onto a circular needle. Re-arrange your stitches if necessary so that your start of round is at the top of the right shoulder (as worn). Place a start-of round marker.
R1: Knit 5 stitches, wrap the next stitch, and turn.
R2: Purl -1 stitches, wrap the next stitch, and turn
R3: Knit -7 stitches, wrap the next stitch, and turn.
R4: Purl -13 stitches, wrap the next stitch, and turn
R5: Knit -19 stitches, wrap the next stitch, and turn.
R6: Purl -25 stitches, wrap the next stitch, and turn
R7: Knit one round even, working the wraps together with the wrapped stitches.
For the next 8 rounds: [ k1, p1 ] 11 times
Bind off loosely in rib. For a very stretchy edge try Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind-off, or for an extra polished finish try a tubular bind-off.
Stitch Fiddle is an online stitch pattern editor where you can pick your colours and design your colourwork motifs, and although they have an excellent pro version you can use it for free and without even needing an account! It's a great way to work on your designs.
Just below each of the select boxes below you'll find an "open in Stitch Fiddle" link. This will open Stitch Fiddle in a new browser window or tab, with a blank chart that has the width & height of what you have selected in the select box.
You can select a blank for each yoke band here. Then click here to print out this section, and design your colourwork patterns on the printout! Tip: print in landscape orientation.
| Open in Stitch Fiddle | Open in Stitch Fiddle | Open in Stitch Fiddle | Open in Stitch Fiddle |