Catkins is a top-down, textured yoke sweater, designed especially for The Fibre Fox’s 2024 Advent fade set. It features a beautifully ornate textured pattern of knits, purls and picked up stitches that mimic the shape and texture of catkins.

CONSTRUCTION
This design can be worked in a single colour or a fade of colours.
This garment is worked top-down, in the round. After casting on, the majority of the yoke features a textured stitch pattern. Once all the yoke increases are reached, you can choose how long to continue working the textured stitch pattern through the remaining yoke, or into the body and sleeves, before switching to reverse stockinette stitch. You can even work the textured stitch all the way down to the waistband and cuffs, if desired.
Once yoke depth is reached, short rows are worked into the back of the garment to add length and raise the back of the neckband. The body and sleeves are each worked in the round and finished with ribbed waistband and cuffs. The neckband can be finished with an I-Cord edge if desired.

SIZING GUIDE
This garment is graded into sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5) (6, 7, 8, 9, 10). Recommended positive ease is 3+” / 7.5+ cm at the chest circumference.

Finished Garment Chest Circumference:
33.75 (37.75, 41.25, 45.5, 49.25) (53.5, 57.25, 61.5, 65, 69)“
84.5 (94, 103, 114, 123) (133.5, 143, 154, 162.5, 172.5) cm

GAUGE
Using 3.25 mm / US size 3 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 26 stitches over 34 rounds in reverse stockinette stitch, wet blocked, creates a 4x4” / 10x10 cm square.

YARN
The sample has been worked using The Fibre Fox’s 2024 Advent in the Luxe Sock base (75% Merino / 25% Nylon; 425 m / 465 yds per 100 g).
This design can be worked in one colour or a fade of colours, using fingering or sock weight yarn.

YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess)

1214 (1289, 1374, 1500, 1582) (1735, 1832, 1854, 1933, 1991) metres
1328 (1410, 1504, 1641, 1731) (1898, 2006, 2028, 2114, 2178) yards
286 (303, 323, 353, 372) (408, 431, 436, 455, 468) grams

There is further guidance on yardage in the pattern, if you are working with a 24-colour fade.

TOOLS & NOTIONS
2.75 mm / US size 2 circular needles (to work neckband, cuffs and waistband; varying cable lengths would be helpful)
3.25 mm / US size 3 circular needles (to work yoke, body and sleeves; varying cable lengths would be helpful)
1 marker
scrap yarn
tapestry needle to weave in ends
weighing scales (if working with a 24-colour fade)

SKILLS REQUIRED
-long tail cast on
-joining and working in the round
-picking up stitches
-working K2tog and SSK decreases
-cable cast on
-working half twisted ribbing
-German short row shaping