Long Walks in the Grass is the first in a mini-collection of sweaters designed to be both an adventure to knit and perfect to knit and wear whilst on an adventure. This one has an interesting hybrid raglan/contiguous sleeve construction and optional waist shaping. It has long slim sleeves to make it easy to fit under a coat for long walks whatever the weather. And the simple stitch pattern makes it easy to memorise for travel knitting and it needs no cable needles to work.

Sizes (chest size):
Sweater is designed to be worn with around 0-+5cm/ 0-+2 in of ease and is shown modelled at 0 ease. Finished chest sizes are as follows:

xs: 76cm/30 in
s: 85cm/33 ½ in
m:95cm/37 ¼ in
l: 104cm/41 in

Needles:
5 mm (US size 8) circular needle with a long cable or correct needle size to achieve gauge for body and 4mm (US size 6) for ribbing. You may also want a needle between these sizes for waist shaping (optional). Shorter needles or DPNs for sleeves if you do not wish to magic loop.

Gauge:
19 stitches and 25 rows to 10 cm/4 inches over pattern. 17 stitches and 25 rows over stockinette.

Yarn and yardage:
I used Woolyknit 100% pure wool aran in colourway Denim. You may substitute any aran or heavy worsted yarn (the wooly knit is WPI 8, you would probably get away with something like cascade 220 with a WPI of 9 if you can’t get true aran as this is quite firmly knit as written).

The pink version is in Drops Nepal.

This pattern will do lovely things for solid or semi solid yarns and is one of those rare sweater patterns that work well for variegated yarns.

NB these allowances are based on sweater lengths for an average height of 165cm/5’4”. If you are tall you may wish to allow extra.

xs: 655m/714yds (9 skeins)
s: 735m/801yds (10 skeins)
m: 825m/899yds (11 skeins)
l: 932/1015yds (12 skeins)

Construction and skills
Top down and seamless. Begins knit flat whilst the neck is shaped (neck is raised higher at the back than front, although this is a fairly high neck for maximum winter warmth). It is then joined in the round.The construction is a hybrid compound raglan/contiguous sleeve. Sleeves are picked up from live stitches and worked down to the cuff in the round. Stitches for the neckband are picked up afterwards. Optional waist shaping instructions are included.

This garment uses some elements from the Contiguous method. To find out more about the Contiguous method, visit SusieM’s Contiguous project