Lykaina is Ancient Greek for a female wolf and is sometimes used as a byname of Artemis.
The fibre that this sweater started with is from one of my favourite German hand dyers – Frau Wöllfchen. Her business name is a pun on the German words for wool and wolf. This sweater has a distinct autumn forest vibe for me, so I thought it would be apt to name it after the wolf part.
Whether you feel wolf-like or huntress-like or just want to stroll through an autumn landscape, here’s the sweater to keep you cosy.
Don’t let the small gauge discourage you, the cable & lace yoke (with optional beads!) is a lot of fun to knit, and after that, when you have tried it on for the first time, you won’t want to stop…

Sizing / yarn requirements: See bottom picture for detailed sizing and yardage table.

The sweater is meant to be worn with ~10 cm / 4 inches of negative ease in the bust, for a snug fit in the upper body. The ribbing is fairly stretchy and will adjust to a variety of body shapes.
For a less body-hugging fit, the sweater can be knit with a slightly heavier yarn at the alternative gauge of 28 stitches / 34 rows. See measurement tables for comparison.
The pattern contains a step-by-step tutorial for optional bust darts.

The sweater is shown in size S3 on a person with a 84 cm / 33’’ bust and a 90 cm / 35’’ hip.

Yarn advice:
The original sweater was knit with a handspun 2-ply Corriedale yarn (425 m / 465 yards per 100g).
The pattern is suitable for heavier lace and light fingering yarns of about 500-600 m per 100g (25-28 WPI). Choose a smooth yarn in a solid or slightly heathered colour for good stitch definition in the cable/lace pattern.

Bead advice:
Recommended bead type: Toho 8/0 (3mm).
They are usually sold in small packages of 5-10g which is more than sufficient. There are several bead placement options and the total number required varies from 85 to 225 beads.

Needle advice:
Use the needle size that gives you the required gauge, most likely 2.5 - 3 mm / US 1 ½ - 2 ½.
The garment is mostly worked in the round. If you want to use the same needle for everything, it is best to use a medium long circular needle (80 - 100 cm / 32 - 40’’).

Construction:
The sweater is worked top down in the round, starting with a circular yoke. Short rows and raglan increases are added for a better fit in the shoulder and armhole area. Body and sleeves are separated and continued in the round.

The cable pattern is charted only.