This is my fourth test for the talented designer, Aneta Szydlak-Bleyer. All of her designs have great shoulder construction detail. Aneta gave me permission to modify the neckline to include a turtleneck done in 1 x 1 ribbing.

This is the first time I’ve used this yarn. I had ordered yarn from Knit Picks especially for this project. But I guess their web pages were not up to date because I received notification 2 weeks later that both colors of their Stroll yarn that I ordered (as well as another yarn) were currently out of stock. So I had to use something in my stash in order to meet Aneta’s deadline.

This “Friends Wheel” is a very fine yarn. I’d say that it’s bordering on lace weight, but I still managed to match stitch gauge. Having tested for Aneta previously, I know that many of her patterns have a more dense row gauge than I can ever achieve. I had to eliminate 3 rounds before separating the body from the sleeves even though I went down 2 needle sizes from what’s suggested in the pattern. Even so, the underarms turned out about 2 inches (5 cm) too low, but it’s only noticeable when I raise my arms. It was difficult to judge how long to knit the raglan before separating sleeves and body because the collar was not knitted first. If I knit this again, I will know to eliminated quite a few additional rounds from the raglan area.

Needles Used:

Size 3 US (Addi) - Body and sleeves

Size 2 US (Addi) - First 1 inch of the collar; bottom and sleeve ribbing; JSSBO for the sleeve cuffs.

Size 1.5 US - Second inch of the collar and JSSBO for lower ribbing.

Size 1 US (Addi) - Remainder of the collar except for bind off

Sizes 2, 2.5 and 4 US for the collar’s tubular bindoff

What I did differently:

• Aneta gave me permission to knit a turtleneck collar. In order to better match the look of the collar, I simplified the sleeve cuff ribbing as follows:

• I did not do any decreasing for the sleeves, ending with 75 stitches before the ribbing. Then I decreased for the cuffs as follows:

{k2tog x 4, k1} 8 times, k2tog, k1 = 42 sts for sleeve cuffs.
Then I did 20 rounds of 1 x 1 ribbing before binding off with JSSBO (same size 2 US needle).

Due to the type of work that I do, I need to be able to push up my sleeves (if necessary) and have them stay there - hence the fitted cuff. Since this yarn is super drapey, this resulted in a very lovely looking sleeve.

• I just did simple 1 x 1 ribbing on the bottom edge - about 2.5 inches.

Weight of finished garment: 10.1 oz. (286.3 grams)
I only had .7 oz (19.85 grams) left over from the 3 wheels of yarn.

Finished Measurements:

Since this yarn is 55% cotton, I had been counting on it shrinking (lengthwise) quite a bit due to my inability to match row gauge (9 rows per inch / 2.5 cm) in this pattern). Unfortunately, the garment shrank very little, if at all. I soaked the sweater in warm water before putting it in a medium warm dryer for about an hour. It may have shrunk 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) in length at the most and absolutely nothing in width. I’m 5’ - 7” (1.7 meters) tall.

Body circumference - 43.5”

Turtleneck - 12.5” in circumference; 8” long

Back length, not including collar - 20.75”

Side length from underarm - 11.5”
(Normally this would be 13”, but I had to make it a lot shorrter due to the very low underarm position.)

Sleeve length from underarm, including ribbing - 19.5”

Double Twist Loop Cast On Video Tutorial

Tubular Bind off in the Round for 1 x 1 Ribbing
I used this on the collar

Instagram: @knitting.adventures