Merry Trees

Knitted Christmas jumper for men in DROPS Air. The piece is worked top down, with round yoke and Christmas tree pattern. Sizes S - XXXL. Theme: Christmas.

DROPS 224-6
DROPS Design: Pattern no ai-339
Yarn group C or A + A
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SIZES:
S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL

MATERIALS:
DROPS AIR from Garnstudio (belongs to yarn group C)
300-300-350-400-400-450 g colour 04, medium grey
50-50-50-50-50-50 g colour 19, forest green
50-50-50-50-50-50 g colour 22, yellow
50-50-50-50-50-50 g colour 05, brown

NEEDLES:
DROPS CIRCULAR NEEDLE SIZE 5 MM: Length 40 cm and 80 cm.
DROPS CIRCULAR NEEDLE SIZE 4 MM: Length 40 cm and 80 cm.
DROPS DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES SIZE 5 MM.
DROPS DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES SIZE 4 MM.
The technique MAGIC LOOP can be used – you then only need circular needle of 80 cm in each size.

KNITTING TENSION:
17 stitches in width and 22 rows in height with stocking stitch = 10 x 10 cm.
NOTE: Needle size is only a guide. If you get too many stitches on 10 cm, change to a larger needle size. If you get too few stitches on 10 cm, change to a smaller needle size.

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EXPLANATIONS FOR THE PATTERN:

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INCREASE TIP (evenly spaced):
To work out how to increase evenly, count the total number of stitches on the needle (e.g. 80 stitches) and divide by the number of increases to be made (e.g. 16) = 5. 
In this example, increase by making 1 yarn over after each 5th stitch. On the next round knit the yarn overs twisted to avoid holes.

PATTERN:
See diagram A.1. Choose diagram for your size. The pattern is worked in stocking stitch.

KNITTING TIP:
To avoid the knitting tension losing its elasticity when working pattern it is important that the strands at the back are not tight. Use a size larger needle when working pattern if the piece becomes tight.

DECREASE TIP (for sleeves): 
Decrease 1 stitch on either side of the marker thread as follows: Work until there are 3 stitches left before the marker thread, knit 2 together, knit 2 (marker thread sits between these 2 stitches), slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 1 and pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch (2 stitches decreased).

CASTING-OFF TIP:
To avoid the cast-off edge being tight you can cast off with a larger size needle. If the edge is still tight, make 1 yarn over after approx. each 4th stitch at the same time as casting off; the yarn overs are cast off as normal stitches.

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START THE PIECE HERE:

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JUMPER – SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE PIECE:
The neck and yoke are worked in the round with circular needle, from mid back and top down. The yoke is divided for body and sleeves and the body is continued in the round with circular needle. The sleeves are worked with short circular needle/double pointed needles, top down.

NECK:
Cast on 100-105-110-115-120-130 stitches with short circular needle size 4 mm and medium grey DROPS Air. Knit 1 round, then work rib (knit 2, purl 3) in the round for 4 cm. Now decrease 1 stitch in each purled section by purling 2 together = 80-84-88-92-96-104 stitches. Continue the new rib (knit 2, purl 2) until the neck measures 12 cm. Change to circular needle size 5 mm.

YOKE:
Insert 1 marker at the beginning of the round, mid-back; the yoke is measured from this marker! Knit 1 round where you increase 16-18-26-28-30-34 stitches evenly spaced – read INCREASE TIP = 96-102-114-120-126-138 stitches.
Work according to diagram A.1 (= 16-17-19-20-21-23 repeats of 6 stitches). NOTE! Choose diagram for your size and read KNITTING TIP!
REMEMBER THE KNITTING TENSION!
When A.1 is finished in height there are 256-272-304-320-336-368 stitches on the round. Knit 1 round with medium grey where you increase 0-0-0-4-8-0 stitches evenly = 256-272-304-324-344-368 stitches. Continue with stocking stitch and medium grey until the yoke measures 26-28-29-31-33-35 cm from the marker.

Now divide for the body and sleeves:
Knit 38-40-44-49-53-58 (= half back piece), place the next 52-56-64-64-66-68 stitches on 1 thread for the sleeve, cast on 6-8-8-10-12-12 stitches (= in side under sleeve), knit 76-80-88-98-106-116 (= front piece), place the next 52-56-64-64-66-68 stitches on 1 thread for the sleeve, cast on 6-8-8-10-12-12 stitches (= in side under sleeve), knit the last 38-40-44-49-53-58 stitches (= half back piece). The body and sleeves are finished separately. THE PIECE IS NOW MEASURED FROM HERE!

BODY:
There are now 164-176-192-216-236-256 stitches on needle. Continue in the round with stocking stitch and medium grey for 32-32-33-33-33-33 cm (or to desired length; there is 6 cm left to finished length). Change to circular needle size 4 mm and work rib (knit 2, purl 2) for 6 cm. Loosely cast off with knit over knit and purl over purl – read CASTING-OFF TIP. The jumper measures approx. 68-70-72-74-76-78 cm from the shoulder down.

SLEEVES:
Place the 52-56-64-64-66-68 stitches from the thread on the one side of the piece on short circular needle/double pointed needles size 5 mm and knit up 1 stitch in each of the 6-8-8-10-12-12 stitches cast on under the sleeve = 58-64-72-74-78-80 stitches. Insert a marker thread in the middle of the new stitches under the sleeve. Allow the thread to follow your work onwards; it will be used when decreasing under the sleeve.
Start at the marker thread and work stocking stitch in the round with medium grey for 3 cm. Now decrease 2 stitches under the sleeve – read DECREASE TIP. Decrease like this every 6-4-3-2½-2½-2½ cm a total of 6-8-11-11-12-12 times = 46-48-50-52-54-56 stitches. Continue working until the sleeve measures 39-38-37-36-34-32 cm from the division (or to desired length; there is 4 cm left to finished length. NOTE! Shorter measurements in larger sizes due to wider neck and longer yoke). Knit 1 round where you increase 2-4-2-4-2-4 stitches evenly spaced = 48-52-52-56-56-60 stitches. Change to double pointed needles size 4 mm and work rib (knit 2, purl 2) for 4 cm. Cast off with knit over knit and purl over purl – remember CASTING-OFF TIP! The sleeve measures approx. 43-42-41-40-38-36 cm from the division.
Work the other sleeve in the same way.

ASSEMBLY:
The neck can be folded double or kept as a high neck. If you want a double neck, fold it double to the inside and sew down. To avoid the neck being tight and rolling outwards, it is important that the seam is elastic.

KNOT:
Make a knot at the top of each tree. Cut 2 strands of yellow, each 10 cm long. Put the strands together and thread them through the top yellow stitch on each tree, with both ends on the right side. Tie a knot, then another knot in the opposite direction – see sketch. Cut the strands leaving 1 cm ends. Repeat at the top of each tree.

Diagram explanations

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