Cambridge Connection

Knitted vest / slipover in DROPS Alaska. Piece is knitted with pepita pattern and edges in rib. Size: S - XXXL

DROPS 228-36
DROPS design: Pattern x-469
Yarn group C or A + A
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SIZE:
S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL

MATERIALS:
DROPS ALASKA from Garnstudio (belongs to yarn group C)
300-350-400-400-450-500 g colour 05, dark grey
200-250-250-300-300-350 g colour 63, pearl grey

NEEDLES:
DROPS SINGLE POINTED NEEDLES SIZE 7 mm
DROPS CIRCULAR NEEDLE SIZE 6 mm : Length 40 and 80 cm.
The technique MAGIC LOOP can be used on the edges – you then only need circular needle of 80 cm in size 6 mm.

KNITTING TENSION:
14 stitches in width and 17 rows vertically in stocking stitch or 27 rows vertically with pepita pattern = 10 x 10 cm.
NOTE! Remember that needle size is only a suggestion. If you have too many stitches on 10 cm switch to larger needles. If you have too few stitches on 10 cm switch to smaller needles.

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EXPLANATION FOR THE PATTERN:

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GARTER STITCH (back and forth):
Knit all rows.
1 ridge vertically = knit 2 rows.

PATTERN:
See diagrams A.1 and A.2. Diagrams show all rows in pattern seen from the right side.

DECREASE TIP (evenly):
To calculate how to decrease evenly, use the total number of stitches on row (e.g. 86 stitches), minus edge stitches (2 stitches), and divide the remaining 84 stitches by number of decreases to be done (e.g. 15) = 5.6.
In this example decrease by knitting alternately approx. every 4th and 5th stitch and every 5th and 6th stitch together.

KNITTING TIP:
When decreasing for armholes and neck, continue the pattern as before. If the outermost stitch towards the sides or neck is a stitch to be slipped, replace this stitch with a knit stitch in colour this row is worked with.

CAST-OFF TIP:
To avoid a tight cast-off edge when casting off, you may use a larger needle. If this still is too tight make 1 yarn over after approx. every 4th stitch while casting off (cast off yarn overs as stitches).

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START THE PIECE HERE:

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VEST – SHORT SUMMARY OF PIECE:
Work back piece and front piece back and forth on needle separately, bottom up. Sew the piece together as explained in pattern. Then work an edge in rib around the neck and around both armholes.

BACK PIECE:
Cast on 86-90-94-106-114-118 stitches on circular needle size 6 mm with dark grey in DROPS Alaska. Purl 1 row (= wrong side). Then work rib as follows from right side: 1 edge stitch in GARTER STITCH – read explanation above, * knit 2, purl 2 *, work from *-* until 1 stitch remains, and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Continue rib like this for 5 cm.
Switch to single pointed needles size 7 mm. Knit 1 row from right side while decreasing 15-15-15-19-19-19 stitches evenly - read DECREASE TIP = 71-75-79-87-95-99 stitches.
Knit 1 row from wrong side.
Continue to work pattern from right side as follows: Work A.1 (= 1 edge stitch), work A.2 until 2 stitches remain on row (= 17-18-19-21-23-24 repetitions of 4 stitches – first repetition begins with pearl grey background and dark grey stitches that are slipped), work first stitch in A.2, so that pattern begins and ends the same, and finish with A.1 (= 1 edge stitch). Continue pattern back and forth like this. REMEMBER THE KNITTING TENSION!
When piece measures 31-32-33-34-35-36 cm, cast off for armholes at beginning of every row in each side as follows: Read KNITTING TIP and cast off 3 stitches 2-2-2-3-3-3 times in each side, and then 1 stitch 6-6-6-7-7-7 times in each side = 47-51-55-55-63-67 stitches. Continue with pattern as before.
When piece measures 54-56-58-60-62-64 cm, cast off the middle 23-27-31-31-31-35 stitches for neck and finish each shoulder separately.
Continue pattern as before, and cast off 1 stitch on next row from the neck = 11-11-11-11-15-15 stitches remain on shoulder. Work until piece measures 56-58-60-62-64-66 cm (piece measures approx. 25-26-27-28-29-30 cm from where decrease for armholes begin). Cast off knitting from right side. Work the other shoulder the same way.

FRONT PIECE:
Cast on 86-90-94-106-114-118 stitches on circular needle size 6 mm with dark grey in DROPS Alaska. Purl 1 row (= wrong side). Then work rib as follows from right side: 1 edge stitch in garter stitch, * knit 2, purl 2 *, work from *-* until 1 stitch remains, and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Continue rib like this for 5 cm.
Switch to single pointed needles size 7 mm. Knit 1 row from right side while decreasing 15-15-15-19-19-19 stitches evenly - remember DECREASE TIP = 71-75-79-87-95-99 stitches.
Knit 1 row from wrong side.
Continue to work pattern from right side as follows: Work A.1 (= 1 edge stitch), work A.2 until 2 stitches remain on row (= 17-18-19-21-23-24 repetitions of 4 stitches – first repetition begins with pearl grey background and dark grey stitches that are slipped), work first stitch in A.2, so that pattern begins and ends the same, and finish with A.1 (= 1 edge stitch). Continue pattern back and forth like this.
When piece measures 31-32-33-34-35-36 cm, cast off for armholes at beginning of every row in each side as follows: Remember KNITTING TIP and cast off 3 stitches 2-2-2-3-3-3 times in each side, and then 1 stitch 6-6-6-7-7-7 times in each side = 47-51-55-55-63-67 stitches. Continue with pattern as before.
When piece measures 48-50-52-52-54-56 cm, slip the middle 13-17-17-17-17-19 stitches on a stitch holder for neck and finish each shoulder separately.
Continue pattern as before , and cast off for neck at the beginning of every row from neck as follows: Cast off 3 stitches 1-1-1-1-1-1 time, 2 stitches 1-1-2-2-2-2 times and 1 stitch 1-1-1-1-1-2 times = 11-11-11-11-15-15 stitches remain on shoulder.
Work until piece measures 56-58-60-62-64-66 cm (piece measures approx. 25-26-27-28-29-30 cm from where decrease for armholes begin). Cast off knitting from right side. Work the other shoulder the same way.

ASSEMBLY:
Sew in side seams inside 1 edge stitch in each side. Sew shoulder seams inside cast-off edge.

NECK EDGE:
Begin from right side on top of one shoulder, and pick up inside 1 edge stitch approx. 72-84-92-96-96-104 stitches around the neck (including stitches on stitch holders at the front) on a short circular needle size 6 mm with colour dark grey (number of stitches must be divisible by with 4).
Work rib in the round = knit 2/purl 2 for 3 cm. Cast off with knit over knit and purl over purl - read CAST-OFF TIP.

SLEEVE EDGE:
Begin from right side at the bottom of one armhole and pick up inside 1 edge stitch approx. 80-84-88-92-92-96 stitches around the armhole on a short circular needle size 6 mm with colour dark grey (number of stitches must be divisible by 4).
Work rib in the round = knit 2/purl 2 for 3 cm. Cast off with knit over knit and purl over purl - remember CAST-OFF TIP. Work another edge the same way around the other armhole.

Diagram explanations

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