This is the third post in a series where I’m slowly taking you on the adventure* of figuring out how to recreate the sweater above. The original sweater belongs to a friend and has been well-loved and well-worn for at least a decade or so. Over that time, it also became slightly felted. I’m knitting a new sweater to be exactly like the old in every way except length – the new one will be a touch longer (one diamond cable’s length).

In the first post, I introduced you to the sweater, it’s three cable patterns, two yarn options, and two swatches using those yarns. Both of those swatches were too small to match the original sweater, but I was able to work out the stitch patterns. By the second post, I had found a yarn and needle combination that produced a swatch that was the perfect match to the sweater! I also discussed blocking in that post.

Today I’m back to share a minor update ~ mainly that actual sweater knitting has commenced, and I’m about halfway done with the body of the sweater!

I also wanted to share my initial pattern notes for each of the cables. I often see a cable stitch that I’d like to incorporate into my own projects, but if it’s part of another pattern then I either have to buy the pattern of figure it out through trial and error. Of course, sometimes I get lucky and will find exactly what I’m looking for in a stitch guide, but even that takes a bit of hunting. Each of these distinct cable patterns can be incorporated into any variety of projects, from hats and sweaters, to throw pillows and afghans.

The notes are written as if you’re knitting in the round and moving along each row from right to left, which is often the case for a sweater. If you need any help translating them to a flat piece of knitting, please let me know!

Cable 1

Worked over 7 stitches and 4 rows.

• Row 1 : purl 2, knit 3, purl 2
• Row 2 : purl 2, pass the third stitch on the left needle over the two stitches before it, knit 1, yarn over, knit 1, purl two
• Rows 3 & 4 : purl 2, knit 3, purl 2

Cable 2

Worked over 14 stitches and 22 rows.

• Row 1 : knit all stitches
• Row 2 : knit 1, purl 5, c1b, purl 5, knit 1
• Row 3 : knit all stitches
• Row 4 : knit 1, purl 4, c1r, c1l, purl 4, knit 1
• Row 5 : knit 6, purl 2, knit 6
• Row 6 : knit 1, purl 3, c1r, purl 2, c1l, purl 3, knit 1
• Row 7 : knit 5, purl 4, knit 5
• Row 8 : knit 1, purl 2, c1r, purl 4, c1l, purl 2, knit 1
• Row 9 : knit 4, purl 6, knit 4
• Row 10 : knit 1, purl 1, c1r, purl 6, c1l, purl 1, knit 1
• Row 11 : knit 3, purl 8, knit 3
• Row 12 : knit 1, c1r, purl 8, c1l, knit 1
• Row 13 : knit 2, purl 10, knit 2
• Row 14 : knit 1, c1l, purl 8, c1r, knit 1
• Row 15 : knit 3, purl 8, knit 3
• Row 16 : knit 1, purl 1, c1l, purl 6, c1r, purl 1, knit 1
• Row 17 : knit 4, purl 6, knit 4
• Row 18 : knit 1, purl 2, c1l, purl 4, c1r, purl 2, knit 1
• Row 19 : knit 5, purl 4, knit 5
• Row 20 : knit 1, purl 3, c1l, purl 2, cir, purl 3, knit 1
• Row 21 : knit 6, purl 2, knit 6
• Row 22 : knit 1, purl 4, c1l, c1r, purl 4, knit 1

Cable Abbreviations:

• c1b ~ place next stitch on cable needle and hold to the back, knit 1 next stitch from left needle, knit the stitch on the cable needle
• c1r ~ place next stitch on the cable needle and hold to back, knit next stitch from left needle, purl the stitch on the cable needle
• c1l ~ place next stitch on the cable needle and hold to front, purl next stitch on left needle, knit the stitch on the cable needle

 Bobbles!

The pattern below is for four bobbles, two worked in one row and two worked in a second row, with the bobbles alternating in a vertical pattern. The four bobbles are worked over a multiple of 10 stitches 4 rows. I like this bobble pattern because they lay flatter and don’t seem to eat up as much yarn as some of the more traditional bobbles.

• Cast on 3 stitches.
• Set-up row. Knit 1, k1fb into next two stitches, knit 1, k1fb into next two stitches, for a total of 10 stitches.
• Row 1 : (k1,p1,k1,p1) into the first stitch, k4tog through the back of their loops, (k1,p1,k1,p1) into the next stitch, k4tog through the back of their loops
• Row 2 : purl all stitches
• Row 3 : k4tog through the back of their loops, (k1,p1,k1,p1) into the next stitch, k4tog through the back of their loops, (k1,p1,k1,p1) into the next stitch
• Row 4 : purl all stitches
• Repeat rows 1 – 4

*Go ahead, you can laugh at my use of the word adventure to describe this series, and if you do, know that I won’t be inviting you over for knit night ;-).