Alcoves

Alcoves is a cabled design that takes its inspiration from ornately carved alcoves. The drop-shoulder garment features three panels of elegantly sculptured cablework, shaped to imitate stately, old-world architecture. The result is an engaging knit, creating an easy-to-wear yet eye-catching sweater. CONSTRUCTION This garment is worked top-down; the front and back feature three vertical panels of cablework each. The back piece is cast on first – consisting of stitches for both shoulders and the back of the neck – and worked flat, with short row shaping used to slope the shoulders and scoop the back of the neck slightly. Once armhole depth is reached for the back piece, stitches are picked up along each shoulder to form two front pieces, which are also worked flat and with short row shaping to slope the shoulders. Increases are later added to shape the front neckhole, before the two front pieces are joined and worked together. Once armhole depth is reached, back and front pieces are joined and the body is worked in the round. Stitches are picked up around the armholes to form each sleeve, which are each worked in the round and which feature a cablework panel running down to the cuff. Stitches are picked up around the neckhole to form a neckband. SIZING GUIDE This garment is graded into sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5) (6, 7, 8, 9). Recommended positive ease is 6+” / 15+ cm at the chest circumference. Finished Garment Chest Circumference: 39.5 (43.5, 48.75, 51.5, 54.25) (56.75, 59.5, 63.5, 66.25)" 99 (109, 122, 129, 135.5) (142, 149, 159, 165.5) cm SAMPLE The wearer is 5’10” / 178 cm with a 37” / 92.5 cm chest circumference. The sample has been worked in size 3, giving the wearer 11.75” / 29.5 cm of positive ease at the chest. To accommodate the height of the wearer, an extra 2” / 5 cm of length has been added to the sleeve length. GAUGE Using 3.5 mm / US size 4 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 24 stitches over 32 rounds in stockinette, wet blocked, creates a 4x4” / 10x10 cm square. YARN The sample has been worked using Fruity Knitting’s Artisan Fibres Sport 4ply base (150 m / 164 yds per 50 g) in colourway White Opal. YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess) 1191 (1287, 1395, 1424, 1536) (1566, 1686, 1742, 1859) metres 1303 (1407, 1526, 1558, 1680) (1713, 1845, 1906, 2034) yards 397 (429, 465, 475, 512) (522, 562, 581, 620) grams TOOLS & NOTIONS 2.75 mm / US size 2 circular needles (to work neckband, cuffs and waistband; varying cable lengths would be helpful) 2 sets of 3.5 mm / US size 4 circular needles (to work yoke, body and sleeves; varying cable lengths would be helpful) a spare 3.5 mm / US size 4 needle 12 cable panel markers 1 back of neck marker scrap yarn tapestry needle to weave in ends SKILLS REQUIRED -long tail cast on -working flat -German short row shaping -reading cable charts OR following cable written instructions -working cables -joining and working in the round -picking up stitches to form a sleeve -working a repeating pattern of decreases -decreasing using K2tog and SSK -standard bind off