Dolman Sweater

Materials Required: 1 cone Nomis 3/15 in MC, plus approximately 3 oz CC. Any fingering weight yarn which will knit to gauge may be substituted. Two coordinating contrast colors are also very effective. Another pleasing design is to use a metallic, or novelty yarn for the CC, but be sure to try them out on a swatch first to be sure they don’t cancel out the pattern effect.

Gauge: 8 sts, 11 rows = 1 inch in Stockinette
Tension: approximately 7, or whatever is necessary to obtain gauge.

This garment is 24″ long after the waistbands are added, riding on top of the hip bones. I first published this pattern in 1987. It has remained popular all this time, and has consistently sold well at craft shows. Since it has only five pieces, back, front, neckband, and two waistbands, it is relatively quick to make.

Back

Bring forward 75 needles, 9R – 84R. CO with WY and ravel cord, ending COR. RC 000. T 7. K even to RC 19, COL.
Shape underarm. All shaping is made on L edge only; K even at R edge. Inc 1 st every 6 rows 1x, every 4 rows 1x, every 3 rows 10x, every 2 rows 12x, then inc 2 sts every 2 rows 10x, 3 sts every 2 rows 3x, then 8 sts 1x, ending RC 111 with COL. Bring out 32 more sts and CO. There are now 168 sts, 84L – 84R in WP, and armhole shaping is completed.

Load Fairisle pattern and lock on row 1 of pattern. You will need to refer to your own knitter manual for instructions on programming and using Fairisle patterns. K even to RC 150 (158). Change to Fairisle. Add CC to feeder 2 and change to T 8. K 23 rows of pattern 1. RC 173 (181). Change to Stockinette, T 7. K even with MC only to RC 176 (184), ending COR. Place a CC yarn tag in R edge st to mark neck. BO 2 sts EOR 4x at R edge for back neck shaping.

Program pattern 2 and lock on row 1. K even to RC 211 (221). Change to Fairisle, T 8. Add CC to feeder 2. K 31 rows, RC 242 (252). Change to Stockinette, T 7. K even with MC only to RC 270 (282), COR. CO 2 sts EOR4x. RC 276 (286). Needles 84L – 84R again in WP, and neck shaping is completed. Program pattern 1 and lock on row 1. K even to RC 279 (291). Change to Fairisle, T 8. Add CC to feeder 2. K 23 rows. RC 302 (314). Change to Stockinette. T 7. K even with MC only to RC 341 (361), COL.

Armhole Shaping. All shaping is done on L side only. BO EOR 32 sts 1x, 8 sts 1x, 3 sts 3x, 2 sts 10, 1 st 12x, then dec 1 st every 3 rows 10x, 1 st every 4 rows 1x, 1 st every 6 rows 1x. K even to RC 452 (472) and remove remaining 75 sts on WY.

Front

Work same as for back, except for neck shaping. Begin neck after RC 176 (184). All shaping is made on R side only. BO EOR, 12 sts 1x, 2 sts 4x. Load pattern 2 and lock on row 1. K even with MC to RC 211 (221). Change to Fairisle, T 8. Add CC to feeder 2 and K 31 rows of pattern. RC 242 (252). Change to Stockinette, T 7. K even with MC only to RC 268 (280), COR. CO EOR 2 sts 4x, 12 sts 1x. Needles 84L – 84R again in WP. Complete same as for back. Sew R shoulder seam.

Neckband

COL. K side of garment toward machine, pick up 183 (191) sts around neck edge. T 7. K 1 row. Change to K1, P1 ribbing. RC 000. T 4/4. K even to RC 10. T 9/9. K 1 row. Clip yarn. Latch off, pulling 2nd st through 1st, 3rd through 2nd, 4th through 3rd, etc. Pull yarn tail through last st to fasten off. Neckband will fit better if tension is tightened 1 “click” every 3 rows. Sew left shoulder seam.

Cuff

COL. K side toward machine, rehang lower edge of sleeve on 77 needles, doubling every st except first and last. T 7. K 1 row. Change to K1, P1 ribbing. RC 000. T 4/4. K even to RC 32. T 9/9. K 1 row. Clip yarn. Latch off, pulling 2nd st through 1st, 3rd through 2nd, 4th through 3rd, etc. Pull yarn tail through last st to fasten off. Repeat for other sleeve.

Waistband

Bring forward 145 (161) needles and arrange for K1, P1 ribbing. T 0/0. K 1 row, hang comb and weights. T 1/1. K 3 circular rows. RC 000. T 4/4. K even to RC 32. Transfer all sts to main bed. K side of garment toward machine, hang lower edge evenly onto same needles and BO together. Repeat for other waistband.

Finishing
Join underarm seams. This can be done by hand sewing, slip stitch crochet, or by sewing machine, as you prefer. Work in yarn ends

Original pattern was uploaded to Clearwater Knits website and copyrighted in 1997