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Authors: Debbie Stoller

Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook (55 page)

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TO HIDE WRAPS

On RS: Insert the right-hand needle from the front and under the front of the wrap (not the stitch). Lift the wrap, insert the right-hand needle through the stitch, and k both tog as one.

On WS: Insert the right-hand needle from the front and under the back of the wrap (not the stitch). Lift the wrap onto the left-hand needle, placing it next to the stitch that had been wrapped. Now insert the right-hand needle through both the wrap and the stitch, and p as one.

STRETCHY BIND-OFF

At the neckline, use a stretchy BO to add some elasticity and make sure the garment will fit around your neck.

* Work 2 sts as usual (k or p, depending on whether you’re on the RS or WS); then pass the first st you worked on the right-hand needle over the second st you worked on the right-hand needle, and drop this first st off the needles completely (just like a normal BO step), but then return the remaining st from the right-hand needle to the left-hand needle, and repeat from *.

D
IRECTIONS

BACK

CO 92 (100, 108, 116) sts.

Work 2 rows in garter st.

Work 11 rows in St st.

Dec row (RS): Dec 1 st at each end of row. Rep dec row every 8th row 4 times more—82 (90, 98, 106) sts.

Work 5 rows even.

Inc row: Inc 1 st at each end of row. Rep inc row every 6th row 4 times more—92 (100, 108, 116) sts.**

Work 10 (10, 14, 18) rows even, end with a WS row.

ARMHOLE SHAPING

BO 5 (5, 6, 7) sts at beg of next 2 rows—82 (90, 96, 102) sts. From this point until the shoulder shaping, you will be working the first and last 3 sts in garter st.

Dec row (RS): Work 3 garter sts, dec 1 st, work to last 5 sts, dec 1 st, work 3 garter sts. Rep dec row every row 3 (4, 4, 6) times more, every other row 3 (4, 5, 6) times, then every 3rd row 0 (1, 2, 2) time(s)—68 (70, 72, 72) sts.

BACK NECK OPENING

Work even until armhole meas 4 (4½, 4½, 5)", end with a WS row.

K 34 (35, 36, 36) sts, sl rem sts to a holder. Work 19 rows even across the first 34 (35, 36, 36) sts, working the first and last 3 sts in garter st, end with a WS row.

SHAPE SHOULDER

BO 2 sts at the beg of the next row, then every other row 5 times more—22 (23, 24, 24) sts.

Dec 1 st at outside edge of every 3rd row 2 times—20 (21, 22, 22) sts. Work 2 rows garter st, then BO rem sts with a stretchy BO.

To work the other half of the back neck opening, place sts from holder onto needle and join yarn at the back neck opening edge. Work 19 or 27 (as for back neck opening) rows even, working the first and last 3 sts in garter st, end with a RS row.

Shape the shoulder and the neck in a similar manner to the first half.

FRONT

Note:
When working instructions same as back, your front stitch count should be 1 less than those noted for the back.

CO 91 (99, 107, 115) sts.

Work 2 rows in garter st.

Work 40 (44, 48, 51) St st, pm, work 11 garter st, pm, work 40 (44, 48, 51) St st. Follow instructions for the back to **, keeping the center 11 sts in garter st; end with a WS row.

Optional short-row bust shaping:
A short row is a row of knitting that does not extend all the way across the knitted piece. This technique is often used to provide a little extra room for a large bust—without it, the garment might “ride up” at the front hem. By following
the instructions below, you’ll be shaping the bust and adding about 1½" to the length of the front.

*K until there are 5 sts rem on the left-hand needle, W&T. P back to the beg, but stop when there are 5 sts rem on the left-hand needle again, W&T. This is the first pair of short rows.

Rep from * 5 times more, working each subsequent pair of short rows when there are 7, 9, 11, 13, then 15 sts rem on the left-hand needle.

After the final W&T, work to the end of the row. Pu and k 5 wrapped sts and hide those wraps. Once you reach the end of the row, turn and work back, pu and p the rem 5 wrapped sts and hide those wraps.

Work 10 (10, 14, 18) rows even (if you worked the optional short rows, be sure to pu the wraps and k them with the wrapped sts on that first row across), end with a WS row.

ARMHOLE SHAPING

Work same as back.

Work even on 67 (69, 71, 71) sts until armhole meas same as back, end with a WS row.

SHAPE SHOULDERS

BO 2 sts at the beg of the next 12 rows—43 (45, 47, 47) sts.

Dec 1 st at each edge of every 3rd row 2 times—39 (41, 43, 43) sts. Work 2 rows garter st, then BO rem sts with a stretchy BO.

BELT

The belt was designed to be worn doubled, with 8" dangling ends. Wrap a tape measure around your torso where you intend to wear the belt—your waist or a few inches lower down. The total length of the belt will be twice the length of the tape measure around your torso, plus 16", or about 70"–80". Of course, that’s a lot of knitting. If you don’t want to wear the belt doubled, then the total length of the belt will be the length of tape measure wrapped around your torso plus 16".

Work 3-st I-cord to desired length.

Thread the bead(s) onto each end of the belt. Once the belt is through, tie a knot in the ends to keep the bead(s) from sliding off.

FINISHING

Block pieces and sew them together at the side and shoulder seams. Sew the button to the upper edge of one side of the back neck opening, then make a small yarn loop with a crochet chain on the upper edge of the other side of the back neck opening.

Make two 1" belt loops using chain st. Sew one belt loop to each side seam in the desired place (which you noted when you measured the length of the belt).

ABOUT JENNA

See Jenna’s bio on
page 206
.

CATHERINE STINSON

Queen of Hearts and Wonder Woman Bikinis

A lady in my Stitch ’n Bitch got everyone into a tizzy a couple of years ago when she arrived with a pattern for a knit bikini she’d found on the Internet. Well, she knit the bottoms, and they were such a crazy wide shape that they became the “butt” of many a Stitch ’n Bitch joke. We’d sit around brainstorming uses for them, since they obviously couldn’t be used as bikini bottoms—slingshot was the favorite suggestion. I tried the pattern myself, and the bottoms ended up so small that I couldn’t get them on, even after several tries at making them bigger. We burned that pattern in frustration. Through trial, error, and lots of standing naked in front of the mirror, I came up with something that works. The first prototype was made just in time for a Valentine’s Day party, so obviously it had to be red with pink hearts. The Wonder Woman thunderbolts were more of a springtime invention.

This is a cute, slightly slutty string bikini. Make it in a cotton/lycra blend and head to the beach, or make it in something soft and fuzzy for use behind closed doors.