It is always a bit festive to release a new knitting pattern, I think. Especially when I have worked on the pattern for a long time, as I have with the pattern for the Walker 1_44 Sweater. I knitted my first version of the sweater during corona lockdowns. After that, the process of editing, photopraphy, and test knitting is always long, but this pattern was honestly also delayed because it was stuck on my to-do list with things that were not to be postponed!
But, about the finished pattern:
Walker 1_44 is a basic sweater with a relaxed body fit and a relatively fitted sleeve with a bit of extra length to keep wrists and hands warm, too.
The sweater is knitted from the bottom up, and shoulder seams closed with a 3-needle bind off. Then, sleeves are worked top down.
The pattern is available at Astrids butik and on Ravelry.
Here, the Walker 1_44 Sweater is shown in Rauma Finull and Mohair by Canard Brushed Lace held together, but with a gauge of 18 sts / 10 cm (4 inches), there are a lot of different yarn options for this one.
If working in just one color, I definitely think that the decorative rib edges are the best choise. But, I also wrote an option for ordinary 2×2 rib edges into the pattern. Those stitch numbers can also be used to work 1×1 or twisted 1×1 rib. If working the sweater in stripes or scraps, I think ordinary rib edges look nicer, as both colors changes and decorative rib edges just go in too many directions at once.
The decorative rib edges are partially based on the “Rick Rack Rib” from Barbara G. Walker’s “A Treasury of Knitting Patterns” and I decided to name this pattern after the author and where in her 4 volume work the rib is found: first book, page 44. Barbara G. Walker (b. 1930) is the author of several books, in addition to knitting, she has written about feminism and mythology. I became aware of Walker’s treasuries when I lived in the US from 2005 for a few years, and bought all four books. I often return to them. They are both a register of stitch patterns, collected by Walker, but are also handbooks to look in when you just need an edge pattern, an allover pattern, etc.
Walker 1_44 Sweater
Sizes: XS (S – M – L – XL – 2X – 3X – 4X – 5X) with a finished chest measurement of 94.5 (105.5 – 116.5 – 122 – 133 – 144.5 – 155.5 – 166.5 – 178) cm / 37 1/4 (41 1/2 – 46 – 48 – 52 1/2 – 56 3/4 – 61 1/4 – 65 1/2 – 70) inches.
Yarn use: Rauma Finull 6 (6 – 7 – 7 – 8 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 10) skeins, Mohair by Canard Brushed Lace 5 (5 – 6 – 6 – 7 – 7 – 8 – 8 – 8) skeins.
The pattern includes a bonus project: cuffs in the same pattern as the decorative rib. Perfect for trying out new color combinations or as a quick gift!
To give an idea of color combinations, 5 cuffs are shown below with the yarn they are made from:
Finull 405 dark grey and Brushed Lace 3010 charcoal:
Finull 404 grey and Brushed Lace 3005 sand:
Finull 4133 light rose and Brushed Lace 3022 rustic rose; the same color combination as the pink sweater above:
Finull 4805 mustard and Brushed Lace 3034 curry:
Finull 4125 ocher heather and Brushed Lace 3034 curry; the same color combination as the yellow sweater above:
And that, of course, is just a few of the infinite number of combinations of Finull and Brushed Lace!
Another day, I’ll show pictures of other versions of the sweater, made from yarns scraps and lonely skeins.
Astrids butik is my online store and the place to find the products related to my project Retrofutura. There, you’ll also find products related to my natural dyeing page Midgaards Have – natural dyes, yarn for dyeing, and dye plant seeds. Plus, you’ll find a growing selection of other yummy yarns, notions and patterns.
