Coombe: Shear Merino-Dorset DK

DESIGNER: Sarah Solomon

Coombe is a top-down raglan sweater with a timeless texture. Follow the ease guidelines to get either a relaxed classic fit or a more contemporary oversized fit and choose from two styles of sleeves to make it your own; a graceful balloon sleeve with slightly gathered cuff, or a traditional tapered sleeve. Instructions are given to help you match our sample but because this sweater is knit top-down, body and sleeve lengths are fully adjustable and even the collar can be customized to suit you exactly. 

COOMBE DK is a lighter weight version of the Coombe sweater (shown with the tapered sleeve option), featuring all of the possible modifications of its sister pattern. The simple texture has a delicacy as this gauge and makes for a wonderful layering piece in the transition season.

NOTE: This pattern is worked from the bottom-up.

PATTERN INFORMATION

DIFFICULTY: 2/5

SIZES

A (B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Bust: 33 ¾ (37, 40 ½, 43 ¾, 47 ¼, 50 ½, 54, 59, 64)" / 85.5 (94, 103, 111, 120, 128.5, 137, 150, 162.5) cm

This garment is intended to be worn with 3–5" / 7.5 – 12.5 cm positive ease but can be worn with up to 10–12" / 25.5 – 32 cm of positive ease if a looser fit is desired. Shown in size D modeled with 9 ¾" / 24 cm positive ease

YARN

Harrisville Designs Shear Merino Dorset DK Weight

100% undyed American Wool/196 yards per 50 g skein

For Balloon sleeve:

6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 11, 12) skeins or 1041 (1098, 1206, 1287, 1481, 1628, 1764, 1997, 2297) yards of DK weight yarn For Tapered sleeve:

5 (6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) skeins or 967 (1024, 1122, 1203, 1372, 1499, 1642, 1847, 2104) yards of DK weight yarn

NEEDLES

• Main Fabric Needle: US 7 [4.50 mm]: 16" / 40 cm and 32" / 80 cm circular, and DPNs, if preferred for small circumference knitting
• Ribbing Needle: US 5 [3.75 mm]: 16" / 40 cm and 32" / 80 cm circular, and dpns, if preferred for small circumference knitting

GAUGE

• Blocked Gauge 19 sts & 28 rnds = 4" / 10 cm in Circular Double Garter Rib on Main Fabric Needle, after wet-blocking

NOTIONS

• Stitch markers
• Waste yarn or spare needles
• Tapestry needle
• Crochet Hook (optional, for underarm cast on)

TECHNIQUES USED

• Knitting in the Round
• Chart Reading (optional)
• Crochet Cast On
• German Short Rows
• Backward Loop Cast On

NOTES

• This sweater is worked in the round, from the top down, with raglan shaping.
• Neckline is shaped with German short rows but another short row method may be substituted if you prefer.
• Row gauge will change from the blocked swatch row gauge to about 30 rows = 4" / 10 cm in the finished piece. All lengths in the pattern are counted in rows, and the finished lengths are included for reference. Always measure straight down in the center of the piece.
• We recommend wet blocking to confirm the lengths as you go.
• For the first washing of this yarn we recommend using a mild dish soap like Dawn or Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap. The fabric will soften and bloom dramatically. Be sure to block your swatch in the same manner as you will treat the garment to get an accurate gauge reading.
• With a few small modifications, this sweater can be made entirely seamless and reversible. Use waste yarn and the crochet chain provisional cast on for body underarm stitches and when you are ready to start your sleeves you will return the provisional sts to your sleeve needle, adjust the stitch count if necessary and knit your sleeves seamless out of the body. For the neckline, picking up through half of the cast on edge will yield a neat result on both sides of the sweater.
• Instructions are provided for the 1x1 Rib Sewn Bind Off but it may be challenging to work due to the uneven nature of this yarn. Binding off in loosely in pattern is easy to work and will yield a very clean result.

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