How to Knit a Simple Sweater
- 1). Cast on 69 stitches for a small sweater using the size 3 needles and the yarn. Knit the first two stitches. Purl one stitch and knit one stitch. Repeat this step to the end of the row, finishing with a knit stitch for the first row. Knit one stitch and purl one stitch, repeating them for the second row. These two rows form the ribbing, abbreviated as "1x1." Repeat them six more times.
- 2). Change to the size 6 needles and work in stockinette stitch until the piece is nine inches long from the beginning. Slip a small safety pin into the first and last stitches to mark the beginning of the armhole. Work another 28 rows of stockinette stitch.
- 3). Knit 10 rows of knit-purl ribbing as you did for the bottom edge. Bind off four stitches at the beginning of the next four rows, maintaining the ribbing pattern across the rows. You should have 53 stitches remaining. Bind off five stitches at the beginning for the next two rows. Bind off the remaining 43 stitches in ribbing. Cut the yarn and fasten it.
- 4). Knit another piece identical to the first one. These two pieces are the front and back.
- 1). Cast on 37 stitches using the smaller needles and the yarn. Knit 13 rows of 1x1 ribbing.
Knit the first four stitches of the next row. Make a backhand loop and slip it over the right needle as an increase stitch and rib the next three stitches. Repeat the increases followed by the three ribbing stitches across the row, ending by ribbing the last four stitches. You should have 45 stitches. - 2). Change to the larger needles and work four rows of stockinette stitch. Knit the first two stitches, make a backward loop increase, knit to the last two stitches of the row, make the matching backward loop increase and knit the last two stitches. Work eight rows of stockinette stitch. Repeat these rows until you have 57 stitches.
- 3). Continue in stockinette stitch without increasing until the sleeve is nine inches long from the beginning. Bind off five stitches at the beginning of the next eight rows. Bind off the remaining 17 stitches. Cut the yarn and fasten it. Make the second sleeve like the first.
- 1). Block the front, back and sleeve pieces with the damp cloth and the warm iron. Avoid blocking the ribbing stitches so they maintain their elasticity.
- 2). Pin the front and back together with the straight pins. Sew the shoulder seams with a back stitch using a length of yarn and the blunt needle. Sew the side seams from the bottom edge to the armholes marked with the safety pins. Sew the sleeve seams.
- 3). Sew the sleeves into the body at the shoulders. Press the seams lightly.
Body
Sleeves
Assembly
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