Opal
Designed by Karen Almond

SKILL LEVEL
Recommended for intermediate knitters

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Instructions are written for size Small close-fitting garment. Any changes for Medium and Large are written in brackets. Where there is only one figure, it applies to all sizes. Shown in size Medium.

ins	Small	Medium	Large
Approx finished chest	34 ¼	38 ½	42
Length from shoulder	20	20 ½	21
Sleeve length to underarm	16 ¼	16 ½	16 ¾

cm	Small	Medium	Large
Approx finished chest	87	98	107
Length from shoulder	51	52	53.5
Sleeve length to underarm	41.5	42	42.5

MATERIALS AND TOOLS

• 9 (9, 10) 1 3/4oz/ 50g skeins (each approx 123yds/ 113m) Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK (100% wool) in colour #347, Skip; MC
• 3, 50g/ 1 3/4oz/ 50g skeins (each approx 65yds/ 60m) The Collection Multi Fizz (100% polyester) in colour #616, Multi; CC
• One pair 4mm (US 6) needles or needles required to obtain gauge given below
• 4mm (US 6) circular needle, 31 1/2ins/ 80cm long
• Stitch holder
• 1 large silk covered hook-and-eye fastener

GAUGE
22 sts and 30 rows = 4ins/ 10cm over St st

Abbreviations for this pattern
M1 = make 1 st by picking up horizontal loop before next st and knitting into back of it
M1p = make 1 st by picking up horizontal loop before next st and purling into back of it.

METHOD

Back
With MC, cast on 106 (118, 128)sts. Break yarn.

** With CC, work in garter st (k every row) until piece from beg measures 1 1/2ins/ 4cm, ending with a WS row. Break yarn.

With MC, and beg with a k row (RS) work 2 rows St st. **

Next row (RS, dec row): K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 104 (116, 126)sts now on needle.
Cont working in St st, decreasing 1 st at beg and end of every alternate row as established to 84 (96, 106)sts.
Work even in St st for 9 more rows.

Next row (RS, inc row): K2, M1, k to last st, M1, k2. 86 (98, 108)sts now on needle.
Cont working in St st, increasing 1 st at beg and end of every foll 8th row as established to 94 (106, 116)sts.

Work even in St st until piece from beg measures 11 1/4 (11 1/2, 11 3/4)ins/ 28.5 (29, 30)cm, ending with a WS row.

Armhole shaping: Bind off 3 sts beg next 2 rows. 88 (100, 110)sts now on needle.
Dec 1 st at beg and end of next 4 rows. 80 (92, 102)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Dec 1 st at beg and end of next 3 alternate rows. 74 (86, 96)sts now on needle.

Work even in St st until armhole from beg of shaping measures 8 3/4 (9, 9 1/4)ins/ 22.5 (23, 23.5)cm, ending with a WS row.

Right neck/shoulder shaping:
Next row (RS): Bind off 5 (7, 9)sts, k11 (15, 18) including st rem on needle after bind-off, turn. Leave rem 58 (64, 69)sts on a spare needle.
Next row (WS): P11 (15, 18).
Next row (RS): Bind off 5 (7, 9)sts, k 6 (8, 9) including st rem on needle after bind-off.
Next row (WS): P 6 (8, 9).
Bind off.

Left neck/shoulder shaping:
Return to sts on spare needle. With RS facing rejoin yarn at neck edge, bind off 42 sts for centre back neck, k to end of row. 16 (22, 27)sts now on needle.
Next row (WS): Bind off 5 (7, 9)sts, p to end of row. 11 (15, 18)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): K 11 (15, 18).
Next row (WS): Bind off 5 (7, 9)sts, p to end of row.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Bind off rem 6 (8, 9)sts.

Left Front
With MC, cast on 46 (52, 57)sts. Break yarn.
Work as given for Back from ** to **.

Next row (RS, dec row): K1, ssk, k to end of row. 45 (51, 56)sts now on needle.
Cont working in St st, decreasing 1 st at beg of every alternate row as established to 35 (41, 46)sts.
Work in St st for 2 more rows.

Faux pocket edging:
Next row (WS, carry MC and CC loosely across WS of work): P7 (9, 11) with MC, [M1p with CC, p1 with MC] 21 (23, 25) times, M1p with CC, p7 (9, 10) with MC. 57 (65, 72)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): K7 (9, 10) with MC, bring CC to front of work, [place CC st on st holder, k1 with MC] 21 (23, 25) times, place CC st on st holder, k7 (9, 11) with MC. 35 (41, 46) MC sts now on needle and 22 (24, 26) CC sts on st holder.

Working over 35 (41, 46) MC sts only, work 5 rows St st.
Next row (RS, inc row): K2, M1, k to end of row. 36 (42, 47)sts now on needle.
Cont working in St st, increasing 1 st every foll 8th row as established to 40 (46, 51)sts.

Work even in St st until piece measures same as Back to armholes, ending with a WS row.

Armhole shaping:
Next row (RS): Bind off 3 sts, k to end of row. 37 (43, 48)sts now on needle.
Next row (WS): Purl.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge next 4 rows. 33 (39, 44)sts now on needle.
Work 2 rows even.
Dec 1 st beg next row then foll 2 alternate rows. 30 (36, 41)sts now on needle.
Work even in St st until armhole from beg of shaping measures 6 3/4 (7, 7 1/4)ins/ 17.5 (18, 18.5)cm, ending with a RS row.

Neck shaping:
Cont in St st, bind off at beg of next row (neck edge) and foll alternate rows 4 sts once, 3 sts once, then 2 sts once. 21 (27, 32)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Dec 1 st at neck edge next 3 rows. 18 (24, 29)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Dec 1 st beg next row then foll alternate row. 16 (22, 27)sts now on needle.

Work even in St st until piece from beg measures same as Back to shoulder shaping, ending with a WS row.

Shoulder shaping:
Next row (RS): Bind off 5 (7, 9)sts, k to end of row. 11 (15, 18)sts now on needle.
Next row WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): Bind off 5 (7, 9)sts, k to end of row. 6 (8, 9)sts now on needle.
Next row WS): Purl.
Bind off.

Return to CC sts on st holder and slip them back onto needle.
Work 9 rows garter st.
Bind off knitwise. Break yarn, leaving a long tail to sew edging in place.

Right Front
With MC, cast on 46 (52, 57)sts. Break yarn.
Work as given for Back from ** to **.

Next row (RS, dec row): K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 45 (51, 56)sts now on needle.
Cont working in St st, decreasing 1 st at end of every alternate row to 35 (41, 46)sts.
Work in St st for 2 more rows.

Faux pocket edging:
Next row (WS, carry MC and CC loosely across WS of work): P7 (9, 10) with MC, [M1p with CC, p1 with MC] 21 (23, 35) times, M1p with CC, p7 (9, 11) with MC. 57 (65, 72) sts now on needle
Next row (RS): K7 (9, 11) with MC, bring CC to front of work, [place CC st on st holder, k1 with MC] 21 (23, 25) times, place CC st on st holder, k7 (9, 10) with MC. 35 (41, 46) MC sts now on needle and 22 (24, 26) CC sts on st holder.

Working over 35 (41, 46) MC sts only, work 5 rows St st.
Next row (RS, inc row): K to last 2 sts, M1, k2. 36 (42, 47)sts now on needle.
Cont working in St st, increasing 1 st every foll 8th row as established to 40 (46, 51)sts.

Work even in St st until piece measures same as Back to armholes, ending with a RS row.

Armhole shaping:
Next row (WS): Bind off 3 sts, p to end of row. 37 (43, 48)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge next 4 rows. 33 (39, 44)sts now on needle.
Work 2 rows even.
Dec 1 st beg next row then foll 2 alternate rows. 30 (36, 41)sts now on needle.

Work even in St st until armhole from beg of shaping measures same as Left Front to neck, ending with a WS row.

Neck and shoulder shaping:
Work as for left front neck and shoulder, reversing all shapings.

Return to CC sts on st holder and slip them back onto needle.
Work 9 rows garter st.
Bind off knitwise. Break yarn, leaving a long tail to sew edging in place.

Sleeves
With MC, cast on 54 (54, 56)sts. Break yarn.
Work as given for Back from ** to **.

With MC and starting with a k row (RS) work in St st, dec 1 st at beg and end of 3rd row, then every foll 2nd row to 42 (42, 44)sts.
Work 3 rows even.
Inc 1 st each end of next row then every foll 5th row to 76 (76, 80)sts.

Work even in St st until sleeve from beg measures 16 1/4 (16 1/2, 16 3/4)ins/ 41.5 (42, 42.5)cm, ending with a WS row.

Cap shaping:
Bind off 3 sts beg next 2 rows. 70 (70, 74)sts now on needle.
Dec 1 st beg and end next 4 rows. 62 (62, 66)sts now on needle.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Dec 1 st beg and end next row then foll 2 alternate rows. 56 (56, 60)sts now on needle.
Work 2 rows even.
Dec 1 st beg and end next, then every foll 4th row to 46 (46, 50)sts.
Next row (WS): Purl.
Dec 1 st beg and end of next row then foll alternate rows to 36 (36, 40)sts.
Next row (WS): Purl.
Bind off 4 sts beg next 6 rows.
Bind off rem 12 (12, 16)sts.

Finishing
Block pieces to size, pressing very lightly on WS. Sew shoulder seams. Sew in sleeves, matching centre top of sleeve to shoulder seam. Sew side and sleeve seams.

Edging:
With CC, circular needle, RS facing and beg at lower right front edge, pick up and k 96 (97, 98)sts evenly up right front edge, [k1, p1, k1] into top st at neck edge, pick up and k 20 sts up right front neck edge, 3 sts down right back neck edge, 42 sts across centre back neck, 3 sts up left back neck edge, 20 sts down left front neck edge, [k1, p1, k1] into top st at neck edge, and pick up and k 96 (97, 98)sts down left front edge. 286 (288, 290)sts on needle.

Work back and forth in garter st until edging measures 1 1/2ins/ 4cm, ending with a WS row. Bind off knitwise.

Sew sides of each pocket edging in place. Sew hook-and-eye fastener to left and right front edges level with pockets.