Ugly Xmas Sweater Part 2 ...

 

The Mitred Square Makes the Sweater

No I'm not talking about the cap worn by Abbots and Bishops, I'm talking about a knitting technique that takes variegated yarns and makes them look marginally attractive. 

I was looking for a technique that would produce a sweater that was simultaneously too large and too small while appearing to be ornate and complex while actually being rather simple to execute and portable for those readers who have little time to complete the piece.  If you commute by train or bus, you can probably complete a single square per trip.  

The sweater is made up of 50 squares.  If you start tomorrow, and knit two squares a day - one to and one from work - you will have your squares finished in 5 weeks or less, depending on the speed of your knitting and the length of your commute.  This will bring you to the end of the first week of December with enough squares (and minimal finishing) to make a Truly Ugly Xmas Sweater Vest just in time for the Office Party.

If you knit each square in one type of yarn only, you will speed up the process and might be able to complete more than 2 squares a day.  If you use my technique for picking up from the edge of a finished square to start the next square, you'll significantly reduce finishing time without adding any additional knitting time.  Let's go over our materials and tools list again.

5 skeins of red/green/white variegated
2 skeins of an itchy sparkly synthetic angora red/green/white
1 skein of white
2 skeins of forest green. 

Or any collection of colors you desire.  You can buy one skein at a time if that suits, just try to keep to the same Brand/Weight/Fiber type.  My aim is not to violate craftsmanship rules.  It's to violate the laws of good taste.


Size 8 10" straight knitting needles.
Size 8  28-40" circular knitting needle suitable for magic-loop knitting
Size 8 (H) crochet hook
Darning needle for minimal seaming
Two 1-1/2" buttons 
Indomitable Will 
Cast-Iron Stomach
Yarn sized tatting needle

The First Square

On size 8 10" straight knitting needles cast on 31* stitches in your preferred method.  
(I prefer the long tail cast on because it makes my first row while I'm casting on. A knitted cast-on also creates the first row, but again any style cast-on you prefer is good.)

Row 1:  Knit to end - 31 Stitches. 
Row 2:  Knit 14 stitches.  Slip 1 as if to knit, Knit 2 together, Pass Slipped stitch Over. Knit 14.
( From now on the center decrease will be abbreviated to (Sl1K2TogPsso).  You can also Knit 3 Together (K3Tog)  or Knit 2 Together, slip 1, pass 1 over (K2TogSl1Psso).  Whatever you prefer to turn 3 stitches into 1 stitch is just fine.)

Row 3:  Knit to end, counting all the way -- Ho! Ho! Ho! 
(You should end up with an odd number of stitches that is smaller than 31.  You deleted two stitches in Row 2, so you should have 29 stitches - but crap happens.**)

Mental Calculation you can do at the end of every plain knit row to avoid having to actually keep track of where you are.  

Take the number of stitches you have, minus 3 and divide by 2.  In this case the calculation would be 29 - 3 / 2 = 13.  13 is your new number ....

Row 4:  Knit 13 Sl1K2TogPsso Knit 13

Row 5:  Knit to end, counting all the way -- Ho! Ho! Ho! 

(You should have 27 stitches. Mental Calculation 27 - 3 = 24/2 = 12)

Continue rows 4 and 5 until you have 3 stitches left at the end of a decrease row.

Using different yarns in one square.

Final Even Row :  a. Sl1K2TogPsso or K3Tog. Cut yarn and pull through loop to finish off.  This is the technique you will use if you plan to mix and match and seam together later.

Keep knitting squares until you have completed 50.

OR   

Final Even Row :  b. Sl1K2TogPsso or K3Tog.  Leaving that last loop on the Right Needle, start picking up stitches down the left hand edge of the square.  You will Pick Up*** 15 to 16 stitches, included the first one, total. 

Then, using your preferred Cast On style (at this point I prefer Knitted Cast-On), create 15 to 16 stitches -- whichever you need to end up with 31 stitches. 

Start with Row 2 -- knit even across, and continue on in the Mitre pattern.  Repeat until you've completed 10 squares in your first bottom row. 

In pictures that would be:

Second Row of 10 (pictured below):  Cast on 15 stitches in your preferred method.  Pick up one stitch at the top right corner of your first row of squares.  Continue picking up 15 more stitches from the top of the rightmost square so that you end up having 31 stitches on your right needle.  Turn and knit back all 31 stitches ... you've now completed Row 2 of the Mitred Square.  Continue on, adding squares to the left until you reach the end of the row and have 20 Squares in two rows, total.  In pictures ...

If you have managed to complete 20 squares before I post again, you maniac, stop!!!   Comment!!!  Alert me that you need further instruction and I will instruct further.  Unless you've figured out what to do with the other 30 squares.  In that case go for it and send me pictures.

The Footnotes:

* 31 Stitches.  This is totally arbitrary.  If a square 15 x 15 stitches is too small you can start with 61 stitches.  You can start with 27, if that bakes your cookies.  It just has to be odd and easy for you to keep track of.  I like the size of the 31 stitch because it's about a bus-ride long and easy to jam in the purse.  It's also an easy size to pull out while waiting in line, or finishing off a lunch break, or sneaking under the desk.

**Crap Happens.  If you've finished a knit only row and you end up with an even number of stitches, stop and take a deep breath.  Don't panic.  Check to make sure you've not dropped a stitch or have started knitting back and forth mindlessly.  This happens when you talk or try to read and knit or drive and knit at the same time.  If it's only a single mistke row and you don't feel like ripping back to the last good row, you can unknit back to the center of the even row, Knit 2 Together to create an odd number of stitches and continue knitting to the end.  I've even discovered the mistake in the middle of a decrease row and decided to K2Tog, K2Tog, Psso.  Again, feed the OCD if necessary and fudge if possible.  It's not art.  It's ugly.

***Picking Up Stitches.  I like slipping the first stitch of every row.  This creates nice wide two row stitches running across the "top" and the "left hand side" of the square.  Nice, wide two row stitches make picking up stitches easier and is one of those gems contributed to the knitting community by Knitter's Saint E. Zimmerman.  When I first started I would use my crochet hook to pull loops of yarn through the nice wide stitches and place them on the knitting needle.  Now I just stick the knitting needle through the edge stitch and pull the yarn through that way.

Have fun!  Post comments if you're lost.  See you in a few days!!