Let's Talk Collars and Shawls and Sleeves
If you've decided to go ahead with the sweater I'll talk about a quick and dirty collar in a bit. For now, though, let's talk about other ways to use these squares to ill-effect.
Shawls
If you've already knitted 20 or so squares and absolutely hate the Ugly Sweater, do not despair.
There are humane options here. The top Rebozo type shawl takes 51 squares and measures a little less that 1 foot by a little more than 2 yards. Add a single crochet edge and you have an ugly shawl. Add a tatted edging and you have a VERY ugly shawl.
The more familiar Norte Americana Triangle Shawl will take fewer squares, and will require that you fill in the indentions with mitred triangles. The simplest way to fill in is to pick up the 31 stitches of each indent and knit back and forth decreasing EVERY row. And again, you can finish with a border of single crochet or tatting, depending on your Ugly Quotient.
Now... if you've decided to gut it out, and go for the Gold Plate, let's add a collar to that Ugly Sweater. There are 3 ways to add this mercifully blurry collar to your otherwise unmerciful garment.
A. Knit Collar
1. Using the long circular needle pick up stitches along the two squares of the top right front, a couple over the shoulder seam, across the top four back squares, two over the shoulder and along the top of the two squares on the left front.
2. Knit back.
3. Knit 1 Purl 1 Knit 1 Purl 1, place marker. Knit to the last 4 stitches, place marker and Knit 1 Purl 1 Knit 1 Purl 1.
4. Purl the knit stitches and Knit the purl stitches up to the marker. (This will be called Seed Stitch from now on.) Pass marker. Purl to the marker, pass marker and Seed Stitch.
5. Seed Stitch, pass marker. Knit 2. Cast off 3. Loosely backwards-loop Cast-On 3 stitches. (be loose because you'll be purling back across these Cast-On stitches which are difficult to work in the best of knitting circumstances.) Knit to the last 5 stitches before the marker, Cast off 3. Backwards Loop Cast-On 3. K2, pass marker and Seed Stitch.
6. Seed Stitch, pass marker. Purl to the marker, pass marker and Seed Stitch.
7. Seed Stitch, drop marker. Knit to the marker, drop marker and Seed Stitch.
Rows 8 and 9 - Knit.
Cast off and weave in ends.
Alternate: If you would prefer to use Xmas Broaches to hold the collar together knit as above EXCEPT for Row 5 which would read:
5. Seed Stitch, pass marker. Knit to the marker, pass marker and Seed Stitch. (In this way you eliminate the button hole.)
B. Crochet Collar
Using your Size 8/H Crochet Hook,
1. Pull up a loop on a front top corner and proceed to single crochet around the top.
2. Chain 2 and Turn. Double Crochet in the first 5 single crochets. *Check your button to make sure it will pass between two double crochets. If it will, continue on around the collar in Double Crotchet.
If NOT, rip back and beginning with a Chain 3, turn and Triple (Treble) Crochet 5 times. Again check the Button. If it's still too large, get a smaller button and choose whichever Double or Treble will work with it. If the alternate button is too small you can always whip the first two double crochets together a bit to tighten the opening.
3. Chain one and single crochet back and finish off.
C. Tatted Collar.
Let's keep it simple and hideous with an Arch and Ring edging reminiscent of the sword and egg picture molding one might find near the ceiling in Victorian era house. You might wish to place a finishing edge of single crochet around the collar, down the center front, around the bottom and back up the center front before commencing tatting. And yes, you do not begin tatting. You commence.
If you wish to shuttle tatt instead of needle tat, you will want to do so and attach the edging after you are finished and do so with large and ugly stitches in a contrasting color.
Key: A single number is the number of Double Stitches. A hyphen ( - ) is a picot.
1. Join yarn at top front corner.
2. CH 6 - 6, Pull to arch and shoe-lace-trick. Lock join to appropriate stitch on the collar that doesn't stretch or compress the arch too much.
3. R 6 - 6. Close. Lock join to appropriate stitch on the collar that doesn't tilt the ring too much to one side or the other.
4. Repeat 2 and 3 until you get to the end of the collar -- or if you want to go all the way around -- Yay! You Go! Hopefully you'll end up with a ring to abut the beginning Arched Chain, but if not. Oh well. The first arch and the last arch will double as button loops.
The Sleeves.
Use one of the Collar Treatments for each or either of the sleeves. The crochet or tatted edging will produce a Sweater Vest -- or if you're ambitious, a Cap Sleeve.
I suggest that if you choose to knit, you allot a single skein to each sleeve. Pick up stitches around the armhole, join to knit circular and then knit 'till you're bored mindless or run out of yarn.
I'd also suggest that you bind off without providing any edging at the bottom of the sleeve to mimic that slipshod 3rd world curled edge that is so popular on sweaters sold to people who don't know they're being short-changed with shoddy goods.
However, if you would like to prove that USA made can be totally and correctly hideous, please, by all means combine all three collar finishing styles to Knit, Crochet and then Tatt the cuffs.
If you'd like specific assistance, don't hesitate to comment. And ... Happy Holidays.
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