Easy No Sew Sweater

Gauge: 5 stitches = 1 inch on larger needle

Sizes:
Chest 34"/36" (Finished measurement: 44")
Chest 38"/40" (Finished measurement: 48")
Directions are for smaller size. Changes for larger size are in parentheses.

Materials:
Knitting worsted: 7- 3 & 1/2 oz balls (1400 yards) Model was made with Plymouth Encore Colorspun

Needles:
29" circular needle U.S. size 8 or size needed to knit to gauge
29" circular needle U.S. size 6. Note: If you do not want your sweater to pull in at the bottom but hang straight instead, make the ribbing with the larger needle and eliminate this needle all together.
16" circular needle U.S. size 8
4 double pointed needles U.S. size 6

Abbreviations:
K = knit
Tog = together
Sts = stitches
P = purl

With number 6 circular needle cast on 220 (240) stitches. (Tip: When casting on a large number of stitches put a marker on the needle after each predetermined number of stitches. Example: If 50 stitches are as many as you want to count, put a marker after every 50 stitches. This way instead of having to count individual stitches, you just count the number of markers.) Join, being careful not to twist stitches. Put marker on needle to mark beginning of rounds. Work in K 1, P 1 ribbing for 2 inches. Change to 29" circular needle number 8 and knit around until piece measures 18 inches from beginning.

(Tip: To attach a new ball of yarn in the middle of work, knit with the old ball until about 8 inches remain. Drop that yarn and pick up new ball. Leaving about an 8 inch tail, start knitting. Do not tie a knot at this time.

Knit 2 or 3 rows. Go back and gently pull yarn ends until stitches are even. Tie a square knot, right over left, left over right. Weave in ends by splitting the purl stitches and putting the yarn end through the center of each stitch. Weave in one end at a time. Go up about 2" from the knot, then go over 1 stitch and down about 1" making a "fish hook".)

Back: Knit across 110 (120) stitches. Put remaining stitches on holder. Commence knitting standard stockinette stitch, knit 1 row, purl 1 row, until armhole is 9 inches long.

End with a wrong side row.

Next row: Knit across 40 (45) stitches. Attach new ball of yarn. Bind of 30 stitches. Knit across remaining stitches.

Working both sides at the same time, at each neck edge bind off 3 stitches once then 2 stitches once. Knit even until armhole is 10" long. Put remaining 35 (40) stitches of each shoulder on stitch holder.

Front: Put remaining 110 (120) stitches on needle. Knit as for back until armhole measures 7 inches long. End with a wrong side row.

Next row: Knit across 47 (52 ) stitches. Attach new ball of yarn. Bind off 16 stitches. Knit across remaining stitches. Working both sides at the same time, bind off 5 stitches once, 3 stitches once and 1 stitch 4 times at each neck edge. Knit until same length as back. End on wrong side row. Leave stitches on needle. Turn sweater inside out.

3 needle bind off: Put the stitches of the back on a needle. Note: The needles for a 3 needle bind off do not have to all be the same size, just as close as possible. Hold the 2 needles with the front and back stitches in your left hand. For identification purposes we will call the needle facing you needle 1 and the needle behind it needle 2. Take a third needle in your right hand. Put the point of that needle through the first stitch on needle 1 and the first stitch on needle 2. Bring your yarn around and knit these 2 stitches off together as 1 stitch. Put the right hand needle through the next stitch on needle 1 and the next stitch on needle 2. Knit these 2 stitches off as 1 stitch. You now have 2 stitches on the right hand needle. Pass the first stitch over the second as in a regular bind off. Continue until you have all the stitches of one shoulder bound off and joined. Fasten off. Repeat for other shoulder. Turn sweater right side out.

Crew Neck: Hold sweater with right side facing you. Start at right shoulder and with 16" circular needle size 8, pick up and knit 7 stitches from shoulder seam to center bound off stitches. Pick up and knit the 30 bound off stitches and 7 stitches from there to left shoulder seam. Working down the front, pick up and knit 13 stitches down the side of neck, the 16 bound off stitches and 13 stitches to right shoulder seam. (86 sts) Put marker on needle to mark beginning of rounds. Knit in K 1, P 1 rib for 1 inch. Bind off. (Tip: To insure neck will have enough stretch, bind off with a needle 1 or 2 sizes larger.) Do not finish off. Cut yarn leaving an 8 inch tail.

Finishing a bind off in the round: A bind off in the round leaves a gap between the first and last bound off stitches. To get away from this gently pull yarn end through last stitch. See Fig. 1. Thread tapestry needle with yarn end. Bring yarn around the first bound off stitch and down through the last bound off stitch. See fig. 2. Pull yarn gently until stitches are even. Finish off on wrong side.

Fig 1 Fig 2

Sleeve: With 16" circular needle and starting at bottom of armhole, pick up and knit 100 stitches around armhole.

(Tip: So you will not have a hole under the arm, make the first stitch you pick up the one immediately to the right (as the work is facing you) of the division for front and back and the second stitch the stitch immediately to the left. This will pull the two edges together.) Put marker on needle to mark beginning of rounds. Knit even for 1".

Decrease row: K 2 tog, K to 3 sts from marker, K 2 tog, K 1

Repeat decrease round every 5th round until you have 74 sts on needle, then every 4th round until you have 54 sts on needle.

Knit even until sleeve is 16 & 1/2" long. Divide stitches evenly between 3 double pointed needles.

Next row: Knit, decreasing 14 stitches evenly around. (40 sts) (Tip: If your stitch count is off, make any adjustment necessary on this row.) Work K 1, P 1, rib for 2". Bind off as for crew neck. Repeat for second sleeve.

You may use this pattern for your personal use only. It may not be reproduced for sale or to teach a class.