Skeleton Key Pattern – bottom up fair isle

SkeletonKey.pdf

*9/11 Updated chart, updated steek and neck instructions

9/5 Updated to include instructions for binding off steek.

Even though I had gauge issues, I figured I’d still share the pattern. Please learn from my mistakes and make a swatch, soak it, and give it time to dry! I’m a loose knitter and you may need to go up a needle size to get gauge.

As with all my patterns, I do not have test knitters. If you happen to find an error, please let me know and I will update ASAP.

And, remember to modify to suit your needs. If you have fuller arms, add a few more increases as you knit your way up the arm. If you’d like waist shaping, add it in as you knit your way up the body. 🙂

With all that said, here’s the spill if you’d like to make one of these things:

Skeleton Key

Skill Level- Intermediate/ Advanced

Finished Measurements

(Chest) in inches– 34.5 (38, 41, 44) (48, 50, 54)

Arm length (Underarm to wrist)- 17.5 (18.25, 18.25, 18.25) (18.25, 18.25, 18.25)

Body length (to underarm)- 16.5 (17, 17, 17) (17, 17, 17)

Upper Arm circumference- 11 (12, 13, 15) (15, 17, 18.5)

Shown in size 38 with 1 inch negative ease.

Yarn- Knit Picks Palette yarn in colors:

Golden Heather 1 (2, 2, 2) (2, 2, 2), Sweet Potato 2 (2, 2, 2) (2, 2, 2), Celadon Heather 1 (1, 1, 1) (1, 2,2) Blue 2 (2, 3, 3) (3, 3, 4), Ciel 2 (2, 2, 2,) (2. 2. 3), Mist 2 (3, 3, 3) (3, 4, 4), Wallaby 2 (2, 2, 2) (2, 3, 3).

Gauge- 7 stitches per inch and 7.5 rows per inch on size 2-3 needles.

Other Materials- circular needles, size 2 or size to obtain gauge

This sweater is knit in the round from the bottom up. Sleeves are knit separately and then joined to the body at the underarm and then knit in the round the rest of the way up. There is no waist shaping.

Disclaimer: This pattern assumes you have basic understanding of color-stranded knitting and sweater construction.

Directions:

BODY

Using long circular needle, CO 242, (264, 286, 308) (330, 352, 374) sts in Blue, placing stitch marker at BOR and halfway point. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Ribbing: Work Chart A over next 11 rows. Knit one row in Blue.

Knit Body to Underarm: Work Chart B for the next 113 (120, 120, 120) (120, 120, 120) rows

Divide for Front and Back: Work in established pattern until 4, (5, 6, 7) (7, 8, 8) sts before round marker. Bind off next 8, (10, 12, 14) (14, 16, 16) sts. Knit in pattern until 4, (5, 6, 7) (7, 8, 8) sts before halfway marker. Bind off next 8, (10, 12, 14) (14, 16, 16) sts. Knit in pattern until reaching end of round.

SLEEVE (Make Two)

Using smaller circular needle or DPNs, CO 48 (50, 52, 56) (56, 60, 64) sts, placing stitch marker at BOR. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Ribbing: Work Chart A over next 11 rows. Knit one row in Blue.

Note: The arms are 13 rows longer than the body to underarm. In order for the charts to match up at the join, start chart 13 rows before row 1. In other words, start chart at row 65.

Knit chart for 126 (133, 133, 133) (133, 133, 133) rows at the same time increasing evenly 1 stitch before and 1 stitch after BOR marker 14 (16, 19, 24) (25, 30, 33) times along the length of the arm. (76 (82, 90, 104) (106, 120, 130) sts total.) *Make sure that the chart is centered on your sleeve*

Set Up for Join Round: On next row work in pattern until 4, (5, 6, 7) (7, 8, 8) sts before round marker. Bind off next 8, (10, 12, 14) (14, 16, 16) sts.

YOKE

*Note- Neck and raglan shaping are done at the same time so read ahead!

RAGLAN SHAPING

Beginning at right back sweater body, knit across in pattern until bound off stitches. Put raglan marker and join sleeve by knitting across a sleeve in pattern (keeping the sleeve bind off and sweater bind off together). Put raglan marker. Knit across front of sweater body in pattern until bound off stitches for other sleeve. Put raglan marker. Knit across other sleeve in pattern (again keeping the sleeve bind off and sweater bind off together. Place raglan/BOR marker.

Even Round: Knit one round in pattern until one stitch before BOR marker.

Decrease Round: sl 2 sts tog kwise, k1, p2sso (removing marker to do so). Place marker to the right of the decrease. Knit across in pattern until one stitch before each of the next 3 markers performing the same decrease. Knit until BOR marker.

Continue knitting one even round followed by one decrease round until 2 sts remain on each side of neck. Work one more even round, binding off steek stitches when you get to them and continue knitting around until BOR marker.

NECK SHAPING

At the same time when the yoke is approximately 1.5 (1.75, 2, 2.5) (2.25, 2.25, 2.5) inches long, as you knit across front of work, move middle 1 (2, 1, 2) (1, 2, 1) stitch(es) to a stitch holder or scrap yarn and cast on a steek (5 – 7 stitches should be sufficient) placing markers on either side of the steek and continue working in pattern. Next time across the front of the work, knit until 3 st before the steek, ssk, k1, sm, knit across steek, sm, k1, k2 tog, then continue in pattern.

Continue decrease each side of steek every other round.

STEEK

Secure steek by crochet method or sew method. Cut steek open and turn under.

COLLAR

*Note- A double decrease is worked every other row at back raglan markers on the collar to keep it close to the body. This can be performed as sl 2 sts tog kwise, k1, p2sso, just like the raglan decreases or as k2tog, sm, ssk

Knit across back, shoulder and remaining front stitches in Blue. Pick up stitches evenly along the side of neck line and knit in Blue. Put v-neck marker. Knit center front stitch(es) from holder or waste yarn. Put v-neck marker marker. Pick up stitches evenly along other side of neck and knit in Blue. Knit remaining front stitches and shoulder stitches.

Work Chart A along all neck stitches. At the same time, double decrease every other row at back raglan markers. And, at the same time, decrease at the v-neck every row by knitting until 2 stitches before 1^st v-neck marker, k2tog, sm, k1 (2,1,2) (1, 2, 1), sm, ssk.

Work all rows of Chart A then bind off in rib in Blue.

FINISHING