a recipie for sassymetrical...

and hopefully not a recipe for disaster.  i haven't made up a pattern for a while and i never make up a pattern in any size but my own...why would i???  i realize many people would have an answer to that question but i have a response...i am beyond middle aged, i have a full time really aggravating job, i have two dogs, a couple of reptiles and a few grandchildren and very little free time on my hands.  fortunately this is a really simple pattern and hopefully easily adapted to other sizes.

sassymetrical got it's name from a typo.  i meant to say asymmetrical and i typed to fast for my own thoughts and it became sasymetrical which i realized was misspelled so i corrected it and it became sassymetrical.  this is a basic top down cardi. the only difference is that the front left and the front right side have practically the same number of stitches as the back so that it can overlap or hang asymmetrically...simple huh?

yarn : almost not quite 4 skeins plymouth linen isle...86 yards per skein...dk weight...i highly recommend this yarn.  it is linen cotton and rayon and is really nice...really.  i chose this color which is a multi shade. it makes variegated stripes and it is tweedy.  i alternated two skeins of yarn to avoid pooling.  if substituting yarns i would look for one with a similar blend of linen and cotton.

needles :  size 6

gauge:  20 stitches per 4 inches/5 stitches per inch. 

for the body:

for size x small:  cast on 137 stitches. place markers as follows...i do this when i cast on but it can be done anytime in the first six rows. cast on 34 pm this is your front, cast on 17 pm for your sleeve, cast on 35 pm for the back of the cardi, cast on 17 pm for the sleeve, cast on 34 for the front.

knit six rows of seed stitch. pass all markers that have been placed and be sure to place all markers before you finish with the first six rows.

on the 7the row:  continue to knit the first and last 6 stitches in seed stitch.  place a marker after the first 6 stitches and start to knit in stockinette stitch after the marker. knit  in the front and back of each stitch before and after each sleeve marker to make increases and place a marker at the end of the stockinette section before the last six stitches which are knit in seed stitch.  purl all wrong side rows knit all right side rows.  make sleeve increase on all right side rows.  you know this right?

continue to knit seed stitch for the first and last 6 stitches in each row and knit in stockinette stitch  for the body increasing on every right side row before and after each sleeve marker.  continue in this manner until the raglan sleeve is as long as you need it to be..mine was 6 inches but try it on to make sure you like the fit.

at this point place sleeves stitches on scrap yarn and join sides and front sections.  continue knitting the first and last stitches in seed stitch and knitting the body in stockinette.  when you have knit 3 inches after joining start decreasing at the sides as follows.  knit to 2 stitches before the side marker and knit 2 together, pass marker and knit to the next side marker, pass that marker and knit 2 together.  repeat this every six rows.  continue knitting in this manner until the cardi is as long as you want it to be.  mine was about 7 1/2 inches from the underarm. the last 6 rows are knit in seed stitch all across the row and cast off on the wrong side using a tight cast off and knitting all stitches...don't cast off in seed stitch pattern it is too loose a cast off.  the hem is loose and unstructured as it is so you can afford to cast off tightly.

now for the sleeves...

place sleeves stitches on needle.  i used circular needles and used the magic loop method to knit the sleeves in the round.  i picked up 3 stitches  under the arm. knit four rows.  you are knitting in the round so all rows are knit.  i did not place a marker for the center under arm.

rows 1 - 4... knit and on the fourth row place markers at each end of the top 17 stitches centered.

row 5...knit all stitches and between markers: k1, k3, k2 tog, k3, k2 tog, k3, k2 tog, k1. 14 stitches between markers.

row 6...knit all stitches but between markers: k1, k2, k2 tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2 tog, k1. ( your knit togethers should line up here and this creates a slight puff but not too much of one.  this sleeve  is sort of loose to allow for layering.

row 7 & 8...knit in seed stitch

cast off in pattern...aka seed stitch.

weave in all loose ends and voila!  wear in good health over a tee shirt you bought at the thrift store for $1.00 or from the old navy clearance rack for $2.95 or from target for 5 bucks!

notes:

this measures 14 inches from side to side at the arm pit, aka 28 at the bust.  it measures 12 inches from neckline to hem and 13 inches side to side at the hem when the front sections are over lapped.  it measures 36 inches from side to side at the neck line...the seed stitch portion.  137 stitches yielded 36 inches total or 28 inches around the bust which is an xs...i have a 32 inch bust measurement so this has some ease.  the finished bust measurement laying flat is 28 inches so at 5 stitches per inch that is 137 stitches...give or take...see?  because this fits loose and sloppy and is not exactly lined up at the front when closed the measurements are on the smallish side...don't forget it will not be buttoned up so you need it to be on the small side.  it will not be too tight on you unless you are very well endowed then you could either do short rows or extra raglan increases.

when making a larger size do the math and cast on more stitches to achieve the finished size you want.  sorry i can't get more detailed but you know dogs, job, grandchildren, reptiles, etc etc etc! i'm guessing (and guessing is the operative word here!) since 32 inch bust  is 137 stitches then add 4 stitches for each size you want to go up 32/co137, 34/co141, 36/co145 etc. etc, etc. that seems to be the standard from what i've noticed when i read a new pattern. just don't quote me on any of this and please don't shoot the messenger!

Comments

[dee]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!

[kozy Kitty]

I love your Sassymetrical! What about submitting it to the Ravelry library!

[Brenda]

so glad you wrote up the pattern - it has been added to items to be knit list.

[gay]

ooh thanks for reminding me kozy kitty i'll do that next time i have a few minutes!

[luckyknitter]

Thanks so much for sharing your lovely pattern!!! I'm really impressed by people who can create a pattern.

[debe]

Thank you SO much for sharing!

[michele]

this is so darn cute on you!

[Donyale]

Love IT!

[yarnknotzi]

I know you're too busy to figure out the numbers for everybody, but perhaps to upsize, since the gauge is 5/in, you might want to add stitches based on that? add two to the back and two each to each front to get a little more than one more inch, or five to the back, and each front, to get a 3" increase? This pattern is really cute!

[gay]

yarnknotzi i certainly did give that a bit of thought but really i find that when doing top down sweaters the thing grows through the bust and body as you make increases for the raglan sleevs so i went with what i have seen in other top down sweaters. i'll be interested to see what others come up with though. keep in touch.

[Shweta Shankar]

Hi
I found your pattern through Ravelry. Simply amazing and easy. Love it.
Thanks for posting it.
Take Care
-eSS

[DonnaC]

Terrific!

[Monica]

Super cute!! Thanks for the recipe! ;)

[Laura]

This is adorable! I'm going to try to make it for a 42" bust, so wish me luck!!

[Marianne]

gorgeous! Thank you :) You look lovely in yours!

[Marianne]

gorgeous! Thank you :) You look lovely in yours!

[Heidi]

I just bought a kit to make a wool/silk asymmetrical very similar to this (called "LU" on ravelry) but I love the idea of this garment and now I've got an excuse to make another one that's a bit different!

Thank you!!

[Christa]

hi from Switzerland,
I just copied your pattern and would like to thank you. It looks great...
all the best to you from over the ocean

[nadine]

Must try it! thanks for sharing :)

[Jocelyn]

Just found this off someone's blog. Amazing cardi! Just copied the recipe and will try to make it.
Thanks.

[Vicki]

Very cute sweater! Thanks for the recipe. (Found via Ravelry)

[Geminime]

I found you on ravelry. Love this cardigan. You look great in it. Thanks for sharing the pattern. I just need to go and find some beautiful yarn to knit it with. Thanks again.

[Kylie]

Thanks for sharing the pattern - I too found you on Rav - Thanks again!

[Cathy]

I LOVE it! Thank you for posting your recipe.

[Tracy]

Thanks for sharing the pattern - this looks great! It will be the first time I've knitted top down so here I go...