The Lucky Baby Lopapeysa basic pattern

So here it is all in one post, and each subheading links to the post that describes the steps in more detail, but for an advanced knitter, this should cover the most important points. If it does not, please let me know, and I will amend accordingly.

Materials

• About 1/3 of a skein of Aldi or Regia 4-ply self-striping superwash sock yarn
• Most of a skein of Aldi or Regia 4-ply superwash sock wool in a complementary color
• 2.5mm and 3.0mm circular needles
• 8 stitch markers
• A tapestry needle and a length of quilting ribbon to act as a stitch holder.
• A crochet hook for the cast-on and bind-off is optional.

The collar

Using the provisional cast on of your choice, cast 80 stitches onto a 2.5mm circular needle.

Work 16 rounds of 2x2 ribbing.

The yoke

Round 1: change to a 3.0mm circular needle and knit each stitch together with its base.

Round 2: place a stitch marker after every 10^th stitch. Color changes will occur at the center back, but rounds will be counted from the center front.

Round 3: knit to the third marker after the center back marker. Slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn. Purl back to the center marker and then continue to the third marker after that. Slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn. Knit the full round, working each wrap in with the stitch it wraps.

Round 4: increase 4 stitches in each section, as evenly spaced as possible.

Rounds 5 & 6: work even.

Round 7: knit to the second marker after the center back marker. Slip the marker, k7, wrap the next stitch, turn. Purl back to the center marker and then continue to the second marker past that. Slip the marker, p7, wrap the next stitch, and turn. Knit the full round, working in the wraps.

Round 8, 9, & 10: work even.

Round 11: knit to the second marker after the center back marker. Slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, turn. Purl back to the center marker and then continue to the second marker past that. Slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn. Knit the full round, working in the wraps.

Round 12: increase 4 stitches in each section, as evenly spaced as possible.

Rounds 13 – 19: work even.

Round 20: increase 4 stitches in each section, as evenly spaced as possible.

Rounds 21 – 27: work even.

Round 28: increase 4 stitches in each section, as evenly spaced as possible.

Rounds 29 – 32: work even. Consider changing back to the base color in one of these rounds. Also, move the markers: keep the center back marker. K 27, place a marker (right back); k 45, place a marker (right sleeve); k 28 (right front), you should be at the center front marker. From the center front marker, k27, place a marker (left front); k 45, place a marker (left sleeve); k 28 (left back), and you should be back at the center back marker.

Separate the sleeves from the body

My way of doing this may be somewhat idiosyncratic, but you may find these instructions useful if you've never done this before.

For each sleeve:

Knit 45, make 5 for an underarm gusset, join to work in the round. Work two rounds even, decrease out two of the gusset stitches. Repeat twice more. You will have decreased 6 stitches.

Work 9 rounds even, decreasing two on the tenth round. Repeat this once more. You should have 40 stitches, at which point you work ten more rounds even, then switch to 2.5mm circular needles and 2x2 ribbing for 8 rounds. Bind off stretchily.

The body

Knit around the body stitches, picking up 5 stitches at each underarm, in the base of the sleeve gussets. Decrease these stitches out in the same pattern as for the sleeves: two rounds even, decrease two stitches, repeat twice more. Then work even until there are 80 rounds from where you joined the collar. Switch to 2.5mm needles and 2x2 ribbing for 16 rounds. Bind off stretchily.

Work in the ends. Wash. Block. Hug.