It’s All About the Button! or "As seen on TV"
I received an email from Nancy McFarlane over July 4th weekend asking me if I had seen the sweater
Amy Robach was wearing on The Today Show. Nancy had fallen in love with it and suggested that I should design a sweater that was similar.
Nancy’s thought was that it was the perfect sweater for which to find a button. I don’t think I stated that correctly. Nancy’s idea was that the next time she saw an exceptional button, she would be able to purchase it, knowing that she had a perfect garment to knit that would show off the button. Thus It’s All About The Button!.
I had not seen The Today Show, but assumed that I would be able to see some video online. After some searching, I did indeed find the a video of an Amy interview with her wearing the sweater. It was so flirty as Leah would say. And, I must say Leah looks flirty modeling it.
After freeze framing the video and careful examination, I realized the sweater was a raglan. I was happy to see the raglan shaping because it meant that I could draft a one piece garment.
As I was thinking about the sweater, I hit a real brain-teaser. The body of the sweater actually stops well before the neck line and there was almost no sleeve. It took me two days to come up with a formula for the upper section of the sweater.
I don’t think you really want me to go into all the techie stuff that I needed to do for the shaping, but would rather that I give you tips on the knitting.
This is a very simple sweater to knit. The only problem area may be the sleeves. Each sleeve is knit separately and then attached at the beginning of the bodice (upper section) of the sweater.
If you find that you do not have enough stitches to use a 16″ circular needle, and you probably won’t, use double points, or as I did, the once long circ method.
You will need to graft the underarms, once the sweater is finished. You can find directions for Kitchener Stitch by clicking the link.
The other important thing to note is that neither the button or the buttonhole is centered on the band. The buttonhole is made closer to the outer edge and the button is sewn on in relation to the buttonhole.
The band is made in one solid strip by picking up stitches from the center bottom back around the whole body of the sweater and ending at the center back. The pattern will guide you through the making of the buttonhole and its placement.
This is an Interactive Pattern, which means that you can use your yarn, your gauge and your size to knit it. The pattern will regenerate with your input.
I hope those of you who choose to knit it, love it as much as I.
Filed under: Knitting by cwulster
Another tip. Make sure after you get the sleeves on the needle that you go back and make sure there are the same number of sts on hold for each sleeve.
It doesn’t work if you put 6 on hold for one sleeve and 12 for the other.
I have a small much loved button collection.. and button pins if the ancient button can’t go through a wash. Sometimes I have to knit a very small square as a solid backing for the pin and lightly tack it in place… what a wonderful sweater to display a prized old button..or a new one!