Finished 3 Hour Sweater and adapted pattern

Here is my finished 3 hour sweater! Ok, it may have actually taken around 10-12 hours, but for a beginner knitter, that is still really awesome! I guess I could call this the 3 skein sweater, as I only used a bit less than 3 balls of yarn

And as promised, I have written up my version of the pattern, should anyone be wishing to attempt it and wants to use the changes I used. I did try to stick as closely to the original pattern as I could, just making changes for the difference in size and also to make my stripes even.

You should all be used to my dodgy selfies by now, but I will apologise for my lack of make up and just general tired looking-ness.

Dixie's 3 Skein Sweater (adapted from the 1930's 3 hour sweater pattern)
Size 40-42" Bust

Needles: 4mm for Rib and 5mm for stocking stitch
Yarn: roughly 3x100g skeins 8ply (but 5ply works too)

Back

Cast on 80 stitches. K2 P2 to form ribbing for 24 rows (changing colours every 8 rows if you wish to create stripes like mine) then alternate knit and purl rows to make a stocking stitch for the next 54 rows, casting off 6 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. Now change back to rib stitching (K2 P2) decreasing 1 stitch at each end of the next 3 rows, then one every second row, for a total of 24 rows of rib stitches and cast off

Front

Cast on 84 stitches and knit up the same as the back until you're up to the neckline ribbing. Then continue knitting up half the stitches, with the other half on a stitch holder, decreasing 1 stitch every second row on the armhole edge. After 18 rows, cast off 8 stitches at the center front of the neck edge, then decrease 1 stitch on the neck edge every row, and 1 stitch every second row on the armhole edge, until all stitches have gone and cast off the last stitch. Repeat for other side.

Sleeves

cast on 6 stitches. K2 P2, increasing 1 stitch at each end of every second row. Change colour after 10 rows if doing stripes, you should have 14 stitches

K2 P2 for another 8 rows, increasing 1 stitch at both ends of every second row, ending with 22 stitches, and changing colour again.

K2 P2 with increases for 8 more rows, ending with 30 stitches. Change colour again

Change to knit 1 row purl 1 row for 8 rows, still increasing each end of every second row, ending with 38 stitches on your needle and change colour again

Keep alternating knit and purl rows for 8 more rows, stil increasing, ending with 46 stitches, then cast on 7 stitches each side of the sleeve t give you a total of 60 stitches.

knit a further 16 rows of stocking stitch (8 rows each colour)
For the last 8 rows change colour and go back to a K2 P2 Rib.
Cast Off

Join all your pieces together and finish off with a row of single crochet around the whole neckline. Make a button loop on one side of the front neckline opening with a few chain stitches, and attach a button to the other side. Now you're Done!


After I finished my first sleeve I realised I had a problem. The way I had cast off my knitting had left my sleeve edge quite tight with no stretch, and absolutely not able to fit around my upper arm. So I carefully undid the casting off, and re-cast it off using a method that would allow stretch. I used this Youtube tutorial to learn how. I believe there are other methods to do this, if you have a preferred one, please use that. I knitted up the second sleeve, leaving out the decreasing before the ribbed edge, and decided I liked the fit much better, so I undid the edge of the first sleeve and re-finished it without the decreases (which is how I have written my version of the pattern)

I finished my sweater with a cute little purple ship's steering wheel button, and wore it with a pink singlet underneath as the large guage knit has left it a tiny bit sheer.

And now, just because I haven't posted any Cat Photos in a while, here's a snap of my girls

Tessa using Mabel's butt as a pillow

Dixie