O W L S

Finished bust measurements: size 1: 1 30-32” (16 owls); size 2 34” (17 owls); size 3 36” (18 owls); size 4 38” (19 owls); size 5 40” (20 owls); size 6 42” (21 owls), size 7 44-46” (22 owls); size 8 48-50” (24 owls).

Gauge: On 6.5mm needles, 13 stitches and 20 rows to 4 inches over stocking stitch worked in the round.

Materials approximately 1(540), 2(570), 3(600), 4(650), 5(700), 6(750), 7(800), 8(850) yards of chunky-weight yarn that knits to gauge. Yardage calculations are based on samples worked in Rowan British Sheep Breeds Chunky. Circular needle 6mm and 6.5mm (or size to get gauge) for body, and long circular needle, or dpns to work sleeves. Waste yarn or spare circular needles to hold stitches. 1(32), 2(36), 3(36), 4(38), 5(40), 6(42), 7(44), 8(48) 5mm buttons for o w l eyes. Tapestry needle; cable needle; stitch markers of two different colours or types (‘A’ and ‘B’).

Fit: o w l s is designed to be a slim-fitting sweater, made with an inch to two inches negative ease. Consult sche-matic below. For the best fit at the waist and bust, I recommend you make the size closest to, or just below, your actual body measurements.

Yarn choice: for a great finished garment, you should choose a robust, chunky weight yarn and work it at a tighter tension than usual. If you achieve gauge by working an aran / worsted weight yarn at a looser tension, your owls will not have the same neat definition, and the shaping will not look at its best.

Pattern notes: o w l s is a seamless yoked sweater, knit in the round from the bottom up. The sweater body is worked in one piece with the waist shaped by decreases at the back and sides. A few stitches are put on hold at the underarms, and the body stitches are set aside. Sleeves are worked separately in the round with a few stitches set aside at the underarms. Body and sleeves are then joined together, and the owl cable pattern is worked evenly around the yoke. Stitches are decreased to fit the sweater to the shoulders, and the back of the neck is raised by working a few short rows. The sweater is finished by grafting the underarm stitches together. The wrap & turn method of working short rows is described here, but you may like to use Sunday short rows, or another method you prefer. Stitch counts follow each size number in brackets. You may wish to highlight the numbers for your size be-fore commencing.

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SPECIAL TECHNIQUES.S h o r t r o w s .On knit side: knit to turning point. Slip next stitch purlwise to right needle. Bring the yarn to the front between the needles. Return the slipped stitch to the left needle. Bring the yarn to the back between the needles. Turn work to purl side and continue. On purl side: Purl to turning point. Slip next stitch purlwise to right needle. Bring the yarn to the back of the work. Return the slipped stitch to the left needle. Bring the yarn to the front between the needles turn work to knit side and continue.To close gap. Knit to the turning point. You will see a horizontal bar of yarn lying in front of the stitch that you slipped before you turned the work. This is the wrap. Insert tip of right needle into both the wrap and the wrapped stitch and knit them together (this pushes the wrap to the back of the work and closes the gap).

SCHEMATIC

ABBREVIATIONS

b/o = bind offc/o = cast onk = knitp = purlpm = place markerslm = slip markerm1 = make one (increase)st(s) = stitch, stitchesk2tog = knit 2 stitches together ssk = slip two stitches individually, insert left needle into stitches from left to right, knit 2 stitches togethersl1 = slip 1 stitchc4b - slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold at back of work. Knit 2 stitches, knit 2 from cable needle.c4f - slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold at front of work. Knit 2 stitches, knit 2 from cable needle.

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O W L CHART

NOW START KNITTING!

1.Begin bodyUsing 6mm circular needle, cast on 1(96), 2(104), 3(108), 4(116), 5(120), 6(128), 7(136), 8(148), pm A for start of round, and join for working in the round. Work in k2, p2 rib for 2 inches.Change to 6.5mm needle and work in stocking stitch (knit every round).On first round: Sizes 2, 4, 6 only knit 2(51), 4(57), 6(63), sts k2tog, k to 2 sts from end of round, k2tog. On next round, all sizes: K1(48), 2(51), 3(54), 4(57), 5(60), 6(63), 7(68), 8(74) sts, pm A. K next 1(16), 2(17), 3(18), 4(19), 5(20), 6(21), 7(22), 8(24) sts, pm B. K next 1(16), 2(17), 3(18), 4(19), 5(20), 6(21), 7(24), 8(26), pm B. K to end of round. Knit for 1(1), 2(1), 3(1), 4(2), 5(2), 6(2), 7(2), 8(2) round(s)

2. Back waist decreasesNext round (round 1): k to 3 sts before first marker B. ssk, k1 slm, k1, k2tog. Knit to 3 sts before next marker B, ssk, k1, slm, k1, k2tog. Work to end of round.Rounds 2,3 and 4: kRepeat last 4 rounds 3 times. 1(80), 2(86), 3(92), 4(98), 5(104), 6(110), 7(120), 8(134) sts. K for 1(2), 2(3), 3(3), 4(3), 5(4), 6(4), 7(4), 8(4) rounds.

3. Back waist increasesNext round (round 1). K to 1 st before first marker B, m1, k1, slm, k1, m1; knit to next marker B, m1, k1, slm, k1, m1. Work to end of rnd.Rounds 2,3 and 4: kRepeat last 4 rounds 3 times.1(96), 2(102), 3(108), 4(114), 5(120), 6(126), 7(136), 8(148) sts.

4. Side increasesNext round (round 1). K1, m1, k to 1 st before first marker A, m1, k1, slm, k1, m1; knit to next marker A m1, k1, slm. Round 2: knitRepeat rounds 1 and 2 1(1), 2(1), 3(1), 4(2), 5(2), 6(2), 7(2), 8(2) time(s). 1(104), 2(110), 3(116), 4(126), 5(132), 6(138), 7(148), 8(160) stsk to underarm (between 15-19 inches, depending on your body length, and desired length of sweater).

5. Divide for front and backBeginning at start of round, slip 1(52), 2(55), 3(58), 4(63), 5(66), 6(69), 7(74), 8(80) sts onto a spare circu-lar needle, removing all markers. You now have 2 needles, with equal number of sts on each, one for the front (the side without shaping) and one for the back.

6. Put underarm sts on hold.Thread a tapestry needle with a piece of waste yarn.Pass the waste yarn through the last 1(2), 2(2), 3(2), 4(3), 5(3), 6(3), 7(3), 8(3) sts on the front needle, and the first 1(2), 2(2), 3(2), 4(3), 5(3), 6(3), 7(3), 8(3) sts on the back needle. Slip these sts off the needle to-gether.Do the same with the other side.You now have 2 sets of 1(4), 2(4), 3(4), 4(6), 5(6), 6(6), 7(6), 8(6) on waste yarn (marking the position of your underarms) and 1(96), 2(102), 3(108), 4(114), 5(120), 6(126), 7(136), 8(148) body sts remaining on the needles.

7. Knit sleeves Using 6mm dpns or long circular needle (magic loop method), cast on 1(24), 2(28), 3(28), 4(32), 5(32), 6(36), 7(36), 8(40) stitches. Put marker A and join for working in the round.Work in K2, P2 rib for 2 inches. Change to 6.5 mm needles and continue to work in stocking stitch for 4 rounds (k every round).A: *slm, k1, m1, knit to within 1 stitch of marker, m1, k1B: k 6 roundsRepeat steps A and B 1(5), 2(4), 3(5), 4(5), 5(6), 6(5), 7(5), 8(5) times.1(36), 2(38), 3(40), 4(44), 5(46), 6(48), 7(48), 8(52)Knit to armpit (your desired sleeve length).Removing marker A, slip first 1(2), 2(2), 3(2), 4(3), 5(3), 6(3), 7(3), 8(3) and last 1(2), 2(2), 3(2), 4(3), 5(3), 6(3), 7(3), 8(3) sts of round onto waste yarn. 1(4), 2(4), 3(4), 4(6), 5(6), 6(6), 7(6), 8(6) sts set aside for underarm and 1(32), 2(34), 3(36), 4(38), 5(40), 6(42), 7(42), 8(46) remain for sleeve. Make another sleeve in the same way.

HERE COME THE O W L S!

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8. Join body and sleeves.Using long 6.5 mm circular needle; and knitting in the following order (left sleeve, front yoke, right sleeve, back yoke), put marker A for start of round, join body and sleeves together. 1(160), 2(170), 3(180), 4(190), 5(200), 6(210), 7(220), 8(240)sts. Knit 1(2), 2(2), 3(3), 4(3), 5(4), 6(4), 7(5), 8(5) rounds.On next round: begin working o w l s from chart. Work 19 rounds, completing chart. Admire those o w l s !

9. Yoke decreases. Round 1: *K1, K2 tog** Rep from * to ** around. 1(107), 2(114), 3(120), 4(127), 5(134), 6(140), 7(147), 8(160) stsRound 2: knit.Repeat rounds 1 and 2 once more.1(72), 2(76), 3(80), 4(85), 5(90), 6(94), 7(98), 8(107) sts. On next round:Size 1: move to step 10.Size 2: decrease 4 sts evenly across round. Size 3: k8, k2tog 8 times.Size 4: k4, (k4 k2tog) 13 times, k3.Size 5: k3, k2tog 18 times. K one more round.Size 6: k3, (k2, k2tog) 22 times, k3. K one more round.Size 7: (k2, k2 tog) 24 times, k2 tog once. K one more round.Size 8: k1, k2 tog around. K one more round.All sizes: 72 sts remain.

10. Short rows to shape neckline. Row 1: K 70 sts wrap & turn.Row 2: P 22 sts wrap & turnRow 3: K 20 sts wrap & turnRow 4: P 18 sts wrap & turnk one round, working wraps together with wrapped stitches when you encounter them (see instructions above).

11. Neck edging.On next round, decrease 1(8), 2(8), 3(8), 4(8), 5(8), 6(4), 7(4), 8(0) sts evenly across round. 1(64), 2(64), 3(64), 4(64), 5(64), 6(68), 7(68), 8(72) sts remain. Change to 6mm needle, and work in K2 P2 rib for 1(1.5), 2(1.5), 3(1.5), 4(1.5), 5(1.5), 6(2), 7(2), 8(2) inches.b/o all sts using 6.5 mm needle or a ‘stretchy’ bind off method.

12. FinishingGraft stitches at armholes.Weave in loose ends. Soak sweater in cool water and wool wash for 20 min-utes. Squeeze dry by rolling between towels. Pin care-fully to dimensions and dry flat.Sew on button eyes. (Placement of eyes is marked by the two sets of raised purl stitches on owl face)

TRY ON AND H O O T!

if you spot an error in this pattern, please email katedaviesknitting@gmail.com

© Copyright agreement: This pattern is the property of Kate Davies. It is copyrighted, and is for personal and non-profit use only. This means that you can knit it for yourself, for a gift or for charity. You may not sell a garment made from this pattern. You may not reproduce this pattern on, or distribute it from, a website. Unless operating under the Ravelry in-store sales agreement, merchants may not download or print this pattern for sale, distribution, or class use. This pattern may not be translated, reproduced or circu-lated in another language. Purchasing, down-loading, or printing the pattern constitutes agreement within these terms. Thankyou, and enjoy your o w l s!. Kate Davies, Edinburgh, Scotland, February, 2012.

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