HELIX TANK TOP

54 Cast On I Spring 2016 BACK TO Copyright 2015/2016 The Guild Association. Cast On content is for readers’ personal use and may not be shared or reproduced without permission from the editors. CONTENTS HELIX TANK TOP BY APRYL ZARFOS ANDERSON

run. CO 30 or more stitches, plus 7 sts for your our case: swatch. Join, being careful not to twist. *(K1, Drop MC and pick up CC1, k 49 (52, 55, 57, p1) 3 times, k to end of rnd. Repeat from * for 60). Drop CC1 and pick up CC2, k 49 (52, 55, at least 4". 57, 60). Drop CC2 and pick up CC3, k 49 (52, With RS facing and starting at top right of 55, 57, 60). Note: Be sure to leave a 6" tail of , a sl st in each k1p1 pair on either each color for finishing. side of the center purl stitch, encasing the joined legs of the k1p1 stitches. Work down TECHNICAL TIPS: Unlike , DO NOT the right side, chain 5, and then sl st back up TWIST the as you pick them up. Rather, the left side of the ladder. Double check that untwist the new color if it’s gotten caught up in the others – the lowest in the progression – BEYOND THE PATTERN: Helix technique there is a clean division down the center-purl, keeping it to the left of its neighbors to minimize proves that is not a and that your crochet stitches don’t overlap or tangles and maintain speed and sanity. circle but a spiral. Like a barber’s pole, interfere. Remove and rework if they do. endless stripes can be created without You may find it easier to knit Continental/picking the color jog, including in the upper method due to the color-change rhythm of body, by employing basic steeking dropping the color on the right and picking up techniques to maintain the spiraling tube the next color in line with your left. and an even tension. Make it easy on yourself! Tension becomes an issue with all this dropping and picking up, Sizes: P (S, M, L, XL) not to mention the break of rhythm at the start of each rnd. To facilitate the transitions, slide Finished Measurements: the next color section – 49 (52, 55, 57, 60) sts Chest: 34 (36, 38, 40, 42)" – without knitting. Then pick up the following Armhole Depth: 8 (9, 9.5, 9.5, 9.75)" color and knit around until you come to the Total Length: 21 (22, 22.5, 23, 23.75)" next color. Repeat this sliding and knitting until all four colors are stacked one atop another. Materials: Proceed by knitting each color round in its Knit Picks COTLIN (123yds/112m, 1.76oz/ proper order – quite simply, the next color that 50g, 70% Tanguis cotton, 30% Linen): 3 CENTER STITCH is to the bottom left of the others. Be careful skeins 25777 Sagebrush (MC), 2 skeins each V not to distort the tension by tightening the 24134 Swan (CC1), 26674 Lichen (CC2) and K1 [P1 K1] P1 [K1 P1] K1 as you normally would with dpns, and unlike 24460 Clementine (CC3) ˆ — AND— ˆ intarsia, DO NOT TWIST! Just pick up the lowest SECURE WITH CROCHETED SL STS Size 6 (4mm) 32" (80cm) circular needle or color and drop the uppermost. size to obtain Size 5 (3.75mm) 32" (80cm) circular needle or See Cast On Magazine, Aug-Oct 2013, pages one size smaller than project needle for 9-14 for more information on steeking. Size F (4mm) Crochet hook for securing steeks 3 Stitch holders Back Stitch markers Hem: Using smaller needle, scrap yarn and MC, use a provisional cast on to CO 196 (208, Gauge: 220, 228, 240) sts. Join, begin careful not to In St st, 23 sts & 35 rnds = 4"/10 cm. To save twist sts, and pm to mark beg of rnd. Work in time, take time to check gauge. St st for 1.5". Next Rnd: Purl 1 rnd. Change to larger needles, Abbreviations: and k 49 (52, 55, 57, 60). k3tog – Knit 3 stitches together as 1. sk2p – Slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over Establish Helix Stripe pattern: Divide the tube the k2tog. into quarters – one for each color. (Therefore, if you were working with three colors, you Special Technique – Steeks: would divide your tube into thirds; five colors, TENSION TROUBLES Do not panic if you have never steeked before. into fifths, and so on. Each color begins Your gauge swatch is tailor-made for a first generally equidistant from its neighbors.) In continued on page 56

BACK TO TKGA.com 55 CONTENTS Copyright 2015/2016 The Knitting Guild Association. Cast On content is for readers’ personal use and may not be shared or reproduced without permission from the editors. continued from page 55 Special Technique – Steeks.) While working the shoulders, even out the top of the helix spiral as follows: Next Rnd: Dec 1 st both sides of back neck EOR twice – 94 (100, 106, 114, 124) sts. Next Rnd: Work across both fronts and back right, BO back neck steek and back left. Next Rnd: Work across both fronts, BO right arm steek and back right. Next Rnd: Work across front left, BO center front steek and front right. Next Rnd: BO rem sts.

Secure and cut steeks: See Special Technique – Steeks.

TENSION TROUBLES STEEKS

There will be even less of a jog in tension if you Next Rnd: Work 7 steek sts in k1p1 rib for left stop 3 stitches before the next color change, armhole, k 86 (92, 98, 102, 108) sts for front, 7 drop the working color, slip sts without knitting steek sts in k1p1 rib for right armhole, k 86 (92, to the next color (the farthest to the left), pick up 98, 102, 108) sts for back – 186 (198, 210, 218, and continue working around. 230) total sts. Work for 13 (13, 13, 13.5, 14)" from hem- Armhole Shaping turning (purl row) or 4 rnds before desired At armhole edges, dec 1 st at both sides every length to armhole. rnd 4 times, then dec 1 st at both sides EOR 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) times – 154 (166, 174, 182, 194) sts TECHNICAL TIP: In order to proceed to the armhole steeks, we need to realign the colors rem (including steeks). STEEKING to the end of the round. Knit the next 4 rounds, sliding remaining worked stitches of each Cont in est pat until piece meas 3.5 (4, 4.5, 4.75, round until you encounter the next color in the 4.75)" from beg of armhole shaping. progression, ending each round 6 sts before marker. Each color should now be stacked one Front Neck above the other in their correct progression. From left front marker, k 25 (28, 30, 32, 35) sts, sl 20 sts to a st holder for front neck, CO 7 sts for steek, cont to end of rnd. Work 1 rnd plain. Change to a shorter circular needle or dpn’s when needed.

Next Rnd: Work double decs both sides of neck edge as follows: k3tog, k1, steek 7, k1, sk2p. Work these decs every rnd 2 (2, 3, 3, 3) times, then dec 1 st both sides of neck edge every rnd 2 (3, 2, 2, 2) times, then dec 1 sts both sides of neck edge EOR 2 (3, 2, 2, 2) times – 125 (133, STEEKING 141, 149, 161), including 21 steek sts.

Cont in est patt, remembering to work steeks in k1p1 rib, until armhole meas 8 (9, 9.5, 9.5, 9.75)". REALIGNING THE COLORS Back Neck Knit Front Left and Right, including steeks. Shape Armholes After Right steek, sm, k 24 (26, 27, 29, 31), Continuing in Helix Stripe pattern, * Sl 12 sts BO 34 (36, 38, 38, 40) sts securely for a firm to for armhole, CO 7 sts for steek, k 86 (92, 98, 102, 108) sts; rep from * once. foundation, CO 7 sts for back neck steek, k to end of rnd – 98 (104, 110, 118, 128) sts rem TECHNICAL TIP: Set the steeks apart from the including 21 steek sts. rest of the Stockinette and provide guidelines for securing and cutting by adding stitch TECHNICAL TIP: For a firm bind off: * K2tog tbl, markers: pm (k1, p1) 3 times, k1, pm. (See sl st back to LH-needle, rep from *. STEEKING

56 Cast On I Spring 2016 Finishing For hem, slide held sts onto smaller size needle, turn hem to inside of garment and graft hem in place.

TECHNICAL TIP: Attention! Remember that you’re working on a helix spiral, therefore where you start will not be where you end up. Mark each quarter with a pin as a reminder to shift your hemstitch up one row.

STEEKING

SPIRAL HEM

Weave in all tails, and carefully trim steeks, securing lightly with whipstitch if needed. Block and weave in ends. STEEKING References Radcliffe, Margaret. The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2008. pp. 198-203. Staiman, Jeny. “Double Helix.” : Little Purls of Wisdom, issue 36 (first fall 2011) http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEff11/ PATTdoubleheelix.php Stanley, Montse. The Handknitter’s Handbook. Newton Abbot: David & Charles Publishers, plc, 1986. pp. 144-145. Techknitter. “Helix (barberpole) stripes, part 2 of a jogless stripe series.” http://techknitting.blogspot.fr/2011/03/helix- barberpole-stripes-part-2-of.html Tuesday, March 1, 2011. STEEKING

DESIGNER NOTE: Due to cotton’s non-felting properties, it’s wise to reinforce the cut steeks by tacking to the inside of the garment with sewing thread.

Graft shoulder seams.

Neck and Arm Bands For neckband, with smaller needles and public side facing, pick up the held sts from stitch holder and generally 4 sts for every 5 rows at both sides and st for st along back neck. Join and work St st for 1". BO loosely, allowing band to roll naturally. Rep for arm bands.

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