Free Knitting Pattern
Vintage Plaid Mohair Sweater
Unger 1963
Sizes: Directions are for size 12. Changes for sizes 14 and 16 are in Parentheses.
Materials: Unger’s Mohair De Luxe, 40 gram ball, 9 (10 – 11) Black (A), 10 (11-12) White (B) and 3 Red (C). No. 11 Knitting Needles, or size required to obtain the given stitch gauge. No. 0 steel crochet hook.
Gauge: No. 11 needles, double strand: 3 sts = 1″.
Note: Have small balls of single strand yarn and use as follows: In stripe 1, when working AB section, attach the B and carry the 2nd A loosely in back of work, catching it in every 3rd st. In stripe 2, when working the AA section, attach a ball of A and carry the B loosely in back of work, catching it in every 3rd st. Each letter denotes a strand of a particular color. Twist yarns in back of work to prevent holes.
Pattern Stitch: Stripe 1: Row 1: K 4 (5 -7) AA * k 9 AB, K 6 AA ; repeat from * across, end k 4 (5-7) AA. Row 2: p 4 (5-7) AA * P 9 AB, P 6 AA; repeat from * across, end p 4 (5 – 7) AA. Row 3 and 5: As row 1. Row 4 and 6: As row 2. STRIPE 2: Row 7: K 4 (5 – 7) AB * K 9 AA, K 6 AB; repeat from * across, end K 4 (5 – 7) AB. Row 8: P 4 (5 – 7) AB * P 9 AA, P 6 AB; repeat from * across, end P 4 (5 -7) AB. Row 9: As row 7. Row: 10: As row 8. STRIPE 3: Row 11: K all sts BC. Row 12: P all sts BC. STRIPE 4: Row 13: As row 7. Row 14: As row 8. STRIPE 5: Row 15: As row 1. Row 16: As row 2. STRIPE 6: Row 17: As row 7. Row 18: As row 8. Row 19: As row 7. Row 20: As row 8. Repeat these 20 rows for pattern st.
BACK: With AA, Cast on 47 (49 – 53) sts. Work pattern st even 10″. Inc 1 st each end of next row; then every 3″ once more (work inc sts in pattern), 51 (53 – 57) sts. Work even until 17″ from beg. SHAPE ARMHOLES: Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st at beg and end of every other row 2 (2-3) times, 41 (43 – 45) sts. Work even until armhole is 8″ (8 1/2 – 9)/ SHAPE SHOULDERS: Bind off 5 sts at beg of next 2 (4-4) rows; then bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows for size 12 only, 23 (23 – 25) sts. Work even on remaining sts for 1″ (neck facing). Bind off.
FRONT: With AA, cast on 51 (55 – 57) sts. Start pattern as follows, working stripe pattern as for back: Row 1: K 0 (2 – 3) AB * K 6 AA, K 9 AB; repeat from * across, end K 0 (2 – 3) AB. Row 2: P 0 (2 – 3) AB * P 6 AA, P 9 AB; repeat from * across, end P 0 (2 – 3) AB. Work even until 10: from beg. Inc 1 st each end; then every 3″ once more, 55 (59 – 61) sts. Work even to underarm as for back, end with same pattern row as on back. SHAPE ARMHOLES: Bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st each end of every other row 3 (4 – 4) times, 41 (43 – 45) sts. Finish as for back.
SLEEVES: With AA, cast on 37 (39 – 41) sts/ Starting with stripe 5 of pattern, work as follows: K 8 (9 – 10) AB * K 6 AA, K 9 AB; repeat from * across, end K 8 (9 -10) AB. Continue in pattern as established, following stripe pattern as for back until 13″ from beg, end with same pattern row as at underarm of back. SHAPE CAP: Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st each end of every other row 10 (11 – 12) times, 11 sts. Bind off.
COLLAR: With AA, cast on 74 (76 – 78) sts. Work stripe pattern as for back, establishing pattern as follows: Row 1: K 4 (5 – 6) AB * K 6 AA, K 9 AB: repeat from * across, end K 4 (5 – 6) AB. Work even 10″. Bind off loosely.
FINISHING: Block pieces. VERTICAL STRIPES: Thread darning needle with C.. In the 4th st of every 9 st panel, work 1 duplicate st and continue to work a duplicate st all the way up in every other row. Work a duplicate st with A in every 6th st of every 9 st panel on every other row in the same manner. Sew shoulder, side and sleeve seames. Turn under neck facing and sew. Fold under 3″ of sleeve and sew to wrong side. Sew in sleeves. FRINGE: Cut strands 9″ long for collar and 12″ long for hem. Using 2 strands, A, 2 strands B and 1 strand C, fold in half, insert crochet hook into st on collar 3/4″ from edge, pull all strands through st forming a loop, pull all strands through loop and know. Fringe lower edge of collar and sweater as shown. Sew back seam of collar. Sew on collar to sweater, 1″ below neck edge on back and graduating it to 2″ below neck edge on front. BELT: Using 3 strands of A, B and C, braid until belt is about 62″ or desired length. TASSELS: Using 42 strands of yarn (divide 3 colors evenly), Knot 1 end so tassel will be about 5″ long. Sew a tassel to each end of braid.