“Guell” is a girls’ Fair Isle sweater knitted from the top down, entirely seamless, starting at the neckline. The circular yoke carries the colourwork; the body and both sleeves are then worked from the stitches that were set aside, so the only finishing is the ribbing at the hem and cuffs and the ends.
The pattern is written in nine sizes — 12 mos; 18–24 mos; 3 yrs (4 yrs; 5 yrs; 6–7 yrs) (8–9 yrs; 10–12 yrs; 12–14 yrs) — and the numbers appear in that order throughout. Two things decide the fit before you cast on: the short-row shaping after the yoke, which raises the back neck, and the underarm cast-on, which sets how the sleeve hangs. Both are given per size.
The eight circular yoke charts, the body chart, the sleeve chart and the full measurement table are reproduced at the end of this article.
What you need
- Main colour: Stitch Sisterz Mongolian Cashmere 4 ply (100% cashmere, 100 g / 366 m) — 130; 150; 170 (200; 220; 230) (250; 270; 310) g by size
- Contrast colours: Juli by Yarna (merino, 50 g / 175 m) 25; 25; 25 (50; 50; 50) (75; 75; 75) g, and Mechita by Malabrigo (merino, 100 g / 384 m) in the same amounts
- Needles: circular 1.5 mm [US000], 2.75 mm [US2] and 3 mm [US2.5], or the sizes that give gauge
- Notions: stitch markers, tapestry needle, stitch holders, spare circular needle or scrap yarn
- Gauge: 30 sts and 36 rows = 10 × 10 cm in stockinette on 2.75 mm, after blocking and stretched
Abbreviations
- st st stockinette — knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side; knit every round when working in the round
- k knit, p purl, k2tog knit 2 together, ssk slip, slip, knit
- RLI right-leaning lifted increase, LLI left-leaning lifted increase
- BoR beginning of round, RS right side, WS wrong side, M1–M3 markers
- Ribbing alternate k2, p2
How to work the increases
RLI: insert the right needle into the stitch one row below the next stitch and knit this additional stitch, then work the next stitch as indicated.
LLI: insert the left needle into the stitch two rows below the stitch just worked, lift it onto the left needle and knit this additional stitch.
ssk: slip 2 sts individually knit-wise, return them to the left needle and knit them together through the back loop.
Yoke
With 1.5 mm needles, cast on 140; 140; 140 (152; 152; 152) (152; 152; 152) sts, place the BoR marker and join into the round without twisting. Work ribbing to 3 cm from the cast-on edge, then change to 2.75 mm.
In the next round, increase a total of 0; 0; 0 (2; 2; 2) (2; 2; 2) sts. For 4 yrs to 12–14 yrs only: slip the BoR marker to the right needle, RLI, k76, LLI, then work in st st to the end of the round.
After 7 rounds in st st, change to 3 mm needles and work Circular Yoke Chart #1. You now have 140; 140; 140 (154; 154; 154) (154; 154; 154) sts.
Continue from Chart #2; #4; #5 (Chart #3; #4; #5) (Chart #6; #7; #8) for your size. Complete all rows, change to 2.75 mm and work 2 rounds of st st even. You now have 240; 260; 270 (275; 286; 297) (308; 319; 352) sts.
Centre the motif. Move the BoR marker by the number of stitches listed, for your size:
- 12 mos: 4 sts to the left — 18–24 mos: 3 sts to the left — 3 yrs: 3 sts to the left
- 4 yrs: 6 sts to the right — 5 yrs: 6 sts to the right — 6–7 yrs: 7 sts to the right
- 8–9 yrs: 7 sts to the right — 10–12 yrs: 6 sts to the right — 12–14 yrs: 4 sts to the right
In the next round, distribute the stitches and place the markers:
- 12 mos: slip BoR, k45, M1 (right sleeve), k75, M2 (front), k45, M3 (left sleeve), k75
- 18–24 mos: slip BoR, k51, M1, k79, M2, k51, M3, k79
- 3 yrs: slip BoR, k52, M1, k83, M2, k52, M3, k83
- 4 yrs: slip BoR, k53, M1, k85, M2, k53, M3, k84
- 5 yrs: slip BoR, k56, M1, k87, M2, k56, M3, k87
- 6–7 yrs: slip BoR, k58, M1, k91, M2, k58, M3, k90
- 8–9 yrs: slip BoR, k61, M1, k93, M2, k61, M3, k93
- 10–12 yrs: slip BoR, k59, M1, k101, M2, k59, M3, k100
- 12–14 yrs: slip BoR, k61, M1, k115, M2, k61, M3, k115
Short rows for the back neck
Next round: slip the BoR marker, k24; 26; 27 (27; 28; 29) (30; 30; 31), turn to the wrong side, slip 1 purl-wise, take the yarn behind the stitch and over the right needle, then pull it taut so both legs of the stitch sit on the needle. Continue on the WS in purl.
Work to the BoR marker, slip it, work to M3, slip it, p24; 26; 27 (27; 28; 29) (30; 30; 31), turn to the right side, slip 1 knit-wise, take the yarn behind and over the needle, pull taut. Continue on the RS.
- Row 1 (RS): work to M3, slip it, knit to the BoR marker, slip it, work to 5 sts before the double stitch, turn and work the wrap on the WS.
- Row 2 (WS): work to the BoR marker, slip it, purl to M3, slip it, work to 5 sts before the double stitch, turn and work the wrap on the RS.
- Repeat Rows 1 and 2 another 1; 1; 1 (1; 2; 2) (3; 3; 3) time(s).
- Row 3 (RS): knit to 3 sts before the double stitch, turn and wrap.
- Row 4 (WS): purl to 3 sts before the double stitch, turn and wrap.
- Repeat Rows 3 and 4 another 1; 1; 1 (1; 2; 2) (3; 3; 3) time(s).
- Row 5 (RS): knit to 1 st before the double stitch, slip 1 purl-wise, take the yarn over the needle and pull taut, continue on the WS.
- Row 6 (WS): purl to 1 st before the double stitch, turn and wrap on the RS.
- Repeat Rows 5 and 6 another 0; 0; 0 (0; 1; 1) (1; 1; 1) time(s).
Continue in st st in the round to the BoR marker, knitting both legs of each double stitch together as one. Work 0; 0; 1 (1; 5; 8) (12; 16; 19) more round(s) in st st.
Divide for the sleeves
Slip the BoR marker, transfer 45; 51; 52 (53; 56; 58) (61; 59; 61) right sleeve sts to a holder, cast on 10; 10; 10 (12; 12; 14) (14; 18; 18) underarm sts, slip M1, work the front in st st to M2, slip M2, transfer 45; 51; 52 (53; 56; 58) (61; 59; 61) left sleeve sts to a holder, cast on 10; 10; 10 (12; 12; 14) (14; 18; 18) underarm sts, slip M3, work the back in st st to the BoR marker.
You now have 170; 178; 186 (193; 198; 209) (214; 237; 266) sts.
Body
Work in st st in the round until the piece measures 12; 14; 15 (16; 19; 21) (24; 27; 29) cm from the division, or is 10 cm shorter than your desired length.
In the next round, increase 6; 9; 1 (5; 0; 0) (6; 5; 9) sts evenly as follows:
- 12 mos: k14, RLI, k29, (LLI, k28) 3 times, RLI, k29, RLI, k14
- 18–24 mos: k10, RLI, k19, (RLI, k20) 3 times, (LLI, k20) 3 times, LLI, k19, LLI, k10
- 3 yrs: RLI, k186
- 4 yrs: k19, RLI, k38, (RLI, k39) 2 times, LLI, k38, LLI, k20
- 5 yrs and 6–7 yrs: work one round even, no change
- 8–9 yrs: k18, RLI, k35, (LLI, k36) 3 times, RLI, k35, RLI, k18
- 10–12 yrs: k23, RLI, k48, (RLI, k47) 2 times, LLI, k48, LLI, k24
- 12–14 yrs: k15, (RLI, k29) 2 times, (LLI, k30) 4 times, (RLI, k29) 2 times, RLI, k15
Change to 3 mm needles and work Chart #9. After the last row, change to 2.75 mm and work 7 rounds in st st.
Before the next round, change to 1.5 mm and work: k1, *(p2, k2), repeat from * to the last 3 sts, ending p2, k1. In the first round, decrease 0; 3; 3 (2; 2; 1) (0; 2; 3) sts evenly. You now have 176; 184; 184 (196; 196; 208) (220; 240; 272) sts. After 3 cm of ribbing, bind off all stitches.
Sleeves
Right sleeve. Take up the held sleeve stitches on 2.75 mm needles. With the RS facing, join the yarn, work in st st to the end of the round, place M1, work 10; 10; 10 (12; 12; 14) (14; 18; 18) sts into the underarm stitches, place the BoR marker and join into the round without twisting. You now have 55; 61; 62 (65; 68; 72) (75; 77; 79) sts.
Work 21 rounds in the established pattern, then shape:
- Round 1 (decrease): slip BoR, k2, k2tog, work in st st to 4 sts before M1, ssk, k2 — 2 sts decreased
- Rounds 2–20: work even in the established pattern
- Repeat Rounds 1–20 another 0; 0; 0 (0; 1; 1) (1; 1; 1) time(s)
You now have 53; 59; 60 (63; 64; 68) (71; 73; 75) sts. Continue until the sleeve measures 13; 15; 18 (20; 23; 25) (27; 30; 33) cm from the armhole, or is 6 cm shorter than the desired length.
In the next round, increase 2; 1; 0 (2; 1; 2) (4; 2; 0) sts evenly:
- 12 mos: slip BoR, k2, LLI, work in st st to 2 sts before M1, RLI, k2
- 18–24 mos: slip BoR, k2, LLI, work in st st to the end of the round
- 3 yrs: work one round even, no change
- 4 yrs: slip BoR, k2, LLI, work to 2 sts before M1, RLI, k2
- 5 yrs: slip BoR, k2, LLI, work to the end of the round
- 6–7 yrs: slip BoR, k2, LLI, work to 2 sts before M1, RLI, k2
- 8–9 yrs: slip BoR, k2, LLI, k2, LLI, work to 4 sts before M1, RLI, k2, RLI, k2
- 10–12 yrs: slip BoR, k2, LLI, work to 2 sts before M1, RLI, k2
- 12–14 yrs: work one round even, no change
Change to 3 mm and work Chart #10. You now have 55; 60; 60 (65; 65; 70) (75; 75; 75) sts. After the last chart row, change to 2.75 mm and work 7 rounds in st st.
Before the next round, change to 1.5 mm and work k1, *(p2, k2), repeat from * to the last 3 sts, ending p2, k1. In the first round, adjust as follows:
- 12 mos: k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, work to 4 sts before M1, ssk, k2 — 3 sts decreased
- 18–24 mos and 3 yrs: work even
- 4 yrs and 5 yrs: k2, k2tog, work to the end of the round — 1 st decreased
- 6–7 yrs: k2, k2tog, work to 4 sts before M1, ssk, k2 — 2 sts decreased
- 8–9 yrs: k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, work to 4 sts before M1, ssk, k2 — 3 sts decreased
- 10–12 yrs and 12–14 yrs: k2, LLI, work to the end of the round — 1 st increased
You now have 52; 60; 60 (64; 64; 68) (72; 76; 76) sts. After 3 cm of ribbing, bind off. Work the left sleeve the same way.
Finishing
Moisten the sweater, block it spread out flat until completely dry, then hide all the ends.
Charts and measurements
The pages below are the original chart set: the measurement diagram and table, then the eight circular yoke charts followed by the body chart #9 and the sleeve chart #10. Read every chart from bottom to top; in the round, from right to left. A grey square is a stitch that does not exist at that point.
Pattern: “Guell” Girls’ sweater by Natalie Pelykh, translation by Katharina Sokiran. Text, charts and measurements reproduced on freecrochetpatterns.org with the designer’s permission. The designer asks that her copyright be respected and that anyone interested in republishing contact her for publishing conditions: knitting@ukr.net.
For a novelty hat on a big hook, Sorting Hat shapes its face with triple crochet rather than colour.
If you are dressing a toy, Penguin Beret is 20 rounds on a 2 mm hook and uses almost no yarn.
