Slip Stitch Cast On
This is the one knitting technique that I know how to do without needing to find a tutorial. It's kinda the only knitting technique I want to know how to do!
You need this method when you make a garment like a cardigan or jumper from the top down. The slip stitch cast on creates a bridge between the front and the back of the torso and goes under the armpit - otherwise known as the armpit bridge.
Patterns including this technique:
Choose your own adventure with this fully customisable wearable.
Six children’s sizes and nine adult sizes are included in this top down, seamless pattern. The pattern includes directions for customising your wearable so it can be a tee, a long-sleeved sweater or a dress.
Customise your wearable with decreases or increases on the sleeves and/or torso to achieve the flare or taper that suits your body best.
Make it in any fingering weight yarn of your choice, any material will work as long as gauge is met. Aim for a yarn that has yardage close to 400m per 100g.
This project is suitable for an adventurous beginner – it only includes tunisian simple stitch with basic increases and decreases and single crochet (US).
Pattern includes links to instructional videos, schematics, photo tutorials, charts and a fully written pattern.
This pattern is also available for purchase via Payhip, Ribblr and Etsy.
Sizes
Kids:
2 (4, 6, 8, 10, 12)
Blocked garment chest/bust: 55 (60.5, 66, 78, 84.5, 91)cm / 21.7 (23.8, 26, 30.7, 33.3, 35.8)in (more measurements in pattern)
Estimated yardage: 100-150 (125-175, 150-200, 175-225, 250-300, 275-325)grams / 400-600 (500-700, 600-800, 700-900, 1000-1200, 1100-1300)metres
Adults:
XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL)
Blocked garment chest/bust: 84.5 (97.5, 104, 117, 130, 137, 158, 176, 184)cm / 33.3 (38.4, 40.9, 46.1, 51.2, 53.9, 62.2, 69.3, 72.4)in
Estimated yardage: 300-350 (325-375, 350-400, 375-425, 400-450, 425-475, 450-500, 475-525, 500-550)grams / 1200-1400 (1300-1500, 1400-1600, 1500-1700, 1600-1800, 1700-1900, 1800-2000, 1900-2100, 2000-2200)metres.
Materials
5.5-6mm hook long enough to hold up to 12 stitches at a time.
Fingering weight yarn (amounts listed above) with a yardage close to 400m per 100g
Stitch markers
Darning needle
Ginan is a clever Tunisian crochet jumper designed to be made with assigned colour pooling yarn. Colourful bobbles look like scattered stars, and the colour carried within the return pass becomes the tail of a shooting star.
Featured in Issue 3 Autumn/Winter 2022 of Moorit magazine.
MEASUREMENTS
1 (2, 3, 4, 5)(6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Finished bust circumference: 84 (93, 99, 111, 121)(132, 145, 147, 160, 171)cm / 33 (36.5, 39, 43.5, 47.5)(52, 57, 58, 63, 67.5)”
YARN
The Wool Kitchen 4-ply/fingering (75% Merino, 25% nylon; 425m / 465yd per 100g).
Sample is made in colourway M2-9.
1405 (1510, 1650, 1780, 1990)(2240, 2420, 2580, 2800, 3000)m / 1540 (1655, 1805, 1945, 2175)(2450, 2645, 2820, 3060, 3280)yd
HOOK & NOTIONS
5.5mm (US I/9), 60-100cm/24-40” long depending on size
Up to 14 stitch markers
TENSION
19 tss x 19 rows = 10cm x 10cm
Photography by Amelia-Claudia.
The Andy Jumper is named after my dearly departed Grandfather Andy (Andrew). Andy was a no fuss kind of man. He was practical, he was simple and steadfast. I started making my first sample of this jumper just before he passed and I was thinking of him as I was making it. Naming it after him after he left us just seemed fitting.
The Andy Jumper is a top-down raglan style jumper. It includes short rows to raise the back of the neck. 10cm/4in positive ease is recommended on the widest part of the torso.
Optional centre short rows can be added to include bust darts and/or to create a curved base.
I recommend following my free short row tutorials before you tackle this project, all the variations will be used in this project.
Skills
Tunisian simple stitch
Work in the round with a cabled hook (connecting stitch)
Tunisian knit stitch
Increases and decreases
Slip stitch cast on
Tunisian simple stitch short rows
Yarn
Raxor Yarns, raw bamboo sock, fingering weight (Australian 4 ply), 100g/400m, 80% superwash merino, 20% raw bamboo. This is my red sample. Unfortunately, this yarn is no longer available, please use any yarn you can achieve correct gauge with.
My white sample was made using Fibre Arts Shed merino/Donegal nepp yarn. This sample used a different gauge to the red sample and fits differently to the published pattern.
Yarn Quantities
Yarn quantities are calculated based on number of sts in the entire jumper. This includes long sleeves and 60 torso rounds. A 10% contingency is included in these yarn estimates to incorporate optional bust darts and a curved base. If planning on a shorter or longer torso or sleeve, adjust yarn estimates to accommodate this.
348 (392, 452, 496) (560, 602, 660) (694, 770, 800) g
1392 (1568, 1808, 1984) (2240, 2408, 2640) (2776, 3080, 3200) m
1522 (1715, 1977, 2170) (2450, 2633, 2887) (3036, 3368, 3500) y.
This estimate is generous. For example, my size 3 sample weighs 410g and includes bust darts but not a curved base. I had 4 skeins of yarn, and they were all slightly more than 100g each, so I did not need a 5th skein.
Sizes & Measurements
Sizes are expressed in this pattern as
1 (2, 3, 4) (5, 6, 7) (8, 9, 10).
A - neck circumference: 58 (65.5, 67.5, 71.5) (76, 73.5, 78) (80, 82, 82) cm, 22.75 (25.75, 26.5,
28.25) (30, 29, 30.75) (31.5, 32.25, 32.25) in.
B - yoke depth (neck to armpit): 18 (20, 22, 22) (24, 24, 26) (26, 28, 28) cm, 7 (7.75, 8.75, 8.75) (9.5,
9.5, 10.25) (10.25, 11, 11) in.
C - upper arm circumference: 33.5 (34, 38.5, 41.5) (44.5, 51, 54) (56.5, 62, 66.5) cm, 13.25 (13.5,
15.25, 16.25) (17.5, 20, 21.25) (22.25, 24.5, 26.25) in.
D - bust circumference: 87.5 (98, 108.5, 119) (129.5, 140, 150.5) (161, 172.5, 181) cm, 34.5 (38.5,
42.75, 46.75) (51, 55, 59.25) (63.5, 68, 71.25) in. Include a minimum of 10cm/4in positive ease.
E – torso length (armpit to base): 37cm / 14.5in
F – sleeve length (armpit to cuff): 44.5cm / 17.5in
I also wrote a blog article about the gauge of this jumper and what happens when your gauge is off. I hope there are some handy hints in it for you!