Paint Me A Sweater - 1 -

Paint Me A Sweater
By Elena Nodel

I always liked the easy comfortable fit

that ponchos provide, but somehow this
particular clothing piece never seemed
right in regards to my always active
child. Maya refuses to wear anything
that interferes with her movement, thus
the idea of cross between poncho and a
sweater came to be. It is comfy and
loose, yet it is not in the way for
jumping, climbing, running or hanging
upside down on monkey bars!

The simple seamless construction will

showcase any hand dyed and variegated
yarns beautifully - knit and watch the
colors unfold. It is as if you are painting
your own sweater, a sure delight for you
as a knitter, and for your special little
girls who can have a say in the colors
they would like to see.

The sweater is entirely seamless and is worked from top down in the round on circular needles. The
neckband is made first, and then the rest of the sweater is knit downwards. Once the sweater’s body is
complete, sleeves and sleeve cuffs are also worked in the round on circular needles. I-cord is made
and threaded through the hem eyelets; decorative leaves are knitted onto the I-cord afterward, both
require double pointed needles for knitting. Once the sweater is blocked, the sleeve cuffs are gathered
with a darning needle and main color yarn. The neckband, sleeve cuffs, and hem are finished in 2x2
ribbing.

© Elena Nodel 2011

 Paint Me A Sweater - 2 -

Length Yarn Required

Chest Size
Age (Neck to hemline) Main Color Contrast Color
cm inches cm inches m yds m yds
2T 58.5 23 38 15 256 280 128 140
4T 63.5 25 42 16.5 411 450 165 180
6 68.5 27 47 18.5 503 550 192 210
8 73.5 29 52 20.5 640 700 219 240
10 78.5 31 57 22.5 800 875 265 280

Suggested Yarns
Gaia Organic Merino Worsted by Family Roots (100% merino; 256 m/280 yds in 100 g/4 oz)
Dia Worsted by Colour Adventures (100% merino; 199 m /218 yds in 100 g/3.53 oz)
Bella Worsted by Colour Adventures (100% merino; 199 m/218 yds in 100 g/3.53 oz)

Gauge: 20 sts and 26 rows = 10 cm/4 inches in stockinette stitch with larger size needle

Notions Abbreviations
k = knit;
4 mm/US #6 circular needles (30, 60 cm/16, p = purl;
st(s) = stitch(es);
24 inch);
pm = place marker;
4.5 mm/US #7 circular needles (30, 60 cm/16, BOR = beginning of the round;
slipm = move marker from the left needle to the
24 inch); right needle;
4 mm/US #6 DPN's or long circular for magic yo = yarn over needle;
kfb = knit into the front of the stitch, then knit into the
looping; back of the same stitch, then slip the stitch off, 2 sts
made out of 1;
4 stitch markers (one marker in different color k2tog = knit two stitches together as one, i.e.
making 1 st out of 2 sts;
to mark beginning of the round); skp = slip one stitch as if to knit, knit the following
Stitch holders/waste yarn; stitch, then pass the slipped stitch over the knitted
one
Darning needle MC= main color;
CC = contrast color

© Elena Nodel 2011


Pattern Instructions
With shorter 4 mm/US #6 circular needles and
CC, cast on 80(88, 96, 104, 112) sts. Place
beginning of the round marker, and join for
knitting in the round; be careful not to twist the
stitches.
Rounds 1-8: *k2, p2*, repeat ** to the end of
the round.
Body
Round 1: using shorter 4.5 mm/US #7
circular needles and MC, knit in the round and
place markers as follows:
K17 (19, 21, 23, 25), pm, k23(25, 27, 29, 31),
pm, k17(19, 21, 23, 25), pm, k23(25, 27, 29,
31).
Round 2: Kfb, * knit to 1 st before next
marker, kfb, slipm, kfb; repeat from * 3 times
more, knit to last st, kfb:
Total 88 (96, 104, 112, 120) sts.
Rounds 3 & 4: knit
Repeat Rounds 2-4: 18(20, 22, 24, 27) more
times. Feel free to change to longer 4.5 mm/US
#7 needles when you think it is necessary. You
should have the following number of stitches
between markers:
2T: 55/61/55/61 - 232 sts
4T: 61/67/61/67 - 256 sts
6: 67/73/67/73 - 280 sts
8: 73/79/73/79 - 304 sts
10: 81/87/81/87 - 336 sts
Next round: slip first 55 (61, 67, 73, 81) sts
onto stitch holders/scrap yarn for sleeves,
remove marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before the next
marker, kfb, remove marker, slip next 55 (61,
67, 73, 81) sts onto stitch holders/scrap yarn
for sleeves, leave marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before
the next marker, kfb, leave marker (this will be
your beginning of the round marker): 126 (138,
150, 162, 178) sts.
© Elena Nodel 2011
Paint Me A Sweater - 3 -
Rounds 1 & 2: knit
Round 3 (decrease round): k1, k2tog, knit
to 3 sts before stitch marker, skp, k1, slip
marker, k1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before next
stitch marker, skp, k1. Total stitch count is
decreased by 4 sts.
Repeat rnds 1-3 for a further 2(2, 3, 4, 4) times:
114 (126, 134, 142, 158) sts.
Remove second marker, keeping beginning of
the round marker in place.
Knit for 7 (9, 11, 13, 15) rounds.
Next round: knit and evenly decrease by 2(6,
6, 6, 6) sts. Total 112 (120, 128, 136, 152) sts.
Hemline
Change to 4 mm/US #6 circular needles and
CC, knit one round.
Work in 2x2 rib for 8(10, 11, 12, 13) rounds.
Eyelet round: *k2, yo, p2tog*, repeat ** to
the end of the round.
Work in 2x2 rib for 8(10, 11, 13, 13) rounds
more.
Bind off all stitches in 2x2 rib pattern.
Sleeves
Transfer 55 (61, 67, 73, 81) sts from waste
yarn/stitch holder onto shorter 4.5 mm/US #7
circular needles; join MC and pick up 3 sts at
the underarm area, pm, pick up 2 sts at the
underarm area, join for knitting in the round:
60(66, 72, 78, 86) sts.
Round 1: knit
Round 2(decrease round): k1, k2tog, knit
to 3 sts before stitch marker, skp, k1. Total
stitch count is decreased by 2 sts.
Repeat rounds 1-2 for a further 3 (2, 3, 4, 4)
times: Total: 52(60, 64, 68, 76) sts.

Change to shorter 4 mm/US #6 circular
needles and CC, knit one round.
Work in k2xp2 rib for 8 (10, 12, 12, 14) rounds.
Bind off all stitches in 2x2 rib pattern.
Decorative I-Cord Belt
Using 4 mm/US #6 DPN's and MC
provisionally cast on 3 sts, knit an I-cord till it
measures 96.5 (101.5, 109, 117, 124.5) cm/38
(40, 43, 46, 49) inches long. Do not bind off.
Decorative Leaves
Attach CC and kfb into every stitch on the I-
cord end: 6sts.
Arrange 3 sts onto one double pointed needle
and 3 other sts onto another. Hold needles
parallel, with working thread coming from the
back needle. Then knit the stitches on the front
needle as follows:
Round 1: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1. Turn work with
back needle towards you now, repeat as for the
front needle. You will be knitting in the round,
first on one needle, then on another. Each
needle should have 5 sts now.
Round 2: knit stitches on both needles.
Round 3: k2, yo, k1, yo, k2. Turn work, repeat
for the second needle: 7 sts on each needle.
Round 4: knit stitches on both needles.
Round 5: k3, yo, k1, yo, k3. Turn work, repeat
for the second needle: 9 sts on each needle.
Round 6: knit stitches on both needles.
Round 7: k4, yo, k1, yo, k4. Turn work, repeat
for the second needle: 11 sts on each needle.
Round 8: knit stitches on both needles.
Round 9: skp, k7, k2tog. Turn work, repeat for
the second needle: 9 sts on each needle.
© Elena Nodel 2011
Paint Me A Sweater - 4 -
Round 10: knit all stitches on both needles.
Round 11: skp, k5, k2tog. Turn work, repeat
for the second needle: 7 sts on each needle.
Round 12: knit all stitches on both needles.
Round 13: skp, k3, k2tog. Turn work, repeat
for the second needle: 5 sts on each needle.
Round 14: skp, k1, k2tog. Turn work, repeat
for the second needle: 3 sts on each needle.
Round 15: slip 2 sts as if to knit, knit 1 st, pass
slipped stitches over the knitted one. Turn
work, repeat for the second needle.
Bind off.
Thread i-cord through the hem eyelets.
For the second leaf, transfer 3 stitches from
provisional cast on onto dpns, attach CC and
repeat as for the first leaf.
Finishing
Weave in any loose ends.
Block your sweater.
With WS facing you, attach MC at the middle of
the sleeve, where 2x2 ribbing for sleeves
begins, and then thread the yarn through the
darning needle. On the WS sew under the first
purl bump, go over 3 bumps towards the top of
the sleeve, and then sew under one bump.
Continue sewing under purl bumps till you
have done so under 6(8, 8, 10, 10) bumps. You
will now be sewing back down to your starting
point in the same manner as on the way up.
Space your up thread and down thread about
2-3 stitches apart. Gently pull your yarn tight
so that the threads going up and down are both
pulled in. Secure your yarn at the start of 2x2
rib, weave ends in.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
 Paint Me A Sweater - 5 -

References
How to make an I-cord: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcGj6tpqeJA

Acknowledgments

 Heartfelt thanks and my deepest gratitude go to my wonderful group of testers whose hard work
and most valuable input made this pattern possible.

Special thanks go to Janet for helping me with the presentation and editing of this pattern.

Copyright
Please respect my designer rights, and as such the copyright of this pattern will always remain with
me. I am providing this pattern for personal home use only. You may make garments from it as gifts
or donate to charities and fundraisers. Commercial use of this pattern is a violation of the copyright.
Selling products made from this pattern or distributing this pattern in any manner is prohibited
under the copyright unless I, Elena Nodel, have granted express written permission.

Contact Information
Email: ElenaNodel@gmail.com
Website: www.AnadiomenaDesigns.com
Pattern Designs: www.ravelry.com/designers/Elena-Nodel
Colour Adventures Yarns on Etsy: www.Anadiomena.Etsy.com
Blog: www.AnadiomenaDesigns.blogspot.com
Ravelry Username: Anadiomena
Ravelry Group: Anadiomena's Adventures
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AnadiomenasDesigns
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/AnadiomenasNews

© Elena Nodel 2011