Tuxedo jacket

Adapted from “Twinkle’s Big City Knits” by Wenlan Chia

Time: About 18 hours

Size: S (M, L)

Measurements: Bust: 16 1/2 inches (18 1/2 inches, 20 1/2 inches)

Materials:

5 (6, 7) skeins of super bulky weight yarn (such as Cascade Magnum), about 625 (750, 875) yards

Circular needle, 32 inches, U.S. size 19

Double-pointed needles, U.S. size 19, for sleeves

Large cable needle, or use one of the double-pointed needles to cable

Large knitting markers

Large knitting holders

Gauge: 2 stitches equals about 1 1/2 inches

Note: Sweater is knit from the top down; sleeves should be knit on double-pointed needles, as round needles are too small to accommodate the circumference.

Special stitches:

C10L (Cable 10 left): Slip next 5 stitches to cable needle and hold in front of work, k5, k5 from cable needle.

C10R (Cable 10 right): Slip next 5 stitches to cable needle and hold in back of work, k5, k5 from cable needle.

Ssk: Slip, slip, knit. Slip 2 stitches one at a time as if to knit, insert LH needle into both stitches as if to knit, knit stitches together. Creates a right-leaning decrease.

K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together. Creates a left-leaning decrease.

Jacket:

On size 19 circular needles, cast on 100 (108, 116) st.

Row 1 (RS): K3, *p2, k2; repeat from * to last st, k1.

Continue in established k2, p2 rib until 18 rows are complete.

Divide for armholes:

Mark center Back rib with a knitting marker. Continuing in rib pattern, work 17 (18, 19) Left Front sts, work next 23 (25, 27) Sleeve sts and place on holder, dec 1, pattern to center rib (yo, k1, yo), into next st (k1, yo, k1), into next st (4 st increased) pattern until 42 (45, 48) st remain, dec 1 place next 23 (25, 27) Sleeve sts on another holder, pattern across remaining 17 (18, 19) Right Front sts — 56 (60, 64) sts.

Continue in establishd k2, p2 rib, incorporating the new stitches into the rib pattern and increasing 4 st at center Back every 10 rows 3 more times — 68 (72, 76) sts. Work even until 60 rows are complete. Sweater measures approximately 27 inches. Bind off.

Sleeves:

Place 23 (25, 27) Sleeve sts on double pointed knitting needles. Knit 12 complete rows. Next row (Dec Row): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. Repeat Dec Row every 10th row 2 times — 17 (19, 21) sts. Work even until Sleeve measures 15 1/2 inches from Underarm. Change to k2, p2 rib and work 14 rows, knitting 2 together at the beginning of the first rib row so that there are an even 16 sts. Bind off.

Cable band:

Cast on 17 sts. Work 2 (2, 0) rows even in st st (knit RS, purl WS)

Begin cable:

Rows 1, 5 and 7 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl.

Row 3: K1, C10R, k6.

Row 9: K6, C10L, k1.

Rows 11, 13 and 14: Knit.

Repeat Rows 1 — 6 (8,12).

Bind off.

Finishing:

On cast on-edge, place marker 27 (29, 31) sts in from each side. Pin cable band along next 17 rows of cast-on edge, leaving center 12 sts of cast-on edge open. Sew band onto cast-on edge with either extra yarn or matching thread. Sew together the gaps in the seams under the arms with thread or extra yarn. Weave in stray ends.