Plain guernsey

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To fit chest
40 (42, 44, 46, 48)" / 102 (107, 112, 117, 122) cm

Finished measurements
Around chest: 48 (50, 52-1/4, 54-1/4, 56-1/2)" / 122 (127, 133, 138, 144) cm
Length to back neck: 26 (26-1/2, 26-3/4, 27, 27-1/2)" / 66 (67, 68, 69, 70) cm
Sleeve seam: 20 (20, 20-1/2, 20-1/2, 20-3/4)" / 51 (51, 52, 52, 53) cm

Yarns
12 (13, 14, 14, 15) x 50g/1-3/4oz balls of Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK in Sage 516

Needles
• Pair of size 3 (3.25mm) knitting needles
• Pair of size 6 (4mm) knitting needles
• Size 3 (3.25mm) circular knitting needle

Gauge
22 sts and 30 rows to 4"/10cm measured over St st using size 6 (4mm) needles or size to obtain correct gauge.

Back
Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles, cast on 134 (140, 146, 152, 158) sts.
Work in garter st for 18 rows, inc 0 (1, 0, 1, 0) st at each end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 134 (142, 146, 154, 158) sts.
Row 19 (RS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 20: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
These 2 rows form rib.
Work in rib for 4 rows more, dec 0 (1, 0, 1, 0) st at each end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 134 (140, 146, 152, 158) sts.
Change to size 6 (4mm) needles.
Starting with a K row, work in St st until Back measures 16-1/2"/42cm from cast-on edge, ending with RS facing for next row.
Place markers at both ends of last row to denote base of armholes.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Next row: P5, k5, p to last 10 sts, k5, p5.
Rep last 2 rows until work measures 9-1/2 (9-3/4, 10-1/4, 10-1/2, 11)" / 24 (25, 26, 27, 28) cm from markers, ending with RS facing for next row.**
Shape back neck and shoulders
Next row (RS): K34 (37, 39, 41, 43) and slip these sts onto a holder, bind off next 66 (66, 68, 70, 72) sts, k to end.
Slip this second set of 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts onto another holder.

Front
Work as given for Back to **.
Join shoulder seams
Holding WS of Front against WS of Back, bind off first 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Front with first 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Back (by taking one st from Front with corresponding st from Back), bind off next 66 (66, 68, 70, 72) sts of Front only, then bind off rem 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Front with other set of 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Back to join second shoulder seam.

Sleeves
Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles, cast on 62 (62, 66, 66, 66) sts.
Work in rib as given for Back for 32 rows, inc 0 (1, 0, 0, 1) st at each end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 62 (64, 66, 66, 68) sts.
Change to size 6 (4mm) needles.
Starting with a k row, work in St st, shaping sides by inc 1 st at each end of 3rd and every foll 4th row to 90 (98, 102, 114, 120) sts, then on every foll 6th row until there are 106 (110, 114, 118, 122) sts.
Work even until Sleeve measures 19-1/4 (19-1/4, 19-1/2, 19-1/2, 20)" / 49 (49, 50, 50, 51) cm from cast-on edge, ending with RS facing for next row.
Starting with row 2, work in rib as given for Back for 6 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Bind off loosely in rib.

Finishing
Press lightly on WS following instructions on yarn label.
Neck gussets (make 2)
Using size 6 (4mm) needles, cast on 15 sts.
Starting with a k row, work in St st, dec 1 st at each end of 2nd and foll 5 alt rows, ending with RS facing for next row. 3 sts.
Next row (RS): K3tog and fasten off.
Mark points along front and back neck bound-off edges 9 sts in from ends of shoulder seams. Matching fasten-off point of neck gusset to end of shoulder seam and ends of cast-on edge of neck gussets to marked points, sew neck gussets to front and back.
Neckband
With RS facing and using size 3 (3.25mm) circular needle, pick up and knit 15 sts from cast-on edge of left neck gusset, 49 (49, 51, 53, 55) sts from front, 15 sts from cast-on edge of right neck gusset, then 49 (49, 51, 53, 55) sts from back. 128 (128, 132, 136, 140) sts.
Round 1 (RS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.
Rep this round 13 times more.
Bind off in rib.
Matching centre of sleeve bound-off edge to shoulder seam, sew sleeves to back and front between markers. Mark points along sleeve and side seams 2"/5cm either side of underarm points. Sew sleeve seams below these points, then sew side seams below these points, leaving side seams open for first 18 rows. (There should now be a 4"/10cm "hole" in underarm seam.)
Underarm gussets (make 2)
Using size 6 (4mm) needles, cast on 12 sts.
Starting with a k row, work in St st for 16 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Bind off.
Matching corners of underarm gussets to "corners" of underarm "hole," sew underarm gussets in place so that, when sewn in place, gusset folds in half to form a triangle.

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Excerpted from Knitting for Him: 27 Classic Projects to Keep Him Warm by Martin Storey and Wendy Baker. Copyright 2007 by Rowan Yarns. Excerpted with permission from Taunton Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.