Susan Haviland's pullover makes a great "first sweater" project. Minimal shaping and chunky yarn will have you knitting it up in no time.

Sizes
Instructions are written for size Small. Changes for Medium, Large and X-Large are in parentheses.

Knitted measurements
Bust 35 (39, 43, 47)"/89 (99, 109, 119) cm
Length 22-1/2 (23, 23-1/2, 24-1/2)"/57 (58.5, 59.5, 62) cm
Upper arm 13 (14, 15, 16)"/33 (35.5, 38, 40.5) cm

Materials
• 5 (6, 7, 8) balls in #273 spring desert of Landscapes by Lion Brand, 1-3/4 oz/50 g balls, each approx 55 yd/50 m (wool/acrylic)
• 1 pair size 17 (12.75 mm) needles or size to obtain gauge

Gauge
7 sts and 12 rows = 4"/10 cm using size 17 (12.75 mm) needle. Take time to check gauge.

Directions
Back
Cast on 30 (32, 35, 38) sts. Work even in St st until piece measures 8"/20.5 cm from beg, end with a WS row.

Inc row (RS) K2, M1, k to last 2 sts, M1, k2 -- 32 (34, 37, 40) sts. Work even until piece measures 14"/35.5 cm from beg, end with a WS row.

Armhole shaping Bind off 2 (2, 2, 3) sts at beg of next 2 rows -- 28 (30, 33, 34) sts.

Dec row (RS) K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 -- 26 (28, 31, 32) sts. Purl next row. Rep last 2 rows 2 (2, 3, 3) times more -- 22 (24, 25, 26) sts. Work even until armhole measures 7 (7-1/2, 8, 9)"/17.5 (19, 20.5, 23) cm, end with a RS row.

Neck and shoulder shaping
Next row (WS) P6 (7, 7, 7) sts, join another ball of yarn and bind off 10 (10, 11, 12) sts for neck, p to end.

Next row (RS) With first ball of yarn, bind off first 2 (3, 3, 3) sts, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1, with second ball of yarn, k1, k2tog, k to end. Working both sides at once, bind off 2 (3, 3, 3) sts at beg of next row once, then 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows once.

Front
Work as for back.

Sleeves
Cast on 13 (13, 15, 15) sts. Work even in St st for 4 rows.

Inc row (RS) K2, M1, k to last 2 sts, M1, k2 -- 15 (15, 17, 17) sts. Rep inc row every 6th row 4 (5, 5, 6) times more -- 23 (25, 27, 29) sts. Work even until piece measures 18"/45.5 cm from beg, end with a WS row.

Cap shaping Bind off 2 (2, 2, 3) sts at beg of next 2 rows -- 19 (21, 23, 23) sts.

Dec row (RS) K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 -- 17 (19, 21, 21) sts. Purl next row. Rep last 2 rows twice more -- 13 (15, 17, 17) sts. Work even for 2 (2, 4, 6) rows. Rep dec row on next row, then every other row 1 (2, 2, 2) times more, end with a WS row -- 9 (9, 11, 11) sts. Bind off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Bind off rem 5 (5, 7, 7) sts.

Finishing
Lightly block pieces to measurements. (Click to view measurements.) Sew shoulder seams. Set in sleeves. Sew side and sleeve seams.

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Excerpted from Never Too Old to Knit, edited by Karin Strom. Copyright 2006 Sixth&Spring Books. Excerpted with permission from Sixth&Spring Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.

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