flax
a simple modern pullover
♥ by Tin Can Knits
Knit seamlessly from the collar to cuffs, Flax is a perfect
first sweater project: adorable on babies, great for guys
and cute on the ladies too!
Flax is part of The Simple Collection, a learn-to-knit
program from Tin Can Knits. With 8 free patterns (sized
baby to big) and clear tutorials, you can learn all you
need to know to make modern seamless knits for the
entire family.
sizing: pattern includes 7 child and 10 adult sizes.
Note: table lists finished garment measurements. Choose a size
based upon your chest / bust measurement + desired ease.
Size
?
0-6 mo
6-12 mo
1-2 yrs
2-4 yrs
4-6 yrs
6-8 yrs
8-10 yrs
XS
S
S/M
M
M/L
L
XL
XXL
3XL
4XL
sizing notes: choose a sized based upon
your body measurements plus desired ease.
Child and men’s sizes look best with 1-2” positive
ease, and ladies sizes look great with 0 to 2”
negative ease.
Chest Sleeve
18”
19.5”
20.5”
22”
24”
26”
28”
31”
33”
35”
37”
39”
43”
47”
51”
55”
58”
6.5”
7.5”
8.5”
10.5”
12”
13”
14”
18”
19”
19”
20”
20”
21”
21”
21”
21”
21”
Hem to
Underarm
6”
6.5”
7”
8”
10”
13”
15”
15”
15”
16”
16”
17”
18”
18.5”
19”
20”
20”
Upper
Arm
7”
7.5”
7.5”
8”
8.5”
9”
10”
11”
11.5”
12”
12.5”
13.5”
14.5”
15.5”
17”
18.5”
19.5”
Yardage
270
300
310
440
500
680
700
800
850
1000
1050
1100
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
materials:
schematic:
D
E
?
B
A
Worsted / Aran weight yarn – see table for yardage
(samples shown in SweetGeorgia Superwash Worsted ‘deep olive’, ‘tumbled stone’, and ‘hush’)
?
C
Yarn: ?
A - chest / bust
B - sleeve
C - hem to underarm
D - upper arm
E - yoke depth
free patterns and tutorials
wheat scarf • malt blanket • barley hat • oats cowl
maize mitts • flax pullover • rye socks • harvest cardigan
Gauge: 18 sts and 22 rounds / 4” in stockinette stitch
using larger needles
Needles: US #6 / 4 mm and US #8 / 5 mm (or as req’d to meet gauge)
0 - 4 yrs: 16” circulars and DPNs in each size
4 yrs - XS: 16” circulars, 24” circulars, and DPNs in each size
S – 4XL: 16” circulars, 32” circulars, and DPNs in each size
Notions: stitch markers, darning needle, waste yarn
from the Simple Collection
a free learn to knit series by Tin Can Knits
find it all at www.tincanknits.com
1
flax pullover construction:
pattern: This sweater is worked in the round from
markers
back
sleeve
the top down. You cast on at the collar, the yoke is knit,
sleeve sts are placed on hold on waste yarn, the body is
completed, then sleeves are knit last.
sleeve
ribbed collar
COLLAR
yoke: Using smaller circular needles CO 56 (62,
68, 74, 74, 76, 78, 86, 86, 86, 86, 90, 90, 90, 96, 96, 96) sts,
place BOR marker and join for working in the round.
front
?
back
left
sleeve
right sleeve
Establish 1x1 Ribbing: (k1, p1) around
?
YOKE
Next round: knit, increasing 4 (4, 4, 4, 8, 18, 16, 12, 18,
22, 26, 24, 36, 46, 48, 54, 56) sts evenly spaced
[60 (66, 72, 78, 82, 94, 94, 98, 104, 108, 112, 114, 126,
136, 144, 150, 152) sts]
garter panel
front
increase lines at
‘raglan markers’
Marker setup: [p10 (11, 12, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 15,
15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 17), PM, k20 (22, 24, 26, 28, 33, 33, 34,
37, 39, 41, 42, 47, 52, 55, 58, 59), PM] twice
SEPARATION
OF SLEEVES
AND BODY
sleeve sts
on hold
(these raglan markers indicate divisions between right
sleeve, front, left sleeve, and back sections)
sts cast on
at underarms
body sts
on needle
Work in ribbing as established (knit the knits and purl
the purls) until piece measures 1 (1.5) inches from cast
on for Child (Adult) sizes. Change to larger needles.
Setup round 1: [kfb, knit to 2 sts before raglan marker, ?
kfb, k1] 4 times
[8 sts inc - 2 per section]
Setup round 2: [k1, p10 (11, 12, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15,
15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 17), k1, knit to marker] twice
sleeve sts
on hold
?
The garter stitch sleeve panel is now established.
Garter stitch in the round is created by knitting on one
round and purling on the next (since you just purled the
garter panel, on the next round you will be knitting).
direction
of knitting
BODY
Continue to work the centre 10 (11, 12, 13, 13, 14, 14,
15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 17) sts on the sleeves
in garter stitch, and the remainder of the pullover in
stockinette (you may find it helpful to place extra markers
on each side of the garter panel).
Round 1: [kfb, knit to 2 sts before raglan marker,
kfb, k1] 4 times
[8 sts inc - 2 per section]
Round 2: work as set; [knit to garter panel, purl
garter panel] twice, knit to end of round.
SLEEVES
garter
panel
n
ctio g
dire nittin
of k
free patterns and tutorials
wheat scarf • malt blanket • barley hat • oats cowl
maize mitts • flax pullover • rye socks • harvest cardigan
Work rounds 1-2 a total of 7 (8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15,
16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 29) times.
[124 (138, 144, 150, 162, 174, 190, 210, 224, 236, 248,
266, 294, 320, 344, 366, 392) sts total. At sleeves: 26 (29,
30, 31, 33, 34, 38, 43, 45, 47, 49, 53, 58, 62, 67, 71, 77) sts,
at front/back: 36 (40, 42, 44, 48, 53, 57, 62, 67, 71, 75, 80,
89, 98, 105, 112, 119) sts.
from the Simple Collection
a free learn to knit series by Tin Can Knits
find it all at www.tincanknits.com
2
You will now work even (no increases, keeping garter
panel as set). If your round gauge matches the pattern
(22 rounds / 4”), work 6 (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 8, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 8, 4,
2, 0, 0) rounds even.
If your round gauge is slightly different, knit more or
less rounds so that your yoke measures approximately
5 (5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7, 7.5, 8, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 10.5, 11, 11.5,
12.5) inches deep, measured from cast on, ending with
a round 2.
separate body and sleeves: Next the body
and sleeves are separated. Sleeve sts are placed on hold
on waste yarn (using a darning needle, thread waste yarn
through live sleeve sts). Keep BOR marker in place, all
other markers can be removed as you come to them.
?
Next Round: [place 26 (29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 38, 43, 45,
47, 49, 53, 58, 62, 67, 71, 77) sts on waste yarn (the sts
from BOR to first raglan marker), using backwards loop
method CO 4 (4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 12, 12)
?
sts, knit to marker] twice
The sleeves are on hold on waste yarn, and there are 80
(88, 92, 100, 108, 118, 126, 140, 150, 158, 166, 176, 194,
212, 230, 248, 262) body sts on the needles.
body: Work in stockinette stitch (knit every round)
until piece measures 5 (5.5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 13.5, 13.5,
14.5, 14.5, 15.5, 16.5, 17, 17.5, 18.5, 18.5) inches from
underarm (or 1 (1.5) inches short of desired length for
child (adult) sizes).
Change to smaller needles and work in 1x1 rib for
1 (1.5) inches for child (adult) sizes. Bind off loosely in
pattern (k1, p1, pass st over, k1, pass st over, p1, pass st
over, etc.).
?
abbreviations: ?
BOR - beginning of round
CO - cast on
DPNs - double pointed
needles
k - knit
kfb - knit into the front and
back of one stitch
k2tog - knit 2 sts together
LH - left hand
p - purl
free patterns and tutorials
wheat scarf • malt blanket • barley hat • oats cowl
maize mitts • flax pullover • rye socks • harvest cardigan
PM - place marker
RH - right hand
RS - right side
ssk - slip slip knit - slip
one stitch, slip one more
stitch, insert LH needle
into the fronts of these
2 slipped sts and knit
them together from this
position
st(s) - stitch(es)
from the Simple Collection
a free learn to knit series by Tin Can Knits
find it all at www.tincanknits.com
3
sleeves: Work both sleeves the same, maintaining
garter panel at top of sleeve.
Place 26 (29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 38, 43, 45, 47, 49, 53, 58, 62,
67, 71, 77) held sts onto larger DPNs or 16” circ needle
for larger sizes. Knit across these sts then pick up and
knit 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6) sts from
body at underarm, place marker to indicate BOR*, pick
up and knit 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6)
more sts from body at underarm, then join for working
in the round.
?
* Note: If you are working on DPN’s distribute your stitches
as follows: sts from BOR to garter panel on N1, garter panel
on N2, and the remainder on N3. The beginning of round is
the first st on N1.
Work around to marker (purling the garter panel,
knitting all other sts), which is the new beginning of
round, located at underarm. [30 (33, 34, 37, 39, 40, 44,
51, 53, 55, 57, 61, 66, 70, 77, 83, 89) sts]
Work 4 (4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 4, 3, 2) inches
even. Maintain garter panel and knit all other stitches.
?
Decrease round: k1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts befor marker,
ssk, k1
?
Work 5 rounds even.
Repeat the previous 6 rounds 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 5, 5, 6, 6,
7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15) more times. [26 (29, 30, 33, 35, 36, 38,
39, 41, 41, 43, 45, 46, 48, 51, 53, 57) sts]
Knit until sleeve measures 5.5 (6.5, 7.5, 9.5, 11, 12, 13,
16.5, 17.5, 17.5, 18.5, 18.5, 19.5, 19.5, 19.5, 19.5, 19.5)
inches from underarm (or 1 (1.5) inches short of desired
length for child (adult) sizes).
Decrease for ribbing: K1, k2tog 0 (1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1,
1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1) times, knit to end. [26 (28, 30, 32, 34,
36, 38, 38, 40, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 56) sts]
Change to smaller needles and work in 1x1 rib for
1 (1.5) inches for child (adult) sizes. Bind off loosely in
pattern.
?
finishing: Block your sweater and weave in all ends,
?
using yarn tails to sew up the small holes at underarms.
how do I .... ? Find an in-depth tutorial to guide
you through knitting the Flax pullover at:
www.tincanknits.com/thesimplecollection.html
free patterns and tutorials
wheat scarf • malt blanket • barley hat • oats cowl
maize mitts • flax pullover • rye socks • harvest cardigan
from the Simple Collection
a free learn to knit series by Tin Can Knits
find it all at www.tincanknits.com
4