Retroactive

As a knitter, I have a deep love for stripes and V-necks, and Retroactive is the perfect blend of both. This design is a nostalgic nod to my childhood, inspired by a long-forgotten T-shirt from a Tops 'n Trends catalogue.

The body of Retroactive is knit flat and sideways. At the shoulders, the front and back and worked in one piece. They are divided at the neckline as the fronts and backs are worked separately, then joined again at the opposite shoulder. Once the sides of the body are seamed, the sleeves are picked up with a short set of short rows at the start to slope the sleeve downward, and worked in the round to the cuff. Instructions are included for both short and long sleeves. The bottom hem is picked up from the edges of the striped body and worked in 2x2 ribbing. The collar is worked last in an I-cord 3 stitch bind-off. 

The approach to the drop shoulder shaping is different across the sizes. The purpose of this difference is to achieve a uniform appearance in the final garment across sizes by having the drop shoulder extend past the shoulder more consistently.  

• For Sizes 1 - 7, the drop shoulder extends beyond the body width. The garment starts with the yoke section, and the body stitches will be cast on afterward. 
• For Size 8, the drop shoulder width is the same as the body width, and the full body height is cast on at once. 
• For Sizes 9, 10 & 11, the body width is wider than the required drop shoulder width. The body stitches are cast on first, and the yoke stitches cast on afterward. 

Sizing

Sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) 

Finished Measurements (Bust)

34.5 (37.25, 40, 42.75, 45.5, 48.5) (52.25, 55, 58, 60.75, 64.5) inches, OR

86 (93, 100, 107, 114, 122) (130.5, 137.5, 144.5, 152, 161) cm

Recommended Ease 3 - 6” (7.5 - 15 cm) 

The garment is shown in Size 3 with 4” (10 cm) ease at the Bust. 

Gauge

On US Size 4 (3.5 mm) needles, after blocking:

 24 sts/ 34 rows in 4” (10 cm) in Stockinette 

On US Size 2/3 (3 mm) needles, after blocking:

 28 sts/ 40 rows in 4” (10 cm) in 2x2 ribbing

Yarn

Holst Garn Coast, 55% merino wool, 45% cotton, light fingering weight, 383 yards (350 meters) per 50g ball, OR

Holst Garn Supersoft, 50% merino wool, 50% Shetland wool, light fingering weight, 314 yards (287 meters) per 50g ball, OR

Any light fingering or fingering weight yarn with similar properties that knits up to gauge. 

MC - Short Sleeve Version

Yards: 460 (493, 528, 572, 612, 650) (701, 740, 793, 826, 860), OR

Metres: 421 (451, 483, 524, 560, 595) (641, 677, 726, 756, 787)

MC - Long Sleeve Version 

Yards: 616 (663, 704, 757, 795, 840) (891, 929, 986, 1013, 1039), OR

Metres: 564 (607, 644, 693, 727, 769) (815, 850, 902, 927, 951)

C1, C2, & C3 Each

(Same yardage for both Short & Long Sleeve Versions)

Yards: 182 (199, 215, 235, 254, 274) (294, 313, 327, 338, 348), OR

Metres: 167 (182, 197, 215, 233, 251) (269, 287, 300, 310, 319)

Techniques Used

German Short rows

Grafting

I-cord edging

Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off

Long-Tail cast-on

Mattress Stitch

Purlwise Increases and Decreases