Star Player Pullover

Design by Jean Schafer-Albers

Your player will achieve all-star status wearing this team pullover.

Skill Level
Intermediate***

Size
Child’s 2 (4, 6, 8) Instructions are given for smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses. When only 1 number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Finished Measurements
Chest: 27 (29 1/2, 30 1/2, 32 1/2) inches
Length: 10 1/2 (11 1/2, 12 1/2, 14 1/2) inches

Materials

• Plymouth Encore Worsted 75 percent acrylic/25 percent wool worsted weight yarn (200 yds/100g per skein): 2 (2, 2, 3) skeins royal #133 (MC), 1 skein each red #1386 (A), gold #1014 (B), Aran #256 (C)
• Size 6 (4mm) straight and 16-inch circular needles
• Size 8 (5mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders
• Tapestry needle

Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches/10cm in St st with larger needles
To save time, take time to check gauge.

Special Abbreviations
M1: (Make 1): Inc by inserting left needle from front to back into horizontal strand between last st worked and first st on the LH needle. Knit this strand through the back loop to twist it.

Pattern Notes
For ease in working motifs, place markers at beg and end of each star motif. When working pat, catch unused strand in back of work every few sts. Motifs may also be worked in intarsia method, using a separate bobbin or butterfly of yarn for each star. All incs are worked by M1 method.

Back
With smaller needles and A, cast on 54 (60, 62, 64) sts. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1 row. Cut A, join B.
Next row: Knit.
Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1 row. Cut B, join MC.
Next row: Knit.
Work in k1, p1 ribbing until band measures 2 inches, inc 7 (7, 7, 9) sts evenly across last RS row. (61, 67, 69, 73 sts)
Change to larger needles.
Work 5 rows in St st.

Set up pat
Next row (RS): K8 (11, 11, 13) MC, pm, referring to chart and pm between each rep, work first star in C, 2nd star in B, 3rd star in A, pm, k5 (8, 7, 9) MC.
Work even through Row 17 of chart, then in MC only until back measures 10 1/2 (11 1/2, 12 1/2, 14 1/2) inches, ending with a WS row.
Shape shoulders
K 20 (23, 23, 25) sts and place on holder for right shoulder, bind off next 21 (21, 23, 23) sts for back neck, k 20 (23, 23, 25) sts and place on 2nd holder for left shoulder.

Front
Work as for back until front measures 8 1/2 (9 1/2, 9 3/4, 11 3/4) inches, ending with a WS row.
Shape neckline
K24 (27, 28, 30), join 2nd ball of yarn and bind off next 13 sts, k to end of row.
Working both sides of neck with separate balls of yarn, [dec 1 st at each neck edge every other row] 4 (4, 5, 5) times. (20, 23, 23, 25 sts)
Work even until front measures same as back, place shoulder sts on holders.

Sleeves
With smaller needles and A, cast on 30 (32, 32, 34) sts.
Work k1, p1 ribbing for 1 row. Cut A, join C.
Next row: Knit.
Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1 row. Cut C, join MC.
Next row: Knit.
Work in k1, p1 ribbing until band measures 1 1/2 inches, inc 3 sts evenly on last WS row.
Change to larger needles and St st.
Beg Star pat on Row 5, making sure to center motif. Star is worked in A for right sleeve and B for left sleeve.
At the same time, [inc 1 st each end every 4th row] 7 (0, 1, 0) times, then [every 6th row] 2 (6, 9, 4) times, and finally [every 8th row] 0 (2, 0, 5) times. (51, 51, 55, 55 sts)
Work even until sleeve measures 9 1/2 (11 1/2, 12 1/2, 13 1/2) inches.
Bind off all sts.

Join front & back
Bind off front and back shoulder sts tog, using 3-needle bind off as follows: Hold needles containing shoulder sts parallel with RS tog. With 3rd needle, k first st on front and back needles tog, * k next st on both needles tog, bind off 1, rep from * until all sts are worked.
Rep for 2nd shoulder.

Neck Band
With RS facing using smaller circular needle and MC, pick up and k 21 (21, 23, 23) sts across back neck, 15 (15, 20, 20) sts along left neck edge, 13 sts across front, 15 (15, 20, 20) sts along right neck edge. (64, 64, 76, 76 sts)
Join, pm between first and last st.
Work in k1, p1 rib for 3⁄4 inch. Cut MC and join C.
Knit 1 rnd, work in k1, p1 rib for 1 rnd.
Bind off loosely in rib.

Finishing
Measure down 5 1/2 (5 1/2, 6, 6) inches on either side of each shoulder seam and mark.
Sew sleeves into armholes between markers.
Sew sleeve and side seams.