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Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 10h00

Geek Knits
By Linda J. Dunn

Who says being a hero is just for the boys? Rock this awesome patriotic sweater dress, perfect for fighting crime, going out on the town, or just hanging around the house. The cotton/linen blend yarn washes easily, so if you get it dirty kicking butt, there will be no need to panic!

This piece is started in the round, then switches to straight knitting. If you are an advanced knitter who is comfortable doing the intarsia star in the round, you can easily adjust for a more seamless knit.

Modeled by Ms. Whitney Avalon (in size medium), YouTube songstress geek whom you may have seen on The Big Bang Theory, in national commercials, and, well, all over the place!

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Medium
SIZES: Small (Medium, Large)
TO FIT: 32–34" (36–38,40–42) bust

GAUGE
24 sts and 24 rnds = 4" (10cm) in St st using smaller needles
20 sts and 24 rnds = 4" (10cm) in St st using larger needles

Posted by St. Martin's Press • Published 3rd August 2015 • See St. Martin's Press's 5 projects »

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Step 1
Skirt
With A and larger circular needle, cast
on 200 (220, 260) sts. Pm and join, being careful not to twist the sts.
Work in k8, p2 rib until piece measures 8" (9, 10).
Begin decrease rounds:
Decrease Round 1: *Ssk, k6, p2; repeat from * around—180 (198, 234) sts. Decrease Round 2: *K5, k2tog, p2; repeat from * around—160 (176, 208) sts. Decrease Round 3: *K6, p2tog; repeat from * around—140 (154, 182) sts.
Decrease Round 4: *K5, p2tog; repeat from * around—120 (132, 156) sts.
Change to smaller circular needle.
Knit 2 (4, 4) rounds.
Next Round: Decrease 10 (12, 26) sts evenly around—110 (120, 130) sts.
Knit 2 rounds.
Next Round: With B, *k11 (12, 13); with C, k11 (12, 13); repeat from * around.
Begin working back and forth in rows.
Next Row (WS): Purl, keeping colors as set. Repeat last 2 rows for 3".
Begin increase row:
Next Row (RS): With B, *k10 (11, 12), kf&b; with C, k10 (11, 12), kf&b; repeat from *—120 (130, 140) sts.
Next Row: Purl, keeping colors as set. Work even for 2", keeping colors as set, ending with a WS row.
Next Row (RS): With B, *k11 (12, 13), kf&b; with C, k11 (12, 13), kf&b; repeat from * around—130 (140, 150) sts. Next Row: Purl, keeping colors as set. Work even for 1", keeping colors as set, ending with a WS row.
Next Row (RS): With A, knit, increasing 10 sts evenly across—140 (150, 160) sts. Work 5 rows even in St st.
Next Row (RS): With A, knit, increasing 10 sts evenly across—150 (160, 170) sts.
Next Row: Purl.
Next Row (RS): K21 (24, 26), pm, k32, pm, k21 (24, 26), pm to mark end of front, k76 (80, 86) sts for back.
Work even in St st until piece measures 11⁄2" from start of A section. Begin working chart over center 32 sts on front (between markers).
Step 2
Begin Star Chart
For Sizes S and L only:
Work even as set for 1", ending with a WS row.
Next row, increase (RS): K1, m1, work in pattern to 1 st before marker for back sts, m1, k to end of row. 152 (-, 172) sts; 76 (-, 86) sts each on front and back.
All sizes: Work even until piece measures 4 (41⁄2, 41⁄2)" from start of A section, ending with a WS row. Place 76 (80, 86) front sts on hold, continue on back sts only.
Step 3
Back
Shape Armholes
Rejoin yarn at start of Front sts. Maintaining Star Chart until complete, bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows—68 (72, 78) sts.
Decrease 1 st at each end of row every RS row until 60 (62, 64) sts remain.Work even until armholes measure 71⁄2" (73⁄4, 8). Leave sts on hold.
Step 4
Front
Note: Maintain star pattern until complete. Place held 76 (80, 86) sts on needles.
Step 5
Shape Armholes
Bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows—68 (72, 78) sts.
Decrease 1 st each end of row every other row until 60 (62, 64) sts remain.Work even until armholes measure 5", ending with a WS row.
Next Row (RS): K26 (27, 28), bind off 8 sts, knit to end.
Decrease 1 st at each neck edge every row until 20 (21, 22) sts remain on each side, then every other row until 15 (16, 17) sts remain on each side.Work even until piece measures same as back.
Join shoulders using 3-needle bind off, leaving center 30 sts on holder for back neck.
Step 6
Neck Trim
With larger needles, pick up and knit 27 sts from left side of neck, 8 sts across front, 27 sts from right side, and 30 sts from back neck—92 sts. Pm and join.
Work in k1, p1 rib for 1". Bind off loosely in pattern.
Step 7
Sleeves
With smaller straight needles and B, cast on 32 (36, 40) sts.Work in k2, p2 rib for 6", ending with a WS row.
Next Row (RS): With C, knit, increasing 6 sts evenly across—38 (42, 48) sts.
Next Row: Purl.
*Work even in St st for 1", ending with a WS row.
Next Row (RS): K1, M1, knit to last st, M1, k1—2 sts increased.
Repeat from * until there are 50 (54, 58) sts.Work even until piece measures 13". Change to A.
Repeat from * until there are 54 (58, 62) sts.Work even until piece measures 17", ending with a WS row.
Step 8
Shape Cap
Bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows—46 (50, 54) sts.
Decrease 1 st at each end of the next 4 rows—38 (42, 46) sts.
Decrease 1 st at each end of row every other RS row 3 (4, 5) times—32 (34, 36) sts.
Purl next row.
Bind off 2 sts at beg of next 2 (4, 6) rows. Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 6 (6, 6) rows. Bind off.
Step 9
Finishing
Set in sleeves.Weave in ends. Block. Sew sleeve seams and body seams.