Squared Ornament Sweater

Improving upon the Christmas Tree Ornament Sweater Pattern

Sitting here looking at my tree gives me lots of warm and fuzzy feelings.  It might be the knitted ornaments.  Or, it might be the fact that I’m covered in yarn fibers and snuggled by my 95 pound Labrador.  Either way, inspiration hit, and I realized that there is another way to make the plain knitted ornament sweaters.  

In the first pattern, I used knit front and backs for the increases, and worked them so many stitches apart in a repeat.  But this time, I got the inspiration to use lifted increases from my second ornament pattern, on either side of each of the four DPNs.  This makes a nice straight seam, that can be repeated in the decrease section for a different look.  (In the first pattern, I used K2Tog’s exclusively which creates more rounded or curved lines).  

What you need for the Squared Ornament Sweater

Using the same worsted weight yarn – Really Red from Deborah Norville’s Everyday solids collection, I’ve now gotten three ornaments out of one skein.  I plan to get one or two more out of it too.  Any worsted weight, number 4 or medium weight yarn should work. 

Needles: US size 3 Double Pointed Needles (DPNs).  Five of them. 

I find that working in the round with DPNs makes it a bit harder to use a stitch marker, so its handy to have one that clips to your knitting to mark the beginning of a round and reduce the need for incessant counting.

Knitting the Squared Ornament Sweater

Cast 4 stitches onto one needle.  Knit each stitch front and back, using a different needle each time.  This saves you from having to distribute the stitches evenly and without twisting them.  Place stitch marker if you are using one. 

Knit all stitches in the round.

In the third round, Knit each stitch front and back again, bringing your total to 16 stitches.

Knit all stitches in the fourth round.  Here is where you’ll switch up your method of increase. 

Round 5: RLI, Knit to end of the DPN, LLI

Keep working a knit round and an increase round until there are 56 stitches on your needles total or 14 stitches on each round. 

Once you have reached 56 stitches, work 10 knitted rounds.  

For the decrease section, K2Tog, knit to the end of your DPN, SSK.

Knit the next round.

Repeat the decrease round and knitted round until there you have reached the silver top part of the ornament. You should have between 16 to 8 stitches depending on the size of the ornament.  

Break the yarn and using a darning needle, thread it through the live stitches on your needles, working in the same direction you have been knitting.  You’ve finished your squared ornament sweater! All that’s left are the finishing touches.

If you have “floats” or loose sections between your needles you can use the left over yarn to tighten up the stitches. 

Add your method of choice for hanging your squared ornament sweater and you’re good to go!