Mabel Customizations

Even if you don't want to "customize" your Mabel you still might want to modify it slightly. There are simple ways to get a customized fit without doing a lot of work. Here are a few ideas:

• Adding Bust Darts; this tutorial can help with that.
• Raising or lowering the neckline. Click here for the video and written instructions.
• Determine the final measurements you want for each part of your garment and plan for adjustments along the way. Start by measuring a garment you have that fits you perfectly (whatever that means to you) and then compare it to the pattern schematic to plan which size or sizes to knit. The beauty of the Cocoknits Method is that you can easily knit one size for the shoulders, a different size for the yoke, and another for the body and/or sleeves. You just need to add or exclude increases on the Worksheet. You can watch videos from our KAL playlists on YouTube, to learn how Julie has done this in different ways herself. 
  • Julie's Franca
  • Julie's Toni
  • Julie's Mabel

Work neckline as per pattern but rather than 1.25” / 3cm, work ribbing for 6” / 15cm or desired length. 

Find center of underarm CO and pm to mark left (BOR) and right sides of sweater. Work to 8" below underarm (or desired length). At BOR (left underarm) k2, pf&b, k to last 3 sts before right underarm m and pf&b, k2, turn.  (2 sts inc'd). Work only on the Back sts.

WS: SL 2 p-wise wiyif, k2, p to last 4 sts, k2, sl 2 p-wise wyif.

RS: K2, p2, k to last 4 sts, p2, k2.

Repeat until 7" or desired length ending with WS.  Next RS, BO p-wise with US 5 using Jeny's stretchy BO. If you want more of an edging, you could either work 2x2 Ribbing or garter st for a few rows before BO.

Repeat for sweater Front.

CO and work first p row with color A. Don’t cut yarn A, work next 2 rows with color B, then 2 rows color A. Continue working 2 rows with each color.

Right Shoulder: Beg with color B (shoulder does not have the CO and set up row of the Back). When you finish shoulder, you should end with same color as Back.

Left Shoulder: Note which color you used for last two rows of Right shoulder. If it was color A, work first row of Left Shoulder ONLY in color B, then 2 rows A, 2 rows B. If it was color B, work first row ONLY in color A, then 2 rows B, 2 rows A, etc. You want to be one row behind on the Left Shoulder, so after row 1, switch to other color and work 2 rows of each color. Work the same amount of rows and note that you will end having worked only one row of either A or B. 

Join & Create Sleeves: Beg at Left Front with second row of color A or B, knit across Left Front as directed, pick up and k sleeve sts with this same color. Now switch to other color - which should be the correct color to continue across Back and Right Sleeve/Front.  As you continue with Worksheet, make sure you pay attention and always change color after 2 rows of each color at the Left Back/Sleeve join, which is the orange m. This way, when you CO center neckline sts, your color change will work out without having a jog in the center front of sweater.

Once you have completed worksheet, work to Left sleeve with appropriate color, CO underarm sts with this color - then you'll need to switch to other color to continue across remaining Body. This will be where your color change happens. Place m here (it is not centered at the underarm but at the back edge of that CO.)

Once sleeve sts are on holders and you are working body in the round, work as follows: 

Rnd 1: K first rnd of new color.

Rnd 2: Sl the first st of last rnd p-wise wyib. Finish rnd normally. 

Repeat these two rows, alternating colors.

Also use this technique for the sleeves from the underarm CO to the cuff, changing colors in the center of newly CO sts. 

Choose a cable chart: a chart with an even number of sts will work best. Keep in mind that a cable tends to pull the fabric tighter so you may want to consider knitting a size larger to accommodate this. When you work initial CO, pm on either side of where the cable will be placed and work cable beginning with first WS row. You will probably have at least one Rev St st to frame the cable on either side.]

Here is a chart of the cable that Julie chose.

For Front, you can pm’s once you CO center neckline sts - and as you begin to work the SWSRs, work the new sts according to your chart. To determine which row to begin with:

• Note which RS row you are on for your Back cable as you work row 3 of worksheet.
• To the number of this row, add 13 (if the number is over 18, subtract 18) to get the WS Set-up row you should use to work the cable sts as you add them in with SWSRs. You will be on Row 19 when you work across the Front neckline sts, in the same row as your Back cable. You won’t want to be crossing cables in row 17 as that is the first RS row of neckline sts.

(For instance, for 2nd size, Julie worked 14 rows on the Upper Back so she was on row 14 of cable. Rows 15 and 16 were the join and pm rows. 17-19 were rows 1-3 of worksheet. The cable has 18 rows so row 19 put her at Row 1 of the cable chart. To that add 13, so she began her cable with WS Row 14 of the chart, once finished with neckline SWSR’s and set-up sts for cable.)

Work none, or fewer, decreases at the underarm than described in pattern. For instance on Cable Mabel, Julie did not begin any decreases until she had knit 6” on the sleeve. Then she worked the Dec Rnd as directed every 6th rnd 4 times. This left her with 4 sts to decrease as she began the ribbing. In the first rnd of ribbing she began k1, [p2tog, p1, k2] twice, then continued with [p2, k2] to last 9 sts and worked them as [p2tog, p1, k2] twice, ending second repeat with k1.

If you work fewer decreases in the sleeve, you will need to work more p2tog in first rnd of ribbing - this will give you an even fuller sleeve. Experiment and have fun with it!