?model:?Ashley Adams Moncrief??photos:Monty Moncrief

Bobbles seem to be something that people either love or hate. I happen to love them when they are used in an interesting way. For people who don’t care for them, one could always substitute a cable pattern or simply leave the front plain.

The detachable sleeves are not only a design feature but also practical for all but the most frigid climates. You can wear the sweater without the sleeves in early fall, and later they may be buttoned on or worn as arm-warmers.

This sweater is worked in two pieces to the underarm, then joined to work in the round through the neck. It is entirely possible to work the entire sweater without side seams, however the seams will help provide stability and help to mitigate the alpaca’s tendency to ‘grow’ vertically.

Make Bobble:?[K into front, then back, then front, then back, then front again] of next st: 1 st increased to 5 sts. Turn work, p5; turn work, k5; turn work, p2tog, p1, p2tog; turn work, SK2P. 1 st remains.

Selvedge Stitches:?When working back and forth in rows, slip first stitch of each RS row purlwise, and first st of each WS row knitwise. This will create one ‘selvedge knot’ for every two rows along edge of work, which will help with seaming.

Note: Continue slipping first st of each row as directed in Pattern Notes, above.

Work 8[2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6] rows in stockinette st, beginning with a RS row.

**Decrease Row?[RS]: Sl 1, k1, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2.
Work 3[5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5] rows in stockinette st.
Repeat these 4[6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6] rows 9[7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7] times more. 63[75, 83, 95, 105, 115, 127] sts.

Work 8[6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6] rows in stockinette st. 60[60, 62, 62, 62, 62, 64] rows have been worked; work measures 7.5[7.5, 7.75, 7.75, 7.75, 7.75, 8] inches.

Increase Row?[RS]: Sl 1, k1, m1, k to last 2 sts, m1, k2.
Work 5[7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7] rows in stockinette st.
Repeat these 6[8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8] rows 8[6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6] times more, then work Increase Row once more. 83[91, 99, 111, 121, 131, 143] sts.

Work 3[3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5] rows in stockinette st.?
BO 5 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. 73[81, 89, 101, 111, 121, 133] sts.?
120[122, 124, 124, 126, 126, 128] rows have been worked; work measures 15[15.25, 15.5, 15.5, 15.75, 15.75, 16] inches. **
Do not break yarn or remove work from needle; set work aside and work front and sleeves.

FRONT
Using shorter circular needle, CO 83[91, 99, 111, 121, 131, 143] sts.
Row 1?[RS]: Sl 1 purlwise, [p1, k1 tbl] to last 2 sts, p1, k1.
Row 2?[WS]: Sl 1 knitwise, [k1, p1 tbl] to last 2 sts, k1, p1.
Repeat these 2 rows once more.

Note: Continue slipping first st of each row as directed in Pattern Notes, above.

Set-up Row [RS]: Sl 1, k28[32, 36, 42, 41, 46, 52], place marker, work Row 1 of Bobble Chart for your size, place marker, k29[33, 37, 43, 42, 47, 53]. This row sets pattern for front; Bobble Chart is worked over 25[25, 25, 25, 37, 37, 37] sts between markers, all other sts are worked in stockinette st. Note that first row of Bobble Chart is worked only once; repeat Rows 2-17only.
Work 7[1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5] rows in pattern.

Continuing in pattern as set, work from ** to ** as for back. Break yarn. Keeping markers in place, slip all sts to spare needle.

Make a second sleeve in the same way. Leave sts on needle; break yarn.

YOKE
Note: Marker which is different from the others will be placed at end of Joining Round to indicate end of round.

Joining Round:?Using longest circular needle and yarn attached to back, k all sts of back, place marker, k all sts of one sleeve, place marker, work all sts of front in pattern as set, place marker, k all sts of remaining sleeve, place end-of-round marker; join to begin working in the round. 266[290, 318, 358, 390, 426, 458] sts.

Important: As you work the yoke, continue working Bobble Chart as set between front markers. Stop working chart pattern after a total of 10[11, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12] 16-row repeats have been worked.
Switch to shorter circular needle, then double-point needles, as necessary.

In the directions that follow, “raglan marker” refers to the markers which were placed between pieces during the Joining Round, including the end-of-round marker.?
Decrease Round:?[K1, k2tog, k to 3 sts before raglan marker, ssk, k1] four times.
Work 2[2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1] rounds in pattern.
Repeat these 3[3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2] rounds 11[9, 7, 29, 31, 29, 29] times more. 170[210, 254, 118, 134, 186, 218] sts.

Sizes XS, S, M, 2X, 3X Only:
Work Decrease Round. Work 1[1, 1, -, -, 0, 0] rounds in pattern.
Repeat these 2[2, 2, -, -, 1, 1] rounds 7[12, 16, -, -, ?5, 7] times more. 106[106, 118, -, -, 138, 154] sts.

All Sizes:
Work 3[1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 3] rounds in pattern. A total of 176[180, 184, 188, 194, 196, 200] rows/rounds have been worked; work measures 22[22.5, 23, 23.5, 24.25, 24.5, 25] inches.
Work?Decrease Round?once more. 98[98, 110, 110, 126, 130, 146] sts.
K 4 rounds, removing markers. Loosely BO all sts.

Using double-point needles, CO 53[59, 63, 71, 77, 85, 91] sts. Divide sts evenly between needles and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.
After several rounds have been worked, place safety pin or split ring marker in work to indicate beginning of round.

K 1 round.
Buttonhole Round:?K23[26, 28, 32, 32, 36, 39], [yo, k2tog, k1] 3[3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5] times, k21[24, 26, 30, 30, 34, 37].
K 14[8, 10, 6, 11, 20, 14] rounds.

Decrease Round: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
K 15[14, 14, 11, 9, 7, 7] rounds.
Repeat these 16[15, 15, 12, 10, 8, 8] rounds 7[9, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18] times more. 37[39, 43, 45, 47, 51, 53] sts.

K 12[0, 2, 4, 9, 18, 12] rounds. 156[160, 164, 168, 172, 176, 180] rounds have been worked; work measures 19.5[20, 20.5, 21, 21.5, 22, 22.5] inches.

Increase Round:?K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
K 2 rounds.
Repeat these 3 rounds once more. 41[43, 47, 49, 51, 55, 57] sts.

Next Round:?K20[21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28], kfb, k to end. 42[44, 48, 50, 52, 56, 58] sts.
Next Round:?[**K1 tbl**, p1] to end.
Repeat this round twice more. BO all sts loosely in pattern.

Using photo as guide, sew buttons to ribbed edge of cap sleeves, spacing buttons to match buttonholes on long detached sleeves.