Cat in the snow sweater

Cat in the Snow Sweater by Linda Moorhouse

Project Overview

This is a child's round neck raglan sweater featuring a charming cat in the snow motif, designed by Linda Moorhouse. The sweater is available in four sizes ranging from 24 to 30 inches, making it suitable for children at different stages of development. The design combines classic raglan sleeve construction with an intarsia motif that adds visual interest and personality to the finished garment.

What Is Being Made

A knitted pullover sweater for children with a crew neckline and raglan sleeves. The primary design feature is a decorative cat in the snow motif worked into the body of the sweater using the intarsia technique. The sweater is constructed using seamless or minimal-seam methods typical of raglan sleeve construction, where the sleeves are increased gradually from the neckline down to the armholes.

Sizes and Yardage Requirements

• Size 24 inches: 510 meters (6 balls)
• Size 26 inches: 680 meters (8 balls)
• Size 28 inches: 680 meters (8 balls)
• Size 30 inches: 850 meters (10 balls)

Materials and Yarn

The sweater is worked primarily in Patons Baby Smiles Fairytale Cloud double knitting yarn in white for the main body. The cat in the snow motif is created using Stylecraft Life double knitting yarn in small quantities (oddments). Both yarns are double knitting weight (DK), which is a medium weight suitable for children's garments and provides good stitch definition for the intarsia motif.

Needles and Tension

The pattern requires metric needles in sizes 3.25mm and 4mm. The 3.25mm needles are typically used for ribbing at cuffs, hem, and neckline, while the 4mm needles are used for the main body fabric. The tension is 20 stitches by 29 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) using 4mm needles in stocking stitch. Achieving correct tension is essential for proper fit, particularly in a children's garment.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This intermediate-level pattern employs several key knitting techniques. The sweater uses raglan sleeve construction, where sleeves are increased from the neckline and shaped to meet the body armholes, creating diagonal lines from the neck to the underarm. The garment is worked primarily in stocking stitch, which creates a smooth, flat fabric ideal for displaying the motif.

The intarsia technique is used to incorporate the cat in the snow motif. When working intarsia, separate lengths of yarn are used for each color area, and yarns are twisted together at color changes to avoid creating holes in the fabric. The pattern specifically instructs to twist the yarns on changing colour to avoid making a hole, which is a critical step in intarsia work.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch: The primary stitch for the body and sleeves, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Ribbing: Used at cuffs, hem, and neckline for elasticity and a finished appearance
• Knit 2 together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used for shaping at armholes and neckline
• Purl 2 together (P2tog): A decrease worked on purl rows for consistent shaping

Motif Details

The cat in the snow motif measures 46 stitches wide by 65 rows tall, which translates to approximately 8¼ inches wide by 8½ inches high when worked at the specified tension. This substantial motif becomes a focal point of the sweater, typically positioned on the front or back of the garment.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. While the basic construction techniques (raglan shaping, stocking stitch) are relatively straightforward, the intarsia motif requires careful color management and attention to tension to prevent holes and ensure the motif appears crisp and well-defined