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Do you want to knit a sweater that will allow you to stand out in a crowd? This is the question I asked myself before heading off to Rhinebeck, NY to attend the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Festival. Since this October tradition is a bucket list item that most knitters only get to attend once in a lifetime, I decided to go all out: colorwork and rainbows.

Once there, I received such strong positive feedback on this sweater that I decided to write up the pattern and share it with other like-minded knitters. What’s more fun-filled than a rainbow or a gradient of owls in a sweater that will also serve you well should the weather be chilly? The knitter has several options for colors as well as the number of owl rows to include in this sweater. Or remove all the owls and knit only the beautiful, corrugated ribbing for a fancy trim option. Remember, my motto: colorful knits brighten your life!

•The sweater is worked from the neck down and has a circular yoke construction and is edged with corrugated ribbing. Sleeves are held on a piece of yarn to be picked up later and worked down.
• The sample was knit with Shepherd’s Wool worsted weight from Stonehedge Fiber Mill. The qualities of 100% wool are just what you want when cutting a steek open.
• The sweater is designed as an open front sweater with fitted colorwork sleeves. Note that colorwork reduces how fabric stretches, so if you would like positive ease in the sleeves, choose a larger size than you typically would knit. The sweater was stitched together at the center for the sake of the photos of the models on the swings.

FINISHED SIZES: Finished bust/hip circumference with front bands just touching: 37 (40, 43, 47)(50, 53)“ 94 (102, 110, 119)(127, 134.5) cm

YARN: Worsted weight (approx. 250 yds in 113 g): 1250
(1320, 1450, 1540, 1600)(1800, 2000, 2200, 2400) yards
of the main color and 150 (160, 170, 180, 190)(200, 220,
240, 260) yards of EACH of 6 (6, 6, 6, 6)(7, 7, 7, 7) contrast
colors.

Maximum yardage totals were calculated for all 6 (6,
6, 6, 6)(7, 7, 7, 7) contrast colors to enable knitters to
purchase with confidence independent of color placement.

Yellow sample (size 37”) was knit in MC: Denim and CC1-2: Buttercup and Lemon (shown on model with size 40” bust).
Pink sample (size 43”) was knit in MC: Milk Chocolate and CC1-6: Baby Pink; Pink, Zinnia, Fuchsia, Hot pink and Raspberry (shown on model with size 44”bust).

SKILLS USED: Colorwork, picking up stitches, corrugated ribbing, steeking.

This pattern was written for personal use, please honor the copyright. Do not reproduce.
Tech edit by Ellen Silva and graphic layout done by Larissa Davis. Photography by Gale Zucker. Models were Johanna Smith and and Jess Ward.
Test knitters were Gwendolyn Snyder, Vickie Sever and Stacie Berard.

OLDER ERRATA FROM MN 52 BOOK: SLEEVES, BOTTOM OF COL. 1 P. 113 or P. 6 NOW READS: At this point, you should have 57 (61, 67, 71)(77, 83) sleeve sts, with a marker for start of owl motif 5 (5, 6, 6)(7, 7) sts after the BOR, 48 (52, 56, 60)(64, 70) sts between markers for the owl SHOULD BE: 4 (6, 9, 5)(6, 9) sts after the BOR and 48 (48, 48, 64)(64, 64) sts between markers