Sometimes magic is discovered while swatching. When the order of colors is slightly changed, the Carousel Check pattern from Barbara Walker’s A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns takes on a strong vertical appearance that is very different from the pattern as written.

The pattern stitch creates a fabric that is like—but not exactly—vertical ribbing and horizontal garter stitch. This means that the fabric has a lot of stretch in both directions and can be blocked to account for a lot of differences in body shape. The pattern is sized for a medium to generous amount of ease (2–12”) so the sweater can be layered over a shirt or turtleneck. Check the finished measurements carefully when choosing what size to make.