Bolt-on, Tree and Star sleeve pattern.

Above is an image of the alternate sleeve to the one that is included in the Kaleidoscope Jumper pattern. It is a Bolt on pattern called – Tree and Star Sleeve. Below are reasons why I published the pattern with Tree sleeves charts only and why I am producing a 2nd bolt on sleeve pattern.

Below are A Few Notes from the last page of my Kaleidoscope jumper pattern to explain some of my decisions.

Why is the Kaleidoscope Jumper pattern one size only?

It iis one size because the motifs of 44 stitches, dictate wherre the pattern lies – to increase the size, I would have to add one more motif, change where the neck lies in the pattern and calculate additional decreases at the shoulders and it would go on and on. I t would take e 6 months to make different sizes. I am just one person without tech support. It is actually easy to increase the size by knitting the jumper in UK 3:5mm needles rather than UK 3mm

Why did I knit the sleeve in the round from cuff up then graft it into the armpit?
Here’s the reason that I did the sleeves this way.  Initially, I picked up the stitches around the arm hole to knit the sleeve in the round from the shoulder down to the cuff but I realised that if I knitted the tree motif, from the trunk first, as usual, the trees would be upside down, ending with the tree top at the cuff.  So, I turned the motif around and swatched the tree from its top down the trunk base so that I could knit the Tree only sleeve from the armhole.  But, knitting this way resulted in the stitches of the tree motif being visibly upside down starting from the shoulder, and I didn’t like that either.   You can see the swatch on the right and how the stitches are visibly the wrong way.  It is possible to do it this way but it will always look somehow upside down.  But, if you want, you can knit the Tree sleeves from the armpit down to the cuff, with upside down motif stitches,  it is your choice.

So, I knitted the sleeve in the round from the cuff up then joined it at the arm hole by grafting it expertly into the armpit hole. I needed to explain why I knitted the sleeve this way as it might seem a little weird but the result is perfect trees knitted from the cuff up and all the stitches are perfectly the right way. I thought that doing the sleeve this way is worth this extra consideration in the name of neatness and accuracy

Why does this jumper pattern only have Tree sleeve charts?

I did a poll on Instagram and my website to ask what people which sleeve they would like for the jumper pattern. Hundreds of people answered.  The options were: – 1: – just Tree sleeves or 2: – just Tree and Star sleeves which are the same as the body, or 3: – Both sleeve charts.  Most people said that they would knit 1: – Tree sleeves only, but some wanted both charts, just in case.  When asked if those people would consider paying more for the option of both sleeves to be included in the one pattern, even though there was more work charting a 2nd sleeve, knitting it, and writing a full pattern, they mostly said no.     So, I have happily knitted Tree sleeves in my Kaleidoscope jumper because most people requested this and the Trees look a wonderful companion pattern and compliment the body.

What about the Tree and Star sleeve?  Where can I get it? 

My test knitter has knitted the Tree and Star sleeves, which are the same motif as the body.  The Tree and Star sleeve chart pattern along with the Sanquhar alphabet pattern to enable you to add your initials and year of knitting to personalise your work, will be released separately to the jumper pattern, as an add-on so that the knitter can make their own choice of sleeve.  The name of the bolt-on pattern will be, Tree and Star Sleeve Pattern. The reason that this is a separate bolt-on pattern, is because of the extra work to design, create and knit it as well as write the intricate charts and pattern notes.  Plus it gives the knitter the choice to just pay for the original pattern or pay extra if they want and extra design.

So, if you would like to buy the Kaleidoscope pattern, it is here

I am also knitting a swatch of how to add your initials and the year when the jumper was made, into the sleeve, just above the cuff, in the Bolt on Tree and Star Sleeve pattern that will be out this week.

Thank you to everyone who has bought the Kaleidoscope Jumper Pattern it is here, if you want to go check it out.

Let me know what you think about the options for a 2nd sleeve pattern.