When I thought of traditional Christmas in the creation of Cassandra Christmas Sweater, an essential element that came to mind was puffed sleeves. In Anne of Green Gables (the movie), Anne is invited to a Christmas party by Diana’s family. She desires more than anything to have a dress with puffed sleeves. Her beloved Matthew surprised her with a dress he picked out precisely according to her wishes.
Anne replied, “The puffiest!” So for those romantics like Matthew & Anne, here’s how to adjust the sleeves to achieve “the puffiest.” I knit the original sample for my mom, who, like Matthew & Anne, wanted this classical elegance.
Note: includes the puffiest puffs & pleats in those puffs.
Work the BO section and the “every row” section in the pattern.
Then work Decrease Rows 1 & 2.
*The alteration starts here & continues through the sleeve cap.*
Repeat Decrease Rows 1 & 2 every 2 (2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4) rows, 13 (14, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 6) time(s) more.
Then repeat Decrease Rows 1 & 2 every 0 (0, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) rows, 0 (0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 9, 9, 4, 3) times.
Note: on last WS row, do not slip last st in order to set up for BOs. Place markers after first 3 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5) sts.
Next RS Row: BO 3 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5) sts, k to end decreasing 8 sts evenly across after BOs and before marker.
Next WS Row: BO 3 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5) sts, p to end.
Next RS Row: BO remaining sts.
For the published Cassandra Christmas Sweater, I went a little less grand & more modern with only a slight puff. It is achieved by keeping the set in sleeve cap the same as a regular set in sleeve cap, with the exception of 4 extra rows worked. A side effect of the extra rows is that the decreases are spaced out slightly differently.
For those reflecting more of Marilla’s practicality, “I don’t believe in pampering vanity… those… are good, sensible… without any frills or furbelows about them,” adjust the sleeves for a standard set as follows:
Work the BO section and the “every row” section in the pattern.
Then work Decrease Rows 1 & 2.
*Here’s where the slight alteration occurs*
Repeat Decrease Rows 1 & 2 every 2 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 10, 12) rows, 7 (0, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 0, 0, 1, 0) time(s) more.
Then repeat Decrease Rows 1 & 2 every 0 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 8, 10) rows, 0 (7, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 3, 0, 1) times.
Continue on with pattern as written.
Whether a Miralla, modern girl, or Anne & Matthew, Cassandra Christmas Sweater is full of festive detail. The Aran weight yarn is ideal for the cold of winter whether it be a Christmas party or family gathering. Since this was the first time I’ve used Luna, I contacted Cascade Yarns to learn more about it. Below is their response about the eco-value of Luna:
“While our Luna is not made from certified organic cotton I can tell you that Tanguis cotton is by nature more disease resistant than other types of cotton, reducing the need for pesticides. It also produces more harvests per year than Pima cotton, therefore using less land to produce more fiber.”