003_Life is a Piece of Strawberry Shortcake

Yarn:

Viscose Angora Melange – Brick Red, 8 strands 

Needles:

5mm knitting needles, 4mm needles for ribbing

BODY

Cast on 288 stitches.

Ribbing

1st row (WS): K1, P1 (twisted purl) repeat
2nd row (RS): K1 (twisted knit), P1 repeat
Rows 3–13: repeat rows 1–2

Main body

Starting from row 14, switch to knitting in the round (stockinette).
Knit until the total length including ribbing is 35cm.

Separate into front and back panels.

BACK PANEL – 144 sts

Decreases (worked at both edges by knitting 2 sts together):

Row 1 (RS): 144 → 142 sts
Row 2 (WS): 140 sts
Row 3: 138 sts
Row 4: 136 sts
Rows 5–6: 134 sts
Rows 7–8: 132 sts
Rows 9–10: 130 sts
Rows 11–12: 128 sts
Rows 13–14: 126 sts
Rows 15–18: 124 sts
Rows 19–22: 122 sts

Rows 23–50: continue in stockinette stitch without changing stitch count

Follow the shaping table below for neckline decreases (bind off at neck edge).
Work shoulder shaping using short rows.

FRONT PANEL – 144 sts

Decrease rows identical to the back:

Row 1: 142 sts
Row 2: 140 sts
Row 3: 138 sts
Row 4: 136 sts
Rows 5–6: 134 sts
Rows 7–8: 132 sts
Rows 9–10: 130 sts
Rows 11–12: 128 sts
Rows 13–14: 126 sts
Rows 15–18: 124 sts
Rows 19–22: 122 sts

Rows 23–36: stockinette, no stitch changes

Follow the shaping table for neckline decreases (bind off).

Work shoulder shaping using short rows.

On Row 62, resolve the wrapped stitch (from short rows) and bind off with knitting needles.

JOINING

Join the front and back shoulders using a tapestry needle (mattress stitch or preferred seaming method).

NECK RIBBING

Pick up stitches with 4mm needles.
Work in 1×1 rib.
Knit stitches are worked twisted.

SLEEVES

Pick up stitches:
Pick up 2 sts, skip 1, then pick up 80 sts along the armhole.

From 4 sts before the shoulder seam, work total 8 stitches:

• RS: knit 8 sts, wrap & turn (W&T)

• WS: purl 8 sts, W&T

Continue:

RS: knit, resolve wrapped stitch, knit 3 more, W&T
WS: purl, resolve wrapped stitch, purl 3 more, W&T

Repeat this process until you have worked through all picked-up stitches.

Sleeve decreases

Every 8 rows, decrease 1 st on each side of the underarm → repeat 10 times
You will have 60 sts.

Then:

Every 4 rows, decrease 2 sts total → repeat 7 times
= 46 sts

Switch to 4mm needles and work ribbing.
Finish with a tapestry needle.