Version two, simplified.
Version one.
Draft Dodger Pattern
This design uses Garter stitched mitered diamonds which have a double decrease worked on three center stitches. The cast on stitches are always an odd number and the first stitch is always slipped to facilitate picking up stitches for the next diamonds.
The neck triangles are also based on odd numbered stitches with a double decrease in the center stitches and decreases at the beginning and ending of right side rows. Shoulder triangles are picked up on the edge of front diamonds and attached later to the edge of the back diamonds. These are 90ยบ triangles formed by decreases along one edge only. Shaping is reversed for either side.
Neckline options are either a Stockinette rolled split collar, Garter stitch collar or ribbing.
Yarn and needles: I used Araucania Nature Wool for version two and size 8 needles, (both dpns and circulars, but that's just me...) For version one I used a dk weight wool in two colors and the same needles. Both collars are blocked which greatly increased their finished size. Gauge? eh.
Front Side Diamonds
First Diamond: Cast on 25 stitches and knit, this is row 1. Wrong side
Row 2: Right side (Slip first stitch of every row, counting this as one stitch)
Knit 10, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over, knit 11.
Row 3 and all odd numbered rows: knit across
Row 4: Slip 1 as usual, Knit 9, s1k2tog, psso, knit 10
Continue in this manner until 3 stitches remain. Slip 1, K2tog, psso, leaving one stitch remaining.
Second Diamond: With one stitch on needle, and right side facing, pick up 12 stitches along the left edge of First Diamond (13sts) and then loosely cast on 12 stitches. 25 stitches on needle. This is Row 1: K across.
Row 2: (Slip first stitch of every row, counting this as one stitch )Knit 10, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over, knit 11.
Row 3 and all odd numbered rows: knit across
Row 4: Slip one as usual, Knit 9, s1k2tog, psso, knit 10
Continue in this manner until 3 stitches remain. K2tog, psso, leaving one stitch remaining.
Third Diamond: repeat second diamond. At the end break yarn and pull through last stitch.
Click to enlarge
Shoulder Triangle One: Pick up 13 sts along left edge of Third Diamond.
Row 1: and all odd numbered rows, Knit across
Row 2: (Slipping first stitch on every row) K until three sts remain, K2tog, K1
Repeat rows one and two until three sts remain, K2tog, psso, one stitch remains, pull yarn through and break yarn.
Row 1: and all odd numbered rows, Knit across
Row 2: (Slipping first stitch on every row) K until three sts remain, K2tog, K1
Repeat rows one and two until three sts remain, K2tog, psso, one stitch remains, pull yarn through and break yarn.
Fourth Diamond: Cast 13 stitches and pick up 12 sts along the right edge of Diamond One, 25 sts. Make Diamond as for first Diamond, until one stitch remains.
Fifth Diamond: With one stitch on needle and right side facing, pick up 12 stitches along left edge of Diamond Four and pick up 12 stitches along the right edge of Diamond Two. Make Diamond as for first Diamond, until one stitch remains.
Neck Triangle: With one stitch on needle pick up 12 stitches along left edge of Fifth Diamond and 12 stitches along right edge. 25 stitches on needle.
Row 1 and all odd numbered rows: Knit across.
Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, K8, s1k2tog, psso, K8, K2tog, K1
Row 4: Slip 1, k2tog, K6, s1k2tog, psso, K6, K2tog, K1
Continue in this manner until only five stitches remain. Leave those five stitches on a safety pin, break yarn.
Row 1 and all odd numbered rows: Knit across.
Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, K8, s1k2tog, psso, K8, K2tog, K1
Row 4: Slip 1, k2tog, K6, s1k2tog, psso, K6, K2tog, K1
Continue in this manner until only five stitches remain. Leave those five stitches on a safety pin, break yarn.
Sixth Diamond: Cast on 13 stitches and pick up 12 stitches along right edge of Fourth Diamond. Make Diamond as for first Diamond, until one stitch remains.
Make Second Neck Triangle same as the first.
Shoulder Triangle Two: Pick up 13 stitches along right edge of Sixth Diamond.
Row 1: and all odd numbered rows, Knit across
Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, k across
Repeat rows one and two until three sts remain, K2tog, psso, one stitch remains, pull yarn through and break yarn.
Back Diamonds
First Diamond: All back diamonds begin with 29 stitches, making the back longer and wider than the front.
Row 1: Cast on 29 stitches and knit, this is row 1. Wrong side.
Row 2: Right side (Slip first stitch of every row, counting this as one stitch) Knit 12, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over, knit 13.
Row 3 and all odd numbered rows: knit across
Row 4: Slip first stitch as usual, Knit 11, s1k2tog, psso, knit 12
Continue in this manner until 3 stitches remain. Slip one, K2tog, psso, leaving one stitch remaining.
Make Second through Sixth Diamonds as for front Diamonds.
Neck Triangles: With one stitch remaining on needle, pick up 14 stitches along each edge of Diamonds (29 sts). Slip first stitch, k2 tog, k10, s1k2tog psso, k10, k2tog, k1. Continue knitting until five sts remain, and place those sts on safety pin.
Sew front to back at shoulder triangles.
Collar: At one neck edge pick up stitches in slipped edge stitches, and from safety pins (knitting them onto needle) and k one row, joining stitches into circle.
Round 2 and 3: Knit
Round 4: Knit to center front Diamond, turn. (forming split collar)
Row 5: Continuing to slip first stitch on every row, K every row for Garter St Collar (not pictured) or purl odd numbered rows and knit even numbered rows for rolled Stockinette St collar(first version). For Mock Turtleneck collar, (second version) k every row for 1.5” and then begin ribbing: Row1, K1, P1, Row2, K, repeat these two rows once more and end with one row of K, then, bind off loosely.
If a ribbed neck is preferred make K1 P1 ribbing for desired length, bind off loosely.
Shoulder Triangle Two: Pick up 13 stitches along right edge of Sixth Diamond.
Row 1: and all odd numbered rows, Knit across
Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, k across
Repeat rows one and two until three sts remain, K2tog, psso, one stitch remains, pull yarn through and break yarn.
Back Diamonds
First Diamond: All back diamonds begin with 29 stitches, making the back longer and wider than the front.
Row 1: Cast on 29 stitches and knit, this is row 1. Wrong side.
Row 2: Right side (Slip first stitch of every row, counting this as one stitch) Knit 12, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over, knit 13.
Row 3 and all odd numbered rows: knit across
Row 4: Slip first stitch as usual, Knit 11, s1k2tog, psso, knit 12
Continue in this manner until 3 stitches remain. Slip one, K2tog, psso, leaving one stitch remaining.
Make Second through Sixth Diamonds as for front Diamonds.
Neck Triangles: With one stitch remaining on needle, pick up 14 stitches along each edge of Diamonds (29 sts). Slip first stitch, k2 tog, k10, s1k2tog psso, k10, k2tog, k1. Continue knitting until five sts remain, and place those sts on safety pin.
Sew front to back at shoulder triangles.
Collar: At one neck edge pick up stitches in slipped edge stitches, and from safety pins (knitting them onto needle) and k one row, joining stitches into circle.
Round 2 and 3: Knit
Round 4: Knit to center front Diamond, turn. (forming split collar)
Row 5: Continuing to slip first stitch on every row, K every row for Garter St Collar (not pictured) or purl odd numbered rows and knit even numbered rows for rolled Stockinette St collar(first version). For Mock Turtleneck collar, (second version) k every row for 1.5” and then begin ribbing: Row1, K1, P1, Row2, K, repeat these two rows once more and end with one row of K, then, bind off loosely.
If a ribbed neck is preferred make K1 P1 ribbing for desired length, bind off loosely.
Please feel free to share this pattern, and report any errors to me at fibermania at g mail dot com.
