Have you knit a Fancy sweater with our Big Birdie yarn yet? It's a cozy knit, a simple raglan top-down piece, and sure to be a wardrobe essential. But, did you know you have options when it comes to your sweater neckline?
The pattern as written features a folded collar. This neckline is open but structured, and the double layer allows another surface to play with color. We think it's a super fun detail! We opted for a contrast color on our versions.... One sweater, shown above, knit in Big Birdie in the color Plaid Is My Favorite Color, features a contrast inside collar in the color Athleisure. Another version, shown below, is knit in Big Birdie in the color Town & Country with a contrast collar in the color Waverly.
In order to connect your double layered collar together, our pattern has you knit collar stitches from a provisional cast-on together with live stitches after you have worked double the desired height of your collar. You'll pick up one stitch from the provisional cast-on and work it together with the corresponding live stitch on your needle. You can opt to do this step before you unzip your provisional cast-on; you'll then remove your waste yarn in one go once your collar is connected. However, if you've never encountered this technique before, you might find it easier to unpick your provisional cast-on one stitch at a time, as you are knitting the stitch together with the live stitch on your needle. Either technique works and yields a double layered collar with stitches on the needle ready to continue on with the raglan yoke.
If you'd like a more traditional crewneck, check out the mods from Leslie Friend on Ravelry! Her version with Big Birdie Peanut as the main color, and Blackbird for a contrast color is an instant classic. Leslie writes: "I cast on for the body of the sweater saving the neckline for last. I knit the short rows and 5 rows in the front of the sweater before adding the first stripe of blackbird. I knit 10 rows of the peanut and 2 rows of the blackbird. I ended all of the edges in blackbird with 1 row of plain knitting, 1 row of rib and then cast off in pattern. For the neckline I picked up a stitch per each cast on stitch and ribbed in pattern (k3, p1)."
Our "Leslie Friend version", shown above on Blair in colors Pop Rocks and Peanut, is a shop highlight. And we're grateful to Leslie for sharing her inspiration!
Questions? Have you made a Fancy? Tag us on Instagram and show us! We're always happy to provide what support we can in the shop or via the phone or email and we're always happy to see what you make!
And don't forget, our free patterns, including Fancy, are available on our website or on Ravelry.