Natural 20 Geek-A-Long Sweater: Project Sheet

Hello and happy Pride month, you incredible humans! Last week we shared that the 2024 Geek-A-Long is officially starting and this year we are celebrating all things Dungeons and Dragons. This week we are kicking things off with the project sheet and gauge swatch, and a Ravelry Pattern Page.

Let’s talk logistics. The sweater is worked top down and is a unisex design. It is worked in stranded colorwork from top to bottom, and as such it will not have a lot of natural stretch. The measurements given in the project sheet reflect the actual finished dimensions of the sweater, so make sure you choose a size that will incorporate your desired amount of ease. I think this kind of sweater wears best with a couple of inches of positive ease, and if you are between sizes, I recommend sizing up rather than down.

The sweater will be worked in the round, and after finishing the body and sleeves you will cut up the center front along the incorporated steek to create a cardigan. If you’ve never cut a steek before I know that can be intimidating and there is nothing stopping you from omitting the steek sts and just working this as a pull-over instead. I really think you should try it though. Steeking is terrifying and empowering and honestly it’s pretty close to actual magic. To make things easier, the gauge swatch was designed to let you take steeking for a spin in a much lower stakes way than on your actual human-sized sweater. Next week I’ll be posting a full video and picture tutorial of steeking – you don’t have to go it alone! Knit up the gauge swatch included in the project sheet and meet me back here in a week to learn everything you need to know to steek with confidence.

Speaking of steeking, there are some unusual notions called for in this one, to support a stress free steek experience. You’ll want to get some fusible interfacing tape, and some bias tape. These take all the drama out of your steek. After you cut along the steek line, we’ll fuse the bias tape to the cut edges with with interfacing and you will run no risk of having stitches pull free of where you cut, no matter what the wool content on your yarn is. Choose a color of bias tape that goes nicely with your sweater. It won’t be visible on the front of the sweater, but having a coordinating or matching color is a nice touch on the inside. For the fusible interfacing, I love Heat-n-Bond soft stretch. It’s easy to work with and you can get it at just about any craft or fabric store.

Hey Megan-Anne, the project sheet indicates that buttons and fabric for the pockets are optional. What does that even mean? Do I need them or don’t I?!

They are genuinely optional. I worked my first sample without buttons, and I’m going to cast on a new sample that will be a gift for Mr. Llama to make right along with you this summer. I’m putting buttons on that one. It really comes down to personal preference, and honestly it’s OK to decide later once your sweater is knit, blocked, steeked, and ready for the collar. If you are adding buttons the collar and edging or button band go on last so it’s alright to wait until then to make a button decision. The same is true of the pocket lining. I like to line the pockets of a sweater with fabric so that I can stuff them full of small things with reckless abandon, but that’s personal preference.

I hope you have an amazing week, and I’ll see you back here next Sunday to throw caution to the wind and cut our swatches right up the middle!

View the Natural 20 Sweater: Project Sheet by clicking the download button below. When you download the pattern from our website instead of through Ravelry here, you will NOT receive automatic updates. You will have to come here and download the next clue every time. Please download it via Ravelry if you are able, so you have immediate access to the clues as they are released and any errata that may appear.

~Megan-Anne

Trust me on the steeking. You’re going to feel like you just got access to level 5 spells.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider making a donation to Child’s Play Charity. Here is a direct link to our official donation page benefiting the charity. Please help us raise $1,000 this year. No contribution is too small! Wanna make your donation go even further? Lattes & Llamas will donate $1 for every skein of Geek-A-Long Yarn purchased. Ask your local yarn store to carry GAL Yarn or get it through our website.