The Royal We: Dude Patterns for Everyone

©Kathy Cadigan 2015

One of my most popular patterns (as well as being my first!) has always been The Dude, a knock-off pattern of the sweater worn by Jeff Bridges in the movie, The Big Lebowski. For years I've had it in the back of my head that I would create a version of this pattern that included baby and kid sizes, and a unisex adult one that would be a pleasure to knit since my original Dude is a bit finicky with the construction and details.

So I'm thrilled to finally announce the launch of these new patterns! To allow for different proportions, the adult and baby/kid versions are separate patterns, but if you want to dress up the whole family in Dude sweaters, you can get a discount by buying The Royal We: Dude Patterns for Everyone, an ebook that includes both versions.

I expect knitters might have some questions about this new version, so I put together this FAQ to help.



What’s different about the new Knitter’s Dude and Little Dude patterns compared to your original Dude pattern?

•  My original Dude pattern was designed to be as close to the movie sweater as I could make it and that similarity was my main priority. As a result, it poses some challenges to the knitter in construction method. It’s worked entirely in 1x1 rib with stranded color work sections. It’s also worked flat in pieces so that the stranded color work has to be worked in ribbing on the wrong side. While these elements make the sweater look like the movie sweater, they make the process somewhat difficult. The Knitter’s Dude and Little Dude are designed with the knitter’s enjoyment and appreciation in mind with the movie sweater as a rough inspiration rather than a strict guide. Here's what's new:

• It’s worked in Stockinette stitch instead of ribbing.

• It's worked entirely in the round so that the stranded color work never has to be worked on the wrong side. A steek is cut to open the cardigan front after knitting is complete.

• The fit and style have been updated too - a relaxed, but flattering look with raglan yoke shaping, a generous collar, and beautiful tubular cast-on and bound-off edges.

• Button closures give a classic cardigan feel and make finishing easier -- no zipper installation necessary!

White Russian, anyone?

Photo ©Kathy Cadigan 2015

What sizes are available?

• The Little Dude is written for newborns to age 12 (though ages are guidelines only since kids vary so much, so pay attention to the schematic when choosing a size!) 

• The Knitter’s Dude is in sizes 33-61 in/84-155 cm. Recommended ease is about +1-4 in/2.5-10 cm. To get the more classic, oversized movie-Dude look, I recommend aiming for about 4 in/10 cm of ease.

Is the adult pattern completely unisex or are there any modifications to make the pattern more appropriate for men or women?

• Though the sample is shown on a woman, there are instructions for modifying the pattern to be more appropriate for men’s/tall sizes. It’s a whole family of Dudes!

Little Lebowski Urban Achiever

©Kathy Cadigan 2015

Do I have to work color patterns on the purl side?

• No, the sweater is worked entirely in the round and then a steek is cut to open the cardigan front.

How should I deal with the long floats in the pattern? 

• Catching floats every other stitch will keep the inside very neat, as well as avoid bunching. You can find videos of this method on Instagram. 
• - Video 1: Catching Background Color on Right Side
• - Video 2: Catching Pattern/Dominant Color on Right Side
• - Video 3: Catching Background Color on Wrong Side
• - Video 4: Catching Pattern/Dominant Color on Wrong Side

What details make this sweater special?

• Tubular cast-on and bound-off edges are particularly clean and beautiful.

• Compound Raglan yoke shaping is carefully calculated for a flattering fit.

• The generous shawl collar is shaped using short rows.

• One-row buttonholes are firm, neat, and easy to work.

What’s a steek?

• A steek is a small group of extra stitches added to a piece of knitting (in this case, the center front of a cardigan) that allows you to work entirely in the round without purling at all. After the knitting is complete, you'll reinforce your steek on either side, then cut down the center to open your cardigan. 

• It's best to work in a "sticky" wooly yarn so that the stitches stay in place after cutting, so avoid slippery yarns like Superwash wool, alpaca, silk, or any plant fibers. Woolen spun yarns like Brooklyn Tweed Shelter are ideal.

• I love this series of tutorials from Kate Davies all about steeks.

©Kathy Cadigan 2015

Isn’t cutting your knitting terrifying?

• It can feel that way, but it's a very empowering technique. The only thing that I still feel nervous about using steeks is that once you've cut, you can't frog your work if you see a mistake. Unlike most knitted items, things that have been cut are final, so always check over everything carefully before cutting.

The Dude abides.

©Kathy Cadigan 2015

All the photos for this pattern were taken by Kathy Cadigan and I want to thank my models, Tif Fussel (Dottie Angel) and little Jameson!

Pattern Specs
The Knitter's Dude

Sizes and Finished Measurements 
Chest Circumference: 33 (37.25, 41.25, 45.25, 49, 53, 57, 61) in/ 
84 (94.5, 105, 115, 124.5, 134.5, 145, 155) cm 
Cardigan is designed to be worn with +1-4 in/2.5-10 cm of positive ease; shown in Size 33 with zero ease.

Yarn 
Worsted weight yarn in three colors (yarn amounts are approximate): 
Main Color: 960 (1085, 1202, 1319, 1436, 1554, 1671, 1788) yd/878 (992, 1099, 1206, 1313, 1421, 1528, 1635) m 
Contrast Color 1: 130 (147, 163, 179, 195, 210, 226, 242) yd/119 (134, 149, 164, 178, 192, 207, 221) m 
Contrast Color 2: 151 (170, 189, 208, 226, 244, 262, 281) yd/56 (61, 64, 67, 101, 117, 181, 226) m

Shown in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter (100% Wool; 140 yd/128 m per 50g skein) 
Main Color: Fossil; 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12, 13) skeins 
Contrast Color 1: Nest; 1 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins 
Contrast Color 2: Cast Iron; 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3) skeins

Blocked Gauge 
Gauge measurement should be taken after blocking. 
20 sts/31 rounds = 4 in/10 cm in Stockinette Stitch Pattern with Size B Needles

20 sts/27 rounds = 4 in/10 cm in Color Work Stockinette Stitch Pattern with Size C Needles

Needles & Notions 
Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.

Size A (Ribbing): Size US #5/3.75 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle, two 40 in/100 cm circular needles, and set dpns or needle(s) for preferred small-circumference circular knitting method

Size B (Plain Stockinette Stitch): Size US #6/4 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle and set dpns or needle(s) for preferred small-circumference circular knitting method

Size C (Color Work Stockinette Stitch): Size US #7/4.5 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle and set dpns or needle(s) for preferred small-circumference circular knitting method

stitch markers, removable stitch markers, tapestry needle, waste yarn, coordinating color light fingering weight yarn for reinforcing steek, Size C/2.75 mm crochet hook, 5 1 in/2.5 cm buttons

The Little Dude

Sizes and Finished Measurements 
Sized for 0-6 mo (6-12 mo, 1-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8, 8-10, 10-12); shown in size 1-2 
Chest Circumference: 20 (22, 23, 24, 25.5, 27, 28.5, 30) in/51 (56, 58.5, 61, 65, 68.5, 72.5, 76) cm

Yarn 
Worsted weight yarn in 3 colors - (yarn quantities are approximate) 
Main Color: 250 (275, 310, 360, 475, 585, 680, 745) yd/230 (250, 285, 330, 435, 535, 620, 680) m 
Contrast Color 1: 35 (35, 40, 42, 57, 64, 89, 104) yd/32 (32, 37, 38, 52, 58, 81, 95) m 
Contrast Color 2: 61 (67, 70, 73, 111, 128, 198, 248) yd/56 (61, 64, 67, 101, 117, 181, 226) m

Shown in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter (100% Wool; 140 yd/128 m per 50g skein) 
Main Color: Fossil; 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5) skeins 
Contrast Color 1: Nest; 1 skein 
Contrast Color 2: Cast Iron; 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2) skeins

Blocked Gauge 
Gauge measurement should be taken after blocking. 
20 sts/31 rounds = 4 in/10 cm in Stockinette Stitch Pattern with Size B Needles

20 sts/27 rounds = 4 in/10 cm in Color Work Stockinette Stitch Pattern with Size C Needles

Needles & Notions 
Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.

Size A (Ribbing): Size US #5/3.75 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle, two 40 in/100 cm circular needles (for tubular BO), and set dpns or needle(s) for preferred small-circumference circular knitting method

Size B (Plain Stockinette Stitch): Size US #6/4 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle and set dpns or needle(s) for preferred small-circumference circular knitting method

Size C (Color Work Stockinette Stitch): Size US #7/4.5 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle and set dpns or needle(s) for preferred small-circumference circular knitting method

stitch markers, removable stitch markers, tapestry needle, waste yarn, coordinating color light fingering weight yarn for reinforcing steek, Size C/2.75 mm crochet hook, 3 (3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5) 1 in/2.5 cm buttons

BUY THE ROYAL WE EBOOK

BUY THE KNITTER'S DUDE

BUY THE LITTLE DUDE

And yes, I knit the sample in my size so I could keep it and wear it forever. In the pictures above, the sweater is shown with zero ease on Tif. On me, it's got about 2 in/5 cm of positive ease.

©Kathy Cadigan 2015

Fringe and Friends KAL 2015 FO

I hope you've been following along this year's Fringe and Friends Knit Along! The theme is a Cowichan-inspired super bulky vest and I've really enjoyed being a panelist.

You can check out the whole series here - there's lots of great content on the Cowichan knitting tradition, Japanese knitting patterns, how to knit the pattern, and interesting pattern mods.  (If clicked a link from Fringe, thanks for coming and welcome!)

I recently finished my vest and you can read all about my yarn choice, process, and modifications over on Fringe Association in the Meet the Panel blog post. (My interview about my finished vest will be up on Fringe tomorrow, so I'll update with a link when it goes live.) By far the biggest change I made to the pattern was obviously the color patterns. I chose a classic Greek Key motif for the smaller sections and improvised a large starburst pattern for my main motif. 

I've been asked a few times if I would share my charts, so here they are! Feel free to download the images and use the charts as you wish. I'd love to see what you end up making, so tag on me on Instagram (@andrearknits) or send me a Rav message with your creations!

 

I've also created some videos showing my method for catching floats every other stitch, which will also be helpful if you're knitting Tokul. (Videos 1, 2, 3, and 4.)

In related news, for those of you who love color work, I've got a very exciting announcement coming up soon. Sign up for my email newsletter to be the first to hear (and I may even offer a flash sale coupon just to subscribers!)

And just in case you missed it, I'm teaching a class on my Tokul vest at Tolt Yarn and Wool on November 8. (That's the same weekend as their anniversary celebration!) I'd love to see you there, so call the shop to sign up. (425) 333-4066