Wash's Sweater

Flat (Aran) Version

Last updated: 29 December 2009

by Don Yarman

Wash's Sweater (aka Big Damn Sweater and The Washburne) is a project of "Big Damn Knitters, " the Ravelry group for fans of the TV series Firefly and the spin-off movie Serenity.

The goal was to recreate a sweater worn by the character Wash in two of the series episodes -- "Out of Gas" and "The Message."

Variations of the cable pattern were created by Laura Wilson-Martos and Margaret (Maggs) Kailhofer. Maggs' pattern in particular provided the basis for this pattern. (See notes at end for links to their work).

SIZE

Pattern is written to fit men's size 42 long. For alternate sizes, add or subtract stitches from the sweater's Double Moss Stitch panels. Body and sleeves can be knit longer or shorter as desired.

Chest: 41-43 in.

Body length: 27 in.

Sleeve length: 24.5 in.

MATERIALS

• • Aran or heavy worsted wool in a neutral color; about 1,350 yards.

  • 1 24 in or longer US #10 (5.75mm) circular needle

  • or set of straight needles

  • 1 16 in US #8 (5 mm) circular needle or set of double pointed needles

GAUGE

16 sts/22 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch on larger needles

15 sts/25 rows = 4" in double moss stitch on larger needles

PATTERN NOTES

Legend & Techniques:

Charts for Double Moss Stitch and Rope Cable are on the last page. Serenity Cable (Chart B) is published separately at http://www.yarmando.com/serenity_cable.pdf.

Double Moss Stitch (Worked over an even number of sts)

Row 1 (RS): K2, [p2, k2] to end of section.

Rows 2-3: P2, [k2, p2] to end of section.

Row 4: As row 1.

Rep rows 1-4.

Rope Cable (see also Chart A below)

Row 1 (RS): p2, k6, p2

Row 2 (WS): k2, p6, k2

Row 3: p2, c3 over 3 right, p2

Row 4: k2, p6, k2

Row 5: p2, k6, p2

Row 6: k2, p6, k2

Row 7: p2, k6, p2

Row 8: k2, p6, k2

Serenity Cable (see Chart B, http://www.yarmando.com/serenity_cable.pdf)

Except on WS cable crossings where indicated, work stitches of all even (WS) rows as they present themselves, knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches.

Row 1 (RS): p11, k6, p11

Row 2 (WS): k11, c3 over 3 right, k11

Row 3: p11, k6, p11

Row 5: p10, c3 over 1 right p, c3 over 1 left p, p10

Row 7: p9, c3 over 1 right p, p2, c3 over 1 left p, p9

Row 9: p8, c3 over 1 right p, p4, c3 over 1 left p, p8

Row 11: p7, c3 over 1 right p, p6, c3 over 1 left p, p7

Row 13: p6, c3 over 1 right p, p8, c3 over 1 left p, p6

Row 15: p5, c3 over 1 right p, p10, c3 over 1 left p, p5

Row 17: p4, c3 over 1 right p, p12, c3 over 1 left p, p4

Row 19: p3, c3 over 1 right p, p14, c3 over 1 left p, p3

Row 21: p3, k3, p16, k3, p3

Row 23: p3, k3, p16, k3, p3

Row 25: p3, c3 over 1 left p, p14, c3 over 1 right p, p3

Row 27: p4, c3 over 1 left p, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, c3 over 1 right p, p4

Row 29: p5, c3 over 1 left p, c3 over 1 right p, p2, c3 over 1 left p, c3 over 1 right p, p5

Row 31: p6, k6, p4, k6, p6

Row 32: k6, c3 over 3 left, k4, c3 over 3 right, k6

Row 33: p6, k6, p4, k6, p6

Row 35: p5, c3 over 1 right p, c3 over 1 left p, p2, c3 over 1 right p, c3 over 1 left p, p5

Row 37: p4, c3 over 1 right p, p2, c3 over 1 left p, c3 over 1 right p, p2, c3 over 1 left p, p4

Row 39: p4, k3, p4, k6, p4, k3, p4

Row 40: k4, p3, k4, c3 over 3 right, k4, p3, k4

Row 41: p4, k3, p4, k6, p4, k3, p4

Row 43: p4, c3 over 1 left p, p2, c3 over 1 right p, c3 over 1 left p, p2, c3 over 1 right p, p4

Row 45: p5, c3 over 1 left p, c3 over 1 right p, p2, c3 over 1 left p, c3 over 1 right p, p5

Row 47: p6, k6, p4, k6, p6

Row 48: k6, c3 over 3 right, k4, c3 over 3 left, k6

Row 49: p6, k6, p4, k6, p6

Row 51: p5, c3 over 1 right p, c3 over 1 left p, p2, c3 over 1 right p, c3 over 1 left p, p5

Row 53: p4, c3 over 1 right p, p12, c3 over 1 left p, p4

Row 55: p3, c3 over 1 right p, p14, c3 over 1 left p, p3

Row 57: p3, k3, p16, k3, p3

Row 59: p3, k3, p16, k3, p3

Row 61: p3, c3 over 1 left p, p14, c3 over 1 right p, p3

Row 63: p4, c3 over 1 left p, p12, c3 over 1 right p, p4

Row 65: p5, c3 over 1 left p, p10, c3 over 1 right p, p5

Row 67: p6, c3 over 1 left p, p8, c3 over 1 right p, p6

Row 69: p7, c3 over 1 left p, p6, c3 over 1 right p, p7

Row 71: p8, c3 over 1 left p, p4, c3 over 1 right p, p8

Row 73: p9, c3 over 1 left p, p2, c3 over 1 right p, p9

Row 75: p10, c3 over 1 left p, c3 over 1 right p, p10

DIRECTIONS

Back

CO 86 sts with US #10 needles. Knit Twisted Rib as follows--

Row 1 (RS): [P1, k1tbl] to end of row.

Row 2: [P1tbl, K1] to end of row.

Repeat rows until piece measures 3 in. In last WS of rib, increase 10 sts evenly across (96 sts total).

Reading all RS (odd numbered) rows from right to left, and all WS (even numbered) rows from left to right, beg at row 1 of charts and set the patt as follows--

Row 1 (RS): Work Double Moss Stitch over the first 24 sts; work Rope Cable (Chart A) over the next 10 sts; work Serenity Cable (Chart B) over the next 28 sts; repeat Rope Cable over the next 10 sts; work Double Moss Stitch over the last 24 sts.

Row 2 (WS): Work Double Moss Stitch over the first 24 sts; work Rope Cable (Chart A) over the next 10 sts; work Serenity Cable (Chart B) over the next 28 sts (Don't forget the cable on Row 2!); repeat Rope Cable over the next 10 sts; work Double Moss Stitch over the last 24 sts.

Continue in patt as set and rep all rows of each chart. Work to desired length; the original sweater looks to be 142 rows total, ending after row 66 of second repeat of Serenity Cable (Chart B).

Shape Shoulders

Cast off 35 stitches at beg of next 2 rows. Place center back 26 sts on a holder.

Front

As back, but work to 12 rows short of the length of the back; on the original sweater, that is 130 rows of patt in total, ending after the second repeat of row 54 on the Serenity Cable (Chart B).

Shape Front Neck

Keeping continuity, work 41 sts; place the next 14 sts on a holder; turn, leaving the remaining sts on a spare needle. Continue with the patt as far as possible while shaping left side of neck as follows--

Cast off 1 stitch of the neck's edge at beginning of the next and following alternating rows. Continue until 35 stitches remain (12 rows). Cast off these left shoulder stitches.

With RS facing, rejoin yarn to sts of right side of neck. Keeping continuity, work 2 rows in patt without shaping, then complete as left side, casting off 1 st of the neck's edge on alternate rows until 35 stitches remain. Cast off right shoulder stitches.

Sleeves

CO 46 sts. Work twisted rib patt as back until cuff measures 3 inches. In last WS of rib, increase 4 sts evenly across (50 sts total).

Beg at row 1 of all charts and set the patt as follows--

Row 1 (RS): P1; work chart A over the next 10 sts; work chart B over the next 28 sts; repeat chart A over the next 10 sts; p last stitch.

Row 2 (WS): K1; reading charts from left to right, work charts A, B, then A again; k last stitch.

Continue in patt as set, rep all rows of each chart, and inc 1 st at the beginning and end of 6th and every foll 6th row, working all inc sts into Double Moss Stitch, until there are 76 sts (less for a tighter sleeve, more for a fuller sleeve).

Continue in patt without shaping until sleeve is desired length. Cast off sleeve.

Pattern Note: on the original sweater, the cables appear to end after the second repeat of row 40 on the Serenity Cable (Chart B). This is followed by 2-3 inches of reverse stockinette instead of the cables to lengthen the sleeve.

Repeat for second sleeve.

FINISHING

Weave in ends, and block pieces.

Place markers 9 in. down from shoulder cast off at each side of back and front.

Sew shoulder seams.

Place each end of top of sleeve at markers on front and back and sew sleeves to body between markers. Sew side and sleeve seams.

Neck edging

With RS facing and US #8 circular or double pointed needles, beg at back neck holder. Join yarn and knit 26 sts from holder; pick up and knit 17 sts from left neck edge; knit 14 stitches from front neck holder; pick up and knit 17 sts from right neck edge (74 sts total). Work twisted rib (k1tbl, p1) for 3 inches. Fold neckband in half to WS and sew in place.

SOURCES

Whedon, Joss, and Minear, Tim (Executive Producers). 2002. Firefly [Television series]. Beverly Hills: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

Kailhofer, Margaret. 2008. "Big Damn Sweater Pattern." Maggs Creations. Retrieved September 4, 2008, from http://www.maggscreations.com/bigdamnsweater.html.

Wilson-Martos, Laura. 2008. "Washburne." Dizzy Blonde Designs. Retrieved September 4, 2008, from http://lauramartos.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/cable-guy/.

Starmore, Alice. 1996. Aran Knitting. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, Inc.

Zimmerman, Elizabeth. 1981. Knitting Workshop. Pittsville, WI: Schoolhouse Press.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Don Yarman lives in Columbus, OH, where he mostly knits socks while watching too much TV. His husband wishes he spent more time giving foot massages and less time knitting. Email comments to yarmando AT gmail.com, and if you want to buy him a coffee (ko-fi.com/yarmando), he could always use the caffeine.Don licenses this work under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. Feel free to use for non-commercial purposes, and if you adapt it, please give credit and share with others.

The Serenity Cable (Chart B) is published as a separate document available from the website http://www.yarmando.com.