I originally bought 3 colors in one brand and two in another to make a Fair Isle type sweater, before realizing that the kiddo would fall over from the weight of cotton stranded.
Then a scalloped-hem Easter bolero, but frogged because k5tog is no fun in a yarn with no give.
Finally, a chevron cardigan, but K will not wear it without pink. The company that made the 3 colors is out of business, and the company of the other 2 sells some but not many solids, and seems to cycle out colors regularly… (Did I mention that an internet search led me to a store that had the prints for $1 each? I ended up buying enough for sweaters for dd and two goddaughters. Zipping along on Children’s Tunic in a sz 10, with another one in sz 8, possibly a cardigan.)
Searched high and low, settled for another chenille that was not quite the same weight or texture, before stumbling upon a Raveler's trade stash of that discontinued color, which she sent me!
comparable colors in two brands:
Cottage Knits blue : Crystal Palace French Blue 8095; Casco Bay 123 is not quite dark enough, but okay. Dd suggests turquoise (CP 3503 Blue Pool or CB 127) would be good too.
Cottage Knits grass: CP 2342 Fern is a bit too yellow; CB has 236 which is too yellow and 210 which is too blue, both totally different.
CK lemon: CP 3646 Yellow is too light, but 3505 Corn Silk is too gold; CB 110.
CP 8211 pink is discontinued, but CP 1219 Bougainvillea is close; CB 117 might be best match but not blue enough.
CP grape is discontinued, but CP 9660 Royal Purple; CB 221 is a bit too dark but okay.
CP orange is discontinued, but CP 2230 Mango; CB 115.
(Henry's Attic Cotton Chenille 900 is a good gauge match but of course comes only in natural -- if you want to dye your own.)
note that the ball bands suggest sz 6 needle but I did this in sz 8 -- a slightly more drapey, looser resulting fabric.
I just made it up as I went along, this would fit until a size 8 or so as written, but easily customizable for length. This sweater took most of 6 skeins, one of each color. I kept the color-striping to 4 rows mostly, but if you choose to have fewer colors you might need two skeins of one or another.
Chevron Pattern: (multiple of 12,+2) k1, *k1, yo, k4, s1-k2tog-slip, k4, yo* k1. Purl next row.
--> s1-k2tog-slip is a double decrease that doesn't lean; feel free to substitute another as you prefer.
Gauge: 4.5 st/inch on size 8 needles in stockinette. Chevron is approximately 2 2/3 inches wide per repeat.
Body:
Long-tail cast on 148 st. Purl 1 row, then start chevron pattern. Place markers at 32 st and 116 st (as chevron pattern develops, you have 2 1/2 repeats for right front, 1/2 6 1/2 for back, then 2 1/2 repeats for left front.)
Continue until 12" at a point. Divide for back and fronts: chevron as usual but onto holder until first marker. Chevron the back to the second marker, then chevron onto another holder.
CO 1 st for seaming on each edge, then continue back as established until it measures 20". Bind off.
Right front as worn: Cast on 1 st, then start to decrease on the neck edge: every 4th row (color change), k1, yo, k1, ssk, k1, s1-k2tog-slip, k1, k2tog, k1, yo. Continue chevron pattern
to end of row. Work until same length as back, then bind off.
Left front as worn: work decrease on opposite neck edge.
Sleeve: Long-tail CO 46 stitches. Purl 1 row, then chevron until measures desired length or 15".
Stockinette without chevron patterning (k 1 row, p 1 row) 2-3 rows, then bind off..
Sew seams, then stabilize shoulder seam with seam tape if desired. Pick up stitches all along neck edge for hood -- starting approximately 1 inch from shoulder seam, 100 stitches. k2 instead of k1 at start to keep the edge. Work even (if desired, can increase at center back after about 2 inches, then decrease back at 8 inches) until hood measures 10 inches from nape. Stockinette 2 rows then three-needle bind-off on the wrong side, or keep in chevron then interlock-seam or kitchener.
Button bands: Using sz 6 or 7 needle, pick up 42 stitches along left front edge. 1x1 rib for 4 rows, then bind off.
For buttonhole band, pick up 42 st along right front edge. 1x1 rib for two rows.
Row 3: k1, p 1, k1, bind off 2, rib for 9 st, bind off 2, rib for 9 st, bind off 2, rib for 9 st, bind off 2, rib to end.
Row 4: 1x1 rib, cast on with backwards e over all bound-off st.
Row 5: 1x1 rib. Bind off in rib.
Sew on buttons. (after I spent a crazed amount of time at the button rack to get options that were not quite right, we decided I should make rainbow buttons from polymer clay.)
