This coral-hued top is knit from the top down, so it can be tried on as you knit to ensure a perfect fit. It’s also easy to customize as you go, so you can place the twist lace pattern where you want it and work the sleeves as long or short as desired.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Finished Bust Size 32 3/4 (36 1/2, 40 1/4, 44 1/4, 48, 51 3/4, 55 3/4)” / 83 (92.5, 102, 112.5, 122, 131.5, 141.5) cm to fit bust 30 3/4 (34 1/2, 38 1/4, 42 1/4, 46, 49 3/4, 53 3/4)” / 78 (87.5, 97, 107.5, 117, 126.5, 136.5) cm; 2″ / 5 cm positive ease recommended; Shown in size 40 1/4″ / 102 cm
Gauge: 23 sts and 46 rnds = 4” [10 cm] in Garter Stitch; 25 sts and 28 rnds = 4″ [10 cm] in Twist Lace Patt, after wet blocking
Materials
Yarn:
Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton (100% organic cotton; 150 yards [137 meters]/65 grams): #317 Coral (8 (8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14) hanks)
Needles: US size 3 (3.25 mm): 16″ [40 cm] and 32″ [80 cm] circular needles, US size 4 (3.5 mm): straight and 32″ [80 cm] circular needles and set of 4 or 5 double-pointed needles
Notions: Markers stitch holders or waste yarn tapestry needle
Abbreviations
sk2p: Slip 1 st knitwise with yarn in back, k2tog, pass the slipped st over the knit st. (2 sts decreased)
Special Stitches
Backward Loop Cast-on Method: *Wrap yarn around left thumb from front to back and secure in palm with other fingers, insert RH needle upwards through strand on thumb, slip loop from thumb onto needle, pulling yarn to tighten; rep from * for desired number of sts.
Twist Lace Pattern
(multiple of 6 sts)
Rnd 1 (RS): *K1-tbl, p1, k3, p1; rep from * around.
Rnd 2: *K1-tbl, p1, yo, sk2p, yo, p1; rep from * around.
Rnd 3: Rep Rnd 1.
Rnd 4: *K1-tbl, p1, k1, yo, ssk, p1; rep from * around.
Rnds 5-6: Rep Rnd 1.
Rep Rnds 1-6 for pattern.
Pattern Notes
This sweater is knit from the top down, beginning at the back shoulders. The back is knit to the underarms then held while the front is knit. The back and front are joined at the underarms then knit down for the body. Sleeve stitches are picked up around the armhole edges and knit down to the cuff, with short-rows worked to shape the caps.
Pattern
Right Back Shoulder
With US larger needle, CO 20 (20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27) sts.
Shape Shoulder
Short-Row 1 (RS): K5 (5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6), turn work so WS is facing; (WS) knit to end.
Short-Row 2 (RS): K10 (10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13), turn work so WS is facing; (WS) knit to end.
Short-Row 3 (RS): K15 (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20), turn work so WS is facing; (WS) knit to end.
Shape Back Neck
Inc Row (RS): K1, m1, knit to end. (1 st inc’d)
Next Row (WS): Knit to end.
Rep the last 2 rows, 2 more times. (23 (23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30) sts)
Break yarn and place sts onto a st holder or waste yarn.
Left Back Shoulder
With larger needle, CO 20 (20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27) sts.
Knit 1 RS row.
Shape Shoulder
Short-Row 1 (WS): K5 (5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6), turn work so RS is facing; (RS) knit to end.
Short-Row 2 (WS): K10 (10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13), turn work so RS is facing; (RS) knit to end.
Short-Row 3 (WS): K15 (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20), turn work so RS is facing; (RS) knit to last st, m1. (21 (21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28) sts)
Shape Back Neck
Next Row (WS): Knit to end.
Inc Row (RS): Knit to last st, m1, k1. (1 st inc’d)
Rep the last 2 rows once more. (23 (23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30) sts)
Knit 1 WS row.
Back
Joining Row (RS): Knit to end of left back shoulder sts, use the backwards loop method to CO 28 (31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 40) sts, return 23 (23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30) held right back shoulder sts to empty needle preparing to work a right side row, then knit to end. (74 (77, 82, 87, 90, 95, 100) sts)
Cont working even in Garter st until piece meas 5 1/4 (5 1/2, 5 1/2, 6, 6, 6 1/2, 6 1/2)” / 13.5 (14, 14, 15, 15, 16.5, 16.5) cm from beg, measuring along the selvedge edge to exclude the shoulder short-rows, and ending after a WS row.
Shape Armholes
Inc Row (RS): K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, k1. (2 sts inc’d)
Work 3 rows even in Garter St, ending after a WS row.
Rep the last 4 rows once more. (78 (81, 86, 91, 94, 99, 104) sts)
[Rep Inc Row, then work 1 WS row even] 3 (5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13) times. (84 (91, 100, 107, 114, 121, 130) sts)
Break yarn and place sts onto a st holder or waste yarn.
Left Front
With larger needle and RS facing, beg at neck edge of left back shoulder CO edge, pick up and knit 20 (20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27) sts. (1 st for each CO st)
Knit 1 WS row.
Shape Shoulder
Short-Row 1 (RS): K5 (5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6), turn work so WS is facing; (WS) knit to end.
Short-Row 2 (RS): K10 (10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13), turn work so WS is facing; (WS) knit to end.
Short-Row 3 (RS): K15 (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20), turn work so WS is facing; (WS) knit to end.
Work even in Garter St until piece meas 2 1/2 (2 1/2, 2 3/4, 2 3/4, 3, 3, 3)” / 6.5 (6.5, 7, 7, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5) cm from pick-up row, ending after a WS row.
Shape Front Neck
Inc Row (RS): K1, m1, knit to end. (1 st inc’d)
Next Row (WS): Knit to end.
Rep the last 2 rows, 5 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7) more times. (26 (26, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35) sts)
Next Row: With WS still facing, use the backwards loop method to CO 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3) sts, turn so RS is facing, then knit to end. (28 (29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38) sts)
Knit 1 WS row.
Break yarn and place sts onto a st holder or waste yarn.
Right Front
With US larger needle and RS facing, beg at armhole edge of right back shoulder CO edge, pick up and knit 20 (20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27) sts. (1 st for each CO st)
Shape Shoulder
Short-Row 1 (WS): K5 (5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6), turn work so RS is facing; (RS) knit to end.
Short-Row 2 (WS): K10 (10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13), turn work so RS is facing; (RS) knit to end.
Short-Row 3 (WS): K15 (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20), turn work so RS is facing; (RS) knit to end.
Work even in Garter St until piece meas 2 1/2 (2 1/2, 2 3/4, 2 3/4, 3, 3, 3)” / 6.5 (6.5, 7, 7, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5) cm from pick-up row, ending after a WS row.
Shape Front Neck
Inc Row (RS): Knit to last st, m1, k1. (1 st inc’d)
Next Row (WS): Knit to end.
Rep the last 2 rows, 5 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7) more times. (26 (26, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35) sts)
Next Row (right side): Knit to end, use the backwards loop method to CO 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3) sts. (28 (29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38) sts)
Knit 1 WS row.
Front
Joining Row (RS): Knit to end of right front, use the backwards loop method to CO 18 (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) sts, place the 28 (29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38) held left front sts onto needle preparing to work a RS row, then knit across. (74 (77, 82, 87, 90, 95, 100) sts)
Continue working even in Garter St until piece meas 5 1/4 (5 1/2, 5 1/2, 6, 6, 6 1/2, 6 1/2)” / 13.5 (14, 14, 15, 15, 16.5, 16.5) cm from beg, measuring along the selvedge edge to exclude the shoulder short-rows, and ending after a WS row.
Shape Armholes
Inc Row (RS): K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, k1. (2 sts inc’d)
Work 3 rows even in Garter St, ending after a WS row.
Rep the last 4 rows once more. (78 (81, 86, 91, 94, 99, 104) sts)
[Rep Inc Row, then work 1 WS row even] 3 (5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13) times. (84 (91, 100, 107, 114, 121, 130) sts)
Body
Change to larger circular needle.
Joining Rnd (RS): Knit to end of front sts, use the backwards loop method to CO 10 (14, 16, 20, 24, 28, 30) sts, place the 84 (91, 100, 107, 114, 121, 130) held back sts onto empty needle preparing to work a RS row, then knit across, use the backwards loop method to CO 5 (7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15) sts, pm for beg of rnd, then CO another 5 (7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15) sts. Join to work in the rnd. (188 (210, 232, 254, 276, 298, 320) sts)
Beg with a purl rnd, work Garter St in the rnd until piece meas 6 3/4 (7, 7 1/4, 7 1/4, 7 1/2, 7 3/4, 8)” / 17 (18, 18.5, 18.5, 19, 19.5, 20.5) cm from body joining rnd, ending after a knit rnd.
Inc Rnd: K4 (3, 2, 1, 11, 11, 11), *m1, k12 (12, 12, 12, 11, 11, 11); rep from * to last 4 (3, 2, 1, 12, 12, 12) sts, m1, knit to end. (204 (228, 252, 276, 300, 324, 348) sts)
Work Rows 1–6 of Twist Lace Patt 10 (10, 10, 11, 11, 11, 11) times.
Piece should meas about 15 1/4 (15 1/2, 15 3/4, 16 3/4, 17, 17 1/4, 17 1/2)” / 38.5 (39.5, 40, 42.5, 43, 44, 44.5) cm from body joining rnd.
Change to smaller 32″ [80 cm] circular needle.
Beg with a knit rnd, work 3 rnds even in Garter St, ending after a knit rnd.
BO all sts purlwise, loosely.
Sleeves
With larger dpns and RS facing, beg at center of CO sts at one underarm, pick up and knit 5 (7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15) sts across half of the underarm CO sts, then 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 36, 38) sts evenly along armhole edge to top of shoulder, pm, pick up and knit 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 36, 38) sts evenly along armhole edge to the rem underarm CO sts, then pick up and knit 5 (7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15) sts across the rem underarm CO sts. Pm for beg of rnd and join to work in the rnd. (66 (74, 80, 88, 96, 100, 106) sts)
Shape Cap
Short-Row 1 (RS): Knit to marker at top of shoulder, remove marker, k5, turn so WS is facing; (WS) yo, k10, turn so RS is facing. (28 (32, 35, 39, 43, 45, 48) sts rem outside the yo/turn on each side)
Short-Row 2 (RS): Yo, knit to yo from previous row, k2tog (yo with the next st), k1, turn so WS is facing; (WS) yo, knit to yo from previous row, ssk (yo with the next st), k1, turn so right side is facing.
Rep the last short-row 0 (1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0) more times. (26 (28, 31, 35, 39, 43, 46) sts rem outside the yo/turn on each side)
Short-Row 3 (RS): Yo, knit to yo from previous row, k2tog (yo with the next st), turn so WS is facing; (WS) yo, knit to yo from previous row, ssk (yo with the next st), turn so RS is facing.
Rep the last short-row 20 (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) more times. (5 (7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15) sts rem outside the yo/turn on each side)
Next Row (RS): Knit to yo from previous row, k2tog (yo with the next st), knit to end of rnd.
Next Rnd: Purl to 1 st before yo from the last short-row, ssp, purl to end.
Cont working in Garter St for 2″, ending after a knit rnd.
BO all sts purlwise.
Work second sleeve the same as the first.
Finishing
Block piece to measurements.
Neckband
With size smaller 16″ [40 cm] circular needle and RS facing, beg at right shoulder, pick up and knit 11 sts down right back neckline, 28 (31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 40) sts across back BO sts, 11 sts up left back neckline sts down left front, 19 (19, 20, 20, 21, 21, 22) sts down front left neckline, 22 (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30) sts across front BO sts, then 19 (19, 20, 20, 21, 21, 22) sts up right front neckline. (110 (116, 120, 124, 128, 130, 136) sts)
Pm for beg of rnd and join to work in the rnd.
Beg with a purl rnd, work 4 rnds in Garter St, ending after a knit rnd.
BO all sts purlwise.
Weave in ends.