- Skill level: Intermediate.
- Instructions style: written pattern + chart.
- Sizes: this top is available in four sizes for adults: XS/S , M/L , XL/2XL , and 3XL/4XL (see detailed measurements below).
- Customization: click hear to read my note on how to adjust the length of this top if you want to turn it into a full length sweater.
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Click here for the matching skirt: Bold Stripes Skirt
Materials:
- Yarn: Alize Superlana Midi Mosaic, 25% wool, 75% acrylic, 3.53 oz (100 g), 186 yards (170 m), in the color "5245": 4 (4, 5, 6) skeins.
- Circular knitting needles, 16" (40 cm) and 32" (80 cm) long, sizes US 8 (5 mm) and (7 mm).
- Double pointed needles (DPNs) set, sizes US 8 (5 mm) and (7 mm).
- Tapestry needle.
- Ring stitch marker.
Sizes and measurements:
Size | Chest-bust measurements | Waist measurements |
XS/S | 34"- 36" (86- 92 cm) | 26"- 28" (66- 70 cm) |
M/L | 38"- 40" (96- 100 cm) | 29"- 31" (74- 78 cm) |
XL/2XL | 42"- 44" (107- 112 cm) | 32"- 35.5" (82- 90 cm) |
3XL/4XL | 46"- 48" (117- 122 cm) | 37"- 39" (94- 99 cm) |
Yardage:
- Size XS/S: 580- 590 yards (530- 540 m), approx.
- Size M/L: 735- 745 yards (670- 680 m), approx.
- Size XL/2XL: 885- 895 yards (810- 820 m), approx.
- Size 3XL/4XL: 1020- 1030 yards (935- 945 m), approx.
Gauge: 14 sts and 18 rounds = 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) in stockinette stitch and 7 mm knitting needles.
Knitting Terms:
- st: stitch.
- sts: stitches.
- k: knit.
- p: purl.
- m1: make one stitch increase purl-wise.
- k2tog: knit two stitches together.
- ssk: slip, slip, then knit the two slipped sts together.
Instructions:
With 32" (80 cm), size US 8 (5 mm) circular knitting needles, cast on 64 (72, 80, 88) sts. Join in the round. Don't know how to join in the round? here is a short tutorial on how to do it (from 0:26 - 1:15 min):
Put a ring stitch marker at the beginning of rounds, work as follows:
Rib round 1: k 2, p 1, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat the rib round seven more times. Change to 32" (80 cm), size (7 mm) circular needles while working the last repetition of rib round.
Note: when making m1 increase, it doesn't matter to which side (left or right).
Yoke:
First Increasing Rounds:
Round 1: k 2, m1, p 1, k 1, repeat to end. [80 (90, 100, 110) sts]
Round 2: k 2, p 2, k 1, repeat to end.
Round 3: k 2, p 2, m1, k 1, repeat to end. [96 (108, 120, 132) sts]
Round 4: k 2, p 3, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat round 4 two (four, six, eight) more times.
Second Increasing Rounds:
Round 1: k 2, m1, p 3, k 1, repeat to end. [112 (126, 140, 154) sts]
Round 2: k 2, p 4, k 1, repeat to end.
Round 3: k 2, p 4, m1, k 1, repeat to end. [128 (144, 160, 176) sts]
Round 4: k 2, p 5, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat round 4 six (eight, ten, ten) more times.
Third Increasing Rounds:
Round 1: k 2, m1, p 5, k 1, repeat to end. [144 (162, 180, 198) sts]
Round 2: k 2, p 6, k 1, repeat to end.
Round 3: k 2, p 6, m1, k 1, repeat to end. [160 (180, 200, 220) sts]
Round 4: k 2, p 7, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat round 4 eight (twelve, fourteen, fourteen) more times.
Fourth Increasing Rounds:
Round 1: k 2, m1, p 7, k 1, repeat to end. [176 (198, 220, 242) sts]
Round 2: k 2, p 8, k 1, repeat to end.
Round 3: k 2, p 8, m1, k 1, repeat to end. [192 (216, 240, 264) sts]
Round 4: k 2, p 9, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat round 4 four (six, eight, ten) more times.
Dividing round:
- Knit the k sts and purl the p sts until you get 28 (32, 36, 40) sts (half back).
- Pass the next 41 (45, 49, 53) sts to a piece of yarn for the sleeve.
- Cast on 5 (7, 11, 15) sts.
- Knit the k sts and purl the p sts until you get 55 (63, 71, 79) sts (front).
- Cast on 5 (7, 11, 15) sts.
- Pass the next 41 (45, 49, 53) sts to a piece of yarn for the second sleeve.
- Knit the k sts and purl the p sts the last 27 (31, 35, 39) sts (half back).
Body:
With 120 (140, 164, 188) sts of the body, work as follows:
Correcting round for sizes M/L and XL/2XL: *(k 2, p9, k 1) (twice, three times)*, k 2, m1, p 8, k 3, p 8, m1, k 1, repeat between ** (four, six) times, k 2, m1, p 8, k 3, p 8, m1, k 1, repeat between ** (twice, three times). [(144, 168) sts]
Correcting round for size 3XL/4XL: (k 2, p 9, k 1) three times, k 2, p 8, m 1, k 3, m 1, p 8, k 1, (K 2, p 9, k 1) six times, k 2, p 8, m 1, k 3, m 1, p 8, k 1, (k 2, p 9, k 1) three times. (192 sts)
Basic round: k 2, p 9, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat the basic round six (eight, ten, fourteen) times, then work the pattern round.
Note: if you want to turn this top to a full-length sweater, you can increase the number of basic rounds you knit. Every 18 rounds you knit will increase the length by 4" (10 cm).
Pattern rounds:
Round 1: k 3, p 7, k 1, p 1, repeat to end.
Round 2: p 1, k 3, p 5, k 3, repeat to end.
Round 3: p 2, k 3, p 3, k 3, p 1, repeat to end.
Round 4: p 3, k 3, p 1, k 3, p 2, repeat to end.
Round 5: p 4, k 1, p 1, k 3, p 3, repeat to end.
Round 6: p 5, k 3, p 4, repeat to end.
Round 7: p 4, k 3, p 1, k 1, p 3, repeat to end.
Round 8: p 3, k 3, p 1, k 3, p 2, repeat to end.
Round 9: p 2, k 3, p 3, k 3, p 1, repeat to end.
Round 10: p 1, k 3, p 5, k 3, repeat to end.
Round 11: k 3, p 7, k 1, p 1, repeat to end.
Repeat the basic round four (six, eight, eight) times.
Rib round 2: k 2, p 1, k 1, p 1, k 1, repeat to end.
Work rib round 2 seven (nine, nine, eleven) times, then bind off all sts.
Sleeve:
Pass the 41 (45, 49, 53) sts of the sleeve from the piece of yarn to the 16" (40 cm), size (7 mm) circular knitting needles, pick up a stitch from each of the 5 (7, 11, 15) sts of under arm. [46 (52, 60, 68) sts]
Mark the middle stitch under arm (the middle st under arm), this is where the rounds begin.
Size XS/S:
Correcting round: k 2, m1, p 8, (k 3, p 9) twice, k 3, p 8, m1, k 1. (48 sts)
Basic round: k the knitted sts and p the purled sts. (48 sts)
Repeat basic round seven more times.
Decreasing round 1: k 1, ssk, p 8, k 1, repeat to end. (44 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 2: k 2, p 7, k2tog, repeat to end. (40 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times. For the ease of work, change to size (7 mm) DPNs.
Decreasing round 3: k 1, ssk, p 6, k 1, repeat to end. (36 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 4: k 2, p 5, k2tog, repeat to end. (32 sts)
Repeat the basic round until sleeve measures 36 cm from under arm.
Change to size US 8 (5 mm) DPNs and work as follows:
Rib round 3: k 2, p 1, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat the rib round twenty-two times. Bind off all sts.
Size M/L:
Basic round: k the knitted sts and p the purled sts. (52 sts)
Repeat basic round seven more times.
Decreasing round 1: k 2, p 5, (k 2, ssk, p 8) three times, k 3, p 5, k 1. (49 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 2: k 2, p 5, k 3, (p 7, k2tog, k 2,) three times, p 5, k 1. (46 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times. For the ease of work, change to size (7 mm) DPNs.
Decreasing round 3: k 2, p 5, (k 2, ssk, p 6) three times, k 3, p 5, k 1. (43 sts)
Repeat the basic round ten times.
Decreasing round 4: k 2, p 5, k 3, (p 5, k2tog, k 2) three times, p 5, k 1. (40 sts)
Repeat the basic round until sleeve measures 34 cm from under arm.
Change to size US 8 (5 mm) DPNs and work as follows:
Rib round 3: k 2, p 1, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat the rib round 3 twenty-two times. Bind off all sts.
Size XL/2XL:
Basic round: k the knitted sts and p the purled sts. (60 sts)
Repeat basic round seven more times.
Decreasing round 1: k 1, ssk, p 8, k 1, repeat to end. (55 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 2: k 2, p 7, k2tog, repeat to end. (50 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times. For the ease of work, change to size (7 mm) DPNs.
Decreasing round 3: k 1, ssk, p 6, k 1, repeat to end. (45 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 4: k 2, p 5, k2tog, repeat to end. (40 sts)
Repeat the basic round until sleeve measures 30 cm from under arm.
Change to size US 8 (5 mm) DPNs and work as follows:
Rib round 3: k 2, p 1, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat rib round 3 twenty-two times. bind off all sts.
Size 3XL/4XL:
15 sts are added under the arm, so put the sm between the seventh and eighth st.
Basic round: p 3, k 1, (k 2, p 9, k 1) five times, k 2, p 2. (68 sts)
Repeat basic round seven more times.
Decreasing round 1: p 3, k 1, (k 1, ssk, p 8, k 1) five times, k 2, p 2. (63 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 2: p 3, k 1, (k 2, p 7, k2tog, k 1) five times, k 2, p 2. (58 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 3: p 3, k 1, (k 1, ssk, p 6) five times, k 2, p 2. (53 sts)
Repeat the basic round eight times.
Decreasing round 4: p 3, k 1, (k 2, p 5, k2tog) five times, k 2, p 2. (48 sts)
For the ease of work, change to size (7 mm) DPNs.
Repeat the basic round until sleeve measures 30 cm from under arm.
Change to size US 8 (5 mm) DPNs and work as follows:
Rib round 3: k 2, p 1, k 1, repeat to end.
Repeat rib round 3 twenty-two times. bind off all sts.
Weave in loose ends and enjoy a day out wearing the set.
Lastly, feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or find something confusing in the pattern.
Happy crocheting/knitting! follow me on Instagram @wiams_crafts and Twitter @wiamscrafts to see my upcoming projects.