Drop Shoulder Sweater

Cast on and Ribbing

Row 1

Cast on 240 stitches with US size 3 (3.25 mm) circular needles. Place marker and join to work in the round.

Ribbing

Work in [k2, p2] ribbing for 2 in / 5 cm, ending after a WS row. Knit one round in stockinette stitch.

Transition to US size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles. Following the Stripes pattern below, knit straight until lower body measures approximately 11 in / 28 cm.

Uneven Stripes (Round Instructions)

Stripe 1

Knit 15 rounds in MC

Note

When knitting the thicker stripes, it is best to cut your yarn when changing colors. Keeping the yarn attached will leave long floats inside your garment that can easily get caught on things during wear.

When cutting your yarn, leave a long tail so you have plenty to sew in. Sewing your ends as you go will save you a lot of trouble later on.

Stripe 2

Knit 4 rounds in CC1

Stripe 3

Knit 11 rounds in CC2

Note

When knitting thin stripes in the round, you may have a 'jog' in the pattern at the BOR. To prevent this, try slipping the first stitch in the round when changing colours.

Divide for Sleeves

Next Round RS

Knit 120 stitches. Place the remaining 120 stitches on waste yarn so that they are out of the way as you work the front side flat.

Next Rows

Working back and forth on the front, continue in established pattern until front piece measures 5.5 in / 14 cm from where you began working flat. End after a WS row, ready to begin on the RS.

Separate for Shoulders/Neck Shaping

Knit 50 stitches and slide these stitches onto waste yarn or a holder for later (these will become the left shoulder). Bind off the next 20 stitches in pattern with medium tension (this becomes the centre of the neckline). Knit across the remaining 50 stitches (these will become the right shoulder). Turn your work and purl back.

Right Shoulder

Decrease Row RS

K1, ssk, k to end

Next Rows

Continue in pattern, working a decrease row every 2 rows for a total of 30 rows.

Stitch Checkpoint (1/1)

Right Shoulder: 35 st

Bind Off

Bind off on the next RS row in pattern with medium tension.

Left Shoulder

Place the stitches from the holder or waste yarn back onto your needle. Beginning on the WS, purl one row.

Decrease Row RS

Knit to last 3 st, k2tog, k1

Next Rows

Continue in pattern, working a decrease row every 2 rows for a total of 30 rows.

Stitch Checkpoint (1/1)

Left Shoulder: 35 st

Bind Off

Bind off on the next RS row in pattern with medium tension.

Back

Place the back section stitches onto your working needle and continue in stockinette stitch (knit the RS, purl the WS) until back piece is approximately equal to the height of the top of the shoulders on the front section.

Bind off the back section in pattern with medium tension.

Align the front and back sections so the shoulders match on top and the sleeve edges are even. Seam together the shoulder sections to the back section.

Neck

With US size 3 (3.25 mm) circular needles - or 2 sizes smaller than needle used for body – pick up stitches around the neckline, ending with a multiple of 4 for neckline ribbing.

Work neckline ribbing as follows:

Ribbing

[K2, p2] repeat between brackets to end of round.

Continue working in ribbing as established until neckline measures 1.5 in / 4 cm

Bind Off

Bind off in pattern with medium tension.

Note

Adjust your bind off tension, and/or the number of stitches you've picked up to create a tighter or looser neckline.

Sleeves

With US size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles or DPNs, pick up approximately 106 stitches around the arm, ensuring that you've picked them up equally around.

Note

To do this easily, start at the center of the underarm and pick up half the stitches between the underarm and the top center shoulder seam. Then pick up the same number down the other side. If you'd like your sleeve to fit with a bit more room, you may pick up additional stitches as you work around.

When sleeve stitches are on the needle, place a marker at the center of the underarm and knit in the round for 1 in / 3 cm

Decrease Row

K1, k2tog, k to 3 stitches before m, ssk, k1

Continue Sleeve

Continue the sleeve in stockinette stitch (knitting every round), working a decrease row as established above approximately every 0.75 in / 2 cm until sleeve measures approximately 16 in / 41 cm and you have 64 stitches.

Sleeve Ribbing

Transition to needle two sizes smaller and knit one round.

Begin ribbing as follows: [K2, p2] rep to end of round. Continue working ribbing as established until cuff measures 2 in / 5 cm.

Bind off in pattern with medium tension.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Finishing and blocking

Weave in ends and wet block your sweater, pinning flat and turning once as needed until dry.

Wet block sweater, soaking for at least 20 minutes, then press out excess water and pin flat to dry. Turn as needed for even drying.