INTRODUCTION

Slouchy Time

by Sophy DiPinto

Sometimes I when life gets a little complicated, I need a project to zone out on. This homage to my favorite 80’s staple, the Flashdance sweatshirt is a whole lot of zen knitting. 

One thing I love about this pattern is the flexibility of it, because it’s so simple if you want shorter sleeves (or no sleeves, it looks pretty great with no sleeves, I wish I’d taken a picture of it) it’s super easy to adjust.

Make it a little longer any you have the perfect cover-up for the beach, and because it’s Euroflax linen you can put it in the washer and the dryer to your hearts content and it just keeps getting softer and softer.  The yarn can be a little difficult to work with – it’s rough on the fingers and it is prone to slipping off the needles – but the finished product is totally worth it. Try bamboo or wood needles instead of metal or plastic for a less slippery knitting experience.

model: Sophy DiPinto

photos: Nico DiPinto

SIZE

Women's XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size M with 15 inches / 38 cm of positive ease at bust
.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 44.75[49.25, 53.75, 57.5, 62.75, 66.5, 70.5] inches / 113.5[125, 136.5, 146, 159.5, 169, 179] cm
Length: 17[18, 19, 20 21, 21, 22, ] inches / 43[46, 48.5, 51, 51, 56, ] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Louet Euroflax Linen [100% linen; 270 yd/m per 100 g skein]; color: Marine Blue; 3[3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US #2/2.75mm circular needle, 24 inches / 60 cm long or longer (see Pattern Notes)

Notions
removable stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

25 sts/32 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

The pieces are knitted flat. You can use straight needles, but a circular needle 24 inches / 60 cm long or longer is recommended due to the width of the Back and Front pieces.

DIRECTIONS

BACK
Cast on 130[142, 154, 166, 182, 194, 206] sts.

Row 1 [RS]: K2, (p2, k2) to end.
Row 2 [WS]: P2, (k2, p2) to end.

Beg with a RS row, work in St st until piece measures 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9] inches / 10[12.5, 15, 18, 20.5, 20.5, 23] cm from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Begin side shaping:
Next row [RS]: K2, m1, k to last 3 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
Work 5[7, 7, 7, 7, 9, 9] rows even in St st.
Rep last 6[8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10] rows 5[6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7] times more. 142[156, 170, 182, 198, 210, 222] sts.***

Work even in St st until piece measures 16[17, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21] inches / 40.5[43, 43, 45.5, 48.5, 51, 53.5] cm from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Begin neck shaping:
Next row [RS]: K 58[64, 70, 75, 81, 86, 91] and place these sts on holder for right shoulder, BO 26[28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40] , k to end. 58[64, 70, 75, 81, 86, 91] sts for each shoulder.

Shape left back neck and shoulder:
Row 1 [WS]: Purl to end.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, ssk, k to end. 1 st decreased.
Row 3: BO 4[4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10] sts, p to end.
Rows 4-6: Rep Rows 2-3, then Row 2 once more. 47[53, 57, 60, 62, 67, 68] sts.
Row 7: BO 7[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, p to end.
Row 8: K1, ssk, k to end. 1 st decreased.
Rows 9-10: Rep Rows 7-8. 31[37, 39, 40, 40, 43, 44] sts.
Row 11: BO 13[14, 15, 16, 16, 17, 18] sts, p to end. 18[23, 24, 24, 24, 26, 26] sts.
Row 12 [RS]: K1, ssk, k to end. 1 st decreased.
BO 17[22, 23, 23, 23, 25, 25] rem sts.

Shape right back neck and shoulder:
Join yarn at neck edge of rem 58[64, 70, 75, 81, 86, 91] sts with WS facing.

Row 1 [WS]: P1, p2tog, p to end. 1 st decreased.
Row 2 [RS]: BO 4[4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10] sts, k to end.
Rows 2-5: Rep Rows 1-2, then Row 1 once more. 47[53, 57, 60, 62, 67, 68] sts.
Row 6: BO 7[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, k to end.
Row 7: P1, p2tog, p to end. 1 st decreased.
Rows 8-9: Rep Rows 6-7. 31[37, 39, 40, 40, 43, 44] sts.
Row 10: BO 13[14, 15, 16, 16, 17, 18] sts, k to end. 18[23, 24, 24, 24, 26, 26] sts.
Row 11 [RS]: P1, p2tog, p to end. 1 st decreased.
BO 17[22, 23, 23, 23, 25, 25] rem sts.

FRONT
Work as for Back to **.

Work even in St st until piece measures 15[16, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20] inches / 38[40.5, 40.5, 43, 45.5, 48.5, 51] cm.

Begin neck shaping:
Next row [RS]: K 59[65, 71, 76, 82, 87, 92] and place sts on holder for left shoulder, BO 24[26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38] sts, k to end. 59[65, 71, 76, 82, 87, 92] sts for each shoulder.

Shape right front neck and shoulder:
Row 1 [WS]: P to end.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, ssk, k to end. 1 st decreased.
Rows 3-10: Rep Rows 1-2 four times more. 53[59, 65, 70, 76, 81, 86] sts.
Row 11: BO 4[4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10] sts, p to end.
Row 12: K1, ssk, k to end. 1 st decreased.
Rows 13-14: Rep Rows 11-12. 43[49, 53, 56, 58, 63, 64] sts.
Row 15: BO 7[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, p to end.
Row 16: Knit.
Rows 17-18: Rep Rows 15-16.
Row 19: BO 13[14, 15, 16, 16, 17, 18] sts, p to end.
BO 17[22, 23, 23, 23, 25, 25] rem sts.

Shape left front neck and shoulder:
Join yarn at neck edge of rem 59[65, 71, 76, 82, 87, 92] sts with WS facing.

Row 1 [WS]: P1, p2tog, p to end. 1 st decreased.
Row 2 [RS]: Knit.
Rows 3-9: Rep Rows 1-2 three times, then rep Row 1 once more. 54[60, 66, 71, 77, 82, 87] sts.
Row 10: BO 4[4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 10] sts, k to end.
Row 11: P1, p2tog, p to end. 1 st decreased.
Rows 12-13: Rep Rows 10-11. 44[50, 54, 57, 59, 64, 65] sts.
Row 14: BO 7[7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] sts, k to end.
Row 15: Purl.
Rows 16-17: Rep Rows 14-15. 30[36, 38, 39, 39, 42, 43] sts.
Row 18: BO 13[14, 15, 16, 16, 17, 18] sts, k to end.
Row 19: Purl.
BO 17[22, 23, 23, 23, 25, 25] rem sts.

SLEEVES (make 2)
Cast on 58[62, 70, 78, 86, 90, 98] sts.

Row 1 [RS]: K2, (p2, k2) to end.
Row 2 [WS]: P2, (k2, p2) to end.

Starting with a RS row, work in St st until piece measures 10[10, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9] inches / 25.5[25.5, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23] cm from cast-on edge or desired length to underarm.

BO all sts.

FINISHING

Block all pieces to measurements.

With WS together and RS facing, sew shoulders of Back and Front using mattress stitch (the seams are on the outside of the piece).

Fold sleeves in half and mark the center spot with a removable stich holder. Align stitch holder with shoulder seam and sew into place. Sew side seams.

Weave in all ends.

A: Waist width: 20.5[22.5, 24.25, 26.25, 28.75, 30.75, 32.75] inches / 52[57, 61.5, 66.5, 73, 78, 83] cm
B: Total length: 17.5[18.5, 18.5, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5, 22.5] inches / 44.5[47, 47, 49.5, 52, 54.5, 57] cm
C: Cross shoulder width: 22.5[24.75, 27, 28.75, 31.25, 33.25, 35.25] inches / 57[63, 68.5, 73, 79.5, 84.5, 89.5] cm
D: Neck width: 6[6.5, 6.75, 7, 7.75, 8, 8.25] inches / 15[16.5, 17, 18, 19.5, 20.5, 21] cm
E: Sleeve length: 10[10, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9] inches / 25.5[25.5, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23] cm
F: Sleeve width: 9.25[10, 11.25, 12.5, 13.75, 14.5, 15.75] inches / 23.5[25.5, 28.5, 32, 35, 37, 40] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Sophy DiPinto lives in Collingswood, NJ, with her husband, two kids, one cat and a very hyper dog. With her semi-famous guitar building husband, Chris DiPinto, she is a co-founder of DiPinto Guitars. When she is not busy selling guitars, she might be taking old books apart and putting them back together, as the grrl behind BookGrrl Bindery.  Find her on Instagram or Facebook.

Most nights she is knitting. If it is a good night, she is knitting with friends.  Find her on Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2019 Sophy DiPinto.