by Kathleen Lawton-Trask

Inspired by a sweater worn by Sophia Loren in the movie "Woman of the River," this stranded colorwork top will brighten up your closet and the greyest of days. Its three-quarter sleeves are perfect for autumn days or for winter layering, while purl ridges at the background changes offer texture and interest. Knit from the bottom up in luscious Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, this cozy sweater can be customized with your own color scheme: make it in boldly contrasting colors or subtly harmonizing shades according to your seasonal desires.

This sweater is an excerpt from Silver Screen Knits: Volume II. Volume I of the series will be published this fall, and Volume II in Spring 2014. The books celebrate the glamour of classic films and include patterns inspired by movies and movie stars as well as introductions to the films featured and highlights of movie knitting.

You can learn more about the books, which include patterns by Ann Weaver, Veera Välimäki, Susanna I-C, and other designers (including me), by subscribing to the Silver Screen Knits Update e-mail list. Pre-orders of paper books and electronic sales of e-books will begin in late September.

SIZE
A[B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I]
The sample shown is size A, with .5 inches of negative ease on Anna (above) and .5 inches of positive ease on Ann (below).

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust circumference: 29.25[32, 34.75, 37.25, 40, 42.75, 45.25, 48, 50.75]inches
Length: 22.5[22.75, 23.25, 23.5, 23.75, 24, 24.5, 24.75, 25]inches
Waist circumference: 26.75[29.25, 32, 34.75, 37.25, 40, 42.75, 45.25, 48] inches
Hip circumference: 32[34.75, 37.25, 40, 42.75, 45.25, 48, 50.75, 53.25] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Fibre Company Canopy Worsted [50% baby alpaca/30% merino/20% viscose from bamboo; 100 yards/91m per 50g skein]
[MC] Orchid 4[4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] skeins
[CC1] Chicklet Tree 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins
[CC2] Cat's Claw 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins
Editor's note: Two of these colors are discontinued. The designer has provided suggestions for alternate colorways on her blog.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 24-inch US #6/4mm circular needle
1 24-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle
US#6/4mm for working small circumferences in the round: dpns, 1 long circular or 2 short circulars
US #7/4.5mm for working small circumferences in the round: dpns, 1 long circular or 2 short circulars
Note: Larger sizes may need 36-inch circular needles for body.

Notions
stitch markers
stitch holders, waste yarn, or spare circular needle
yarn needle

GAUGE

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

Sweater Body is worked in one piece from the bottom up to the armholes. Sleeves are worked separately in the round from the bottom up and then joined with the Body, and the yoke is knit in one piece to the neck.

You should change needle size, if necessary, when working stranded colorwork in order to maintain gauge. It is suggested that you work a swatch in the round to confirm your gauge before beginning.

Charts:
Work from written or charted instructions as you prefer.

DIRECTIONS
BODY
With CC1 and smaller circular needles, cast on 144[156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228, 240] stitches. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist stitches, and place unique marker to indicate start of round and second marker after first 72[78, 84, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120] stitches.

Ribbing round: [K2, p1] around.
Work ribbing as set for 1 inch.

Switch to larger needles and knit 3 rounds in MC.

Work White Diamond Pattern over next 7 rounds.

Knit 3 rounds in MC.

Waist Shaping:
Round 1: With CC1, *k1, k2tog, knit to 3 stitches before marker, ssk, k1, slip marker; repeat from * once more. 4 stitches decreased.

Round 2: With MC, purl.

Round 3: With CC2, *k1, k2tog, knit to 3 stitches before marker, ssk, k1, slip marker; repeat from * once more. 4 stitches decreased.

Round 4: Rep Round 2.

Round 5: Rep Round 1. 4 stitches decreased.

Round 6: Rep Round 2.

Round 7: With CC2, *k1, k2tog, knit to 3 stitches before marker, ssk, k1, slip marker; repeat from * once more. 4 stitches decreased.

Round 8: With CC2, knit.

Rep Rounds 7-8 twice more. 120[132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216] stitches.

Work 6 rounds of MC/CC1 Change Chart.
Knit 3 rounds in CC1.
Work Green Zigzag Pattern over the next 6 rounds.
Knit 3 rounds in CC1.

Bust Shaping:
Round 1: With CC2, *k1, m1R, knit to 1 stitch before marker, m1L, k1, slip marker; repeat from * once more. 4 stitches increased.
Round 2: With CC1, purl.
Round 3: With MC, knit.
Round 4: Rep Round 2.
Round 5: Rep Round 1. 4 stitches increased.
Round 6: Repeat Round 2.
Rounds 7-8: With MC, knit.
Round 9: With MC, *k1, m1R, knit to 1 stitch before marker, m1L, k1, slip marker; repeat from * once more. 132[144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204, 216, 228] sts.

Knit 3 rounds in MC.
Work 6 rounds of MC/CC2 Change Chart.
Change to CC2 and knit 3 rounds.

Work Yellow Diamond Pattern over the next 7 rounds.
Knit 3 rounds in CC2.
Work 6 rounds of CC2/CC1 Change Chart.
Change to CC1 and knit 1 round.

Next round: With CC1, *knit to 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7] stitches before marker, bind off 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14] stitches, repeat from * once more. Knit to first set of bound-off stitches. 60[66, 70, 76, 82, 86, 90, 96, 100] sts each in front and back.

Set aside BODY, with yarn attached, and work sleeves using new balls of yarn.

SLEEVES
Using smaller needles for small circumferences and CC1, cast on 48[54, 54, 60, 66, 66, 72, 78. 84] stitches. Join to work in the round, placing unique marker to indicate beginning of round.

Ribbing round: [K2, p1] around.
Work ribbing as set for 1 inch.

Change to CC2 and knit 6 rounds.

Work 6 rounds of CC2/CC1 Change Chart.

Knit 3 rounds in CC1.

Change to larger needles for small circumferences and work Green Zigzag Pattern over the next 6 rounds.

Knit 3 rounds in CC1.

Work 6 rounds of CC1/MC Change Chart.

Change to MC and knit 6 rounds.

Work 6 rounds of MC/CC2 Change Chart.

Change to CC2 and knit 3 rounds.

Work Yellow Diamond Pattern over the next 7 rounds.

Knit 3 rounds in CC2.

Work 6 rounds of CC3/CC1 Change Chart.

Change to CC1 and knit 1 round, ending round 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7] stitches before marker.

Bind off 6[6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 12, 12, 14] stitches, removing marker, and break yarn (leaving a tail of at least 6 inches).

Place remaining 42[48, 46, 52, 58, 56, 60, 66, 70] stitches on stitch holder, waste yarn, or a spare circular needle.

Make a second sleeve, leaving remaining stitches on needle.

Join Sleeves:
Using larger circular needle and CC1 still attached to BODY, place beginning-of-round marker, knit held stitches of one sleeve, knit across one set of held stitches to next set of bound-off stitches, knit held stitches of second sleeve, knit remaining stitches of body to end of round. 204[228, 232, 256, 280, 284, 300, 324, 340] stitches.

Knit 6[6, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 12, 12] rounds in CC1.

Work 6 rounds of CC1/MC Change Chart.

Knit 2[2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] rounds in MC.

Work 6 rounds of White Zigzag Pattern.

Knit 0[0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3] rounds in MC.

Next Round: With MC, knit, decreasing 4[3, 3, 2, 1, 2, 0, 4, 1] stitches evenly across round. 200[225, 225, 250, 275, 280, 300, 320, 335] stitches.

Decrease Round 1: [K3, k2tog] around. 160[180, 180, 200, 220, 224, 240, 256, 268] stitches.

Work 6 rounds of MC/CC2 Change Chart.

Decrease Round 2: With CC2, [k2, k2tog] around. 120[135, 135, 150, 165, 168, 180, 192, 201] stitches.

Change to CC2 and knit 3[4, 3, 4, 3, 5, 5, 4, 5] rounds.

Decrease Round 3: With CC1, [k1, k2tog] around. 80[90, 90, 100, 110, 112, 120, 128, 134] stitches.

With CC1, knit 2 rounds.

Work 6 rounds of CC2/CC1 Change Chart.

Knit 3 rounds in CC1, increasing 1[0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1] st or decreasing 0[0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0] st during last rnd. 81[90, 90, 99, 111, 111, 120, 129, 129] stitches.

Change to smaller needles and work [k2, p1] ribbing for 3 rounds. Bind off in pattern.

FINISHING
Seam underarms. Weave in ends and block to measurements.

Kathleen Lawton-Trask lives in Oxford, England, with her long-suffering husband, their hilarious one-year old daughter, and a cat who doesn't know which end is up. She has been a knitter for more than 20 years, off and on, and has taught knitting to lots of different kinds of people both casually and at fibre space in Alexandria, Virginia.

She is a writing her doctoral dissertation on 18th century women's poetry, particularly mock-heroic poems about domestic work.

Her book Silver Screen Knits: Volume I will be released this fall (and Volume II in Spring 2014). When her stash gets too big, she gives it away on her blog.