INTRODUCTION

Mersea Island

by Claire Slade

Mersea Island, just down the road from where I live, is famous for its oysters and mud but it is also a wonderful place to sit and sketch the small fishing boats that sail in and out on the tide.

With a textured yoke, mock seams, front pockets and short collar, this sweater takes inspiration from both traditionallocal artist’s smocks and fisherman’s ganseys. Mersea Island is designed to be worn as a top layer so it is oversized and intended to be worn with 4-6 inches /10-15 cm of positive ease.

This sweater is knit from the bottom up in the round with picked up sleeves. There is only a very small amount of seaming required on completion.

model: John Hartwell, Emma Vidler

photos: Claire Slade

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size M with 5 inches/12.5 cm of positive ease on a man, and 6 inches/15 cm of positive ease on a woman

Important note: Sizing is based on woman's sizes. Refer to schematic and finished measurements when choosing size to knit for a man.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 36[40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60] inches / 91.5[101.5, 112, 122, 132, 142, 152.5] cm
Length: 26[27.5, 28.25, 28.75, 30.25, 31.75, 31.75] inches / 66[70, 72, 73, 77, 80.5, 80.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Drops Alaska [100% wool; 77 yd/70 m per 50g skein] ; Color:
[MC] #58 Mustard; 13[15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24] skeins
[CC] #12 Navy Blue; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
32-inch US 8/5mm circular needle
US 8/5mm needle(s) for working small circumference in the round

Notions
8 stitch markers
8 stitch holders or waste yarn
yarn needle

GAUGE

16 sts x 23 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
16 sts x 20 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in speckle pattern

PATTERN NOTES

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

Garter stitch (worked in the round)
Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd 2: Purl.
Rep these 2 rnds for patt.

Garter stitch (worked flat)
Knit every row.

Side seam pattern:
Rnds 1-2: Purl.
Rnds 3-4: Knit.
Rep these 2 rnds for patt.

Speckle pattern:
Row 1 [WS]: (P1, k1) to end.
Row 2 [RS]: Knit.
Row 3: (K1, p1) to end.
Row 4: Knit.
Rep Rows 1-4 for patt.

DIRECTIONS

Pocket Linings (make 2)
With CC, CO 16[18, 18, 18, 20, 22, 22] sts.
Work in St st until lining measures 5 inches/12.5 cm, ending after a WS row. Break CC and place sts on holder.

Body
With MC and circ, CO 144[160, 176, 192, 208, 224, 240] sts. Join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts, and pm for beg of rnd.

Work in garter stitch for 6 rnds.

Next rnd: K 70[78, 86, 94, 102, 110, 118] , pm, k2, pm, k 70[78, 86, 94, 102, 110, 118] , pm, k2, sl m. Sets of 2 sts at each side of body mark side "seam" panels.

Next rnd: *Knit to m, sl m, work side seam pattern to m, sl m; rep from * once more.
Repeat last rnd until work measures 6 inches/15 cm from cast-on.

Pocket set-up rnd: K 7[8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17] , pm, p 16[18, 18, 18, 20, 22, 22] , pm, k 24[26, 28, 32, 34, 36, 40] , pm, p 16[18, 18, 18, 20, 22, 22] , pm, k 7[8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17] , patt to end.

Next rnd: *Knit to m, sl m, work garter st to m, sl m; rep from * once more, work side seam pattern to m, sl m, knit to m, sl m, work side seam pattern to end.
Cont in patt as set for 4 rnds more.

Next rnd: *Knit to m, remove m, BO 16[18, 18, 18, 20, 22, 22] sts (removing m); rep from * once more, patt to end.

Next rnd: K 7[8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17] , place the 16[18, 18, 18, 20, 22, 22] sts of first pocket onto LH needle with RS facing and knit across these sts, k 24[26, 28, 32, 34, 36, 40] , place the 16[18, 18, 18, 20, 22, 22] sts of second pocket onto LH needle with RS facing and knit across these sts, patt to end.

Next rnd: *Knit to m, sl m, work side seam pattern to m, sl m; rep from * once more.
Rep this rnd until work measures 13[13.5, 13.5, 13.5, 13.5, 14.5, 14.5] inches / 33[34.5, 34.5, 34.5, 34.5, 37, 37] cm from cast-on.

Underarm gussets:
Inc rnd: *M1L, knit to m, M1R, sl m, work side seam pattern to m, sl m; rep from * once more.
Work 8[5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] rnds even in patt, working increases into St st.
Rep last 9[6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5] rnds 1[2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4] time(s) more. 152[172, 192, 208, 228, 244, 260] sts.

Work even in patt if necessary until Rnd 4 of side seam patt has been completed.

Next 2 rnds: Purl.

Split for front and back:
Next rnd: K 2[3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] and place the last 6[8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12] sts worked on holder for underarm (removing markers), knit to 2[3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] sts before next m and place last 70[78, 86, 94, 102, 110, 118] sts worked on holder for Front, k 6[8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12] and place these sts on holder for underarm, knit to end. 70[78, 86, 94, 102, 110, 118] sts remain for Back.

Upper Back:
Starting with Row 1 (WS), work in Speckle Pattern over all sts until armhole measures 9.5[10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 12.5] inches / 24[26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 32] cm, ending after a RS row.

Next row [WS]: Patt 22[25, 27, 30, 32, 35, 38] sts and place on holder for left shoulder, patt 26[28, 32, 34, 38, 40, 42] sts and place on holder for back neck, patt 22[25, 27, 30, 32, 35, 38] sts, break yarn, and place on holder for right shoulder.

Upper Front
With WS facing, return held 70[78, 86, 94, 102, 110, 118] sts to needle and rejoin yarn.

Starting with Row 1 (WS), work in Speckle Pattern over all sts until armhole measures 4.5[5.5, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5] inches / 11.5[14, 15, 15, 15, 16.5, 16.5] cm, ending after a RS row.

Next row [WS]: Patt 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56] sts, k6, patt to end.
Next row [RS]: Patt 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56] sts, k6, patt to end.
Cont in patt, working Speckle Pattern and garter st as set, for 3 rows more.

Next row [RS]: Patt 35[39, 43, 47, 51, 55, 59] and place these sts on holder for Left Front, patt to end. 35[39, 43, 47, 51, 55, 59] sts.

Right front neck and shoulder:
Row 1 [WS]: Work Speckle Pattern to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 2 [RS]: K3, work Speckle Pattern to end.
Cont in Speckle Pattern and garter st as set until armhole measures 9.5[10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 12.5] inches / 24[26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 32] cm, ending after a WS row.

Next row [RS]: BO 3 sts, patt to end. 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56] sts.
Next row [WS]: Patt 22[25, 27, 30, 32, 35, 38] sts and place on holder for right shoulder, pattern to end and place these 10[11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18] sts on separate holder for right front neck.

Left front neck and shoulder:
With WS facing, return the held 35[39, 43, 47, 51, 55, 59] sts of Left Front to needle and rejoin yarn.

Row 1 [WS]: K3, work Speckle Pattern to end.
Row 2 [RS]: Work Speckle Pattern to last 3 sts, k3.
Cont in Speckle Pattern and garter st as set until armhole measures 9.5[10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 12.5] inches / 24[26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 32] cm, ending after a RS row.

Next row [WS]: BO 3 sts, patt 10[11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18] sts and place on holder for left front neck, patt to end. 22[25, 27, 30, 32, 35, 38] sts.

Sleeves
Join 22[25, 27, 30, 32, 35, 38] sts of each shoulder using 3-needle bind-off or Kitchener stitch.

Using MC, with RS facing and needle(s) for working small circumference in the round, pick up and knit 34[40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 48] sts from held underarm sts to shoulder, pick up and knit 34[40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 48] sts to underarm, place 6[8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 12] sts from underarm holder back on LH needle and knit across first 3[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6] sts. PM for beg of rnd. 74[88, 94, 98, 104, 108, 108] sts.

Next 2 rnds: K 3[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6] , purl to last 3[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6] sts, knit to end.

Dec rnd: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec'd.
Knit 1 rnd.
Rep last 2 rnds four times more. 64[78, 84, 88, 94, 98, 98] sts.

Rep Dec rnd.
Knit 7[4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] rnds.
Rep last 8[5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] rnds 9[14, 17, 17, 18, 19, 19] times more. 44[48, 48, 52, 56, 58, 58] sts.

Work even in St st until sleeve measures 18[18, 18, 18, 18, 17.5, 17.5] inches / 45.5[45.5, 45.5, 45.5, 45.5, 44.5, 44.5] cm, or 1 inch / 2.5 cm shorter than desired sleeve length.

Work in garter st for 7 rnds.
BO all sts.

Repeat for other sleeve.

Collar
With circ, return the 10[11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18] sts of left front neck, the 26[28, 32, 34, 38, 40, 42] sts of back neck, and the 10[11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18] sts of right front neck to needle. With RS facing, rejoin MC. 46[50, 58, 62, 70, 74, 78] sts.

Work in garter st for 1 inch / 2.5 cm, ending after a WS row.
Change to CC and work in st st for 1 inch / 2.5 cm.
BO all sts.

FINISHING

Sew the pocket linings to the inside of the sweater.

Fold the collar in half and sew the BO edge to the inside of the collar.

Weave in all ends and block to measurements.

A: chest circumference: 36[40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60] in / 91.5[101.5, 112, 122, 132, 142, 152.5] cm
B: body length: 16.5[17, 17.25, 17.25, 18.25, 19.25, 19.25] in / 42[43, 44, 44, 46.5, 49, 49] cm
C: armhole length from division: 9.5[10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 12.5] in / 24[26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 32] cm
D: collar circumference: 11.5[12.5, 14.5, 15.5, 17.5, 18.5, 19.5] in / 29[32, 37, 39.5, 44.5, 47, 49.5] cm
E: shoulder width: 5.5[6.25, 6.75, 7.5, 8, 8.75, 9.5] in / 14[16, 17, 19, 20.5, 22, 24] cm
F: upper arm circumference: 18.5[22, 23.5, 24.5, 26, 27, 27] in / 47[56, 59.5, 62, 66, 68.5, 68.5] cm
G: sleeve length: 19[19, 19, 19, 19, 18.5, 18.5] in / 48.5[48.5, 48.5, 48.5, 48.5, 47, 47] cm
H: wrist circumference: 11[12, 12, 13, 14, 14.5, 14.5] in / 28[30.5, 30.5, 33, 35.5, 37, 37] cm
*Collar not shown on schematic.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Claire lives in the east of England with a house full of boys. When not designing bright, colorful knits she can be found making a complete mess of the kitchen.

You can find her website here, or visit her on Ravelry or Twitter.

Pattern & images © 2016 Claire Slade. Contact Claire