When I started imagining this sweater I wanted a classic look, simple to knit and flattering for many body types.  Worked in a beautiful yarn with garter stitch details at the neck and cuffs, this sweater belongs on an elegant French woman in a black and white movie, or maybe an American girl in Paris, a la Funny Face’s Audrey Hepburn. That said, I think this simple design still works for those of us who aren’t sophisticated Parisians.  The garter stitch boatneck and bracelet length sleeves lend timeless style to a simple knit.

The construction is straightforward – cast on at the top, join to work in the round and settle in for some relaxing knitting (minimal purling!).  Knitted from the top down, this pattern allows you to try the in progress piece on and get the perfect fit.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size M)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56] inches
Length: 20[21.25, 21.75, 23, 24.5, 26.25, 27.25] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Mission Falls 136 Superwash Merino [100% Merino Wool; 136yd/124m per 50g skein]; color: Charcoal; 7[7, 9, 9, 10, 12, 14] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #5/3.75 mm double-point needles
2 US #5/3.75 mm circular needles, recommended lengths: 16-inch and 24-inch for sizes XS and S, 16-inch and 32-inch for sizes M and L, 24-inch and 40-inch for sizes 1X, 2X and 3X

Tools
5 stitch markers
Waste yarn
Yarn needle

GAUGE
20 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

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

Inc1: increase 1 stitch by making a firm backward loop around the right needle. This increase is the first one shown here (see Make 1).

DIRECTIONS
YOKE
Using shorter circular needle, CO 80 [84, 100, 108, 116, 116, 120] sts. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Set-up Round: [Place marker, k1, inc1, k38[40, 48, 52, 56, 56, 58], inc1, k1] twice. 84[88, 104, 112, 120, 120, 124] sts.

Round 1: P all sts.
Round 2: [K1, inc1, k to 1 st before marker, inc1, k1] twice. 4 sts increased.
Repeat these 2 rounds 6[7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9] times more, then work Round 1 once more. 112[120, 136, 148, 156, 160, 164] sts.

Begin Raglan Shaping:
When working the next round, leave first marker in place to indicate beginning of round, but remove second marker. New markers will be placed to establish points for raglan shaping.

When working yoke, switch to longer needle when necessary.

Set-up Round: K8[7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9], place marker, k40[46, 52, 58, 62, 62, 64], place marker, k16[14, 16, 16, 16, 18, 18], place marker, k40[46, 52, 58, 62, 62, 64], place marker, k8[7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9].

Raglan Increase Round: [K to 1 st before marker, inc1, k1, slip marker, k1, inc1] four times, k to end. 8 sts increased.
K 1 round.
Repeat these 2 rounds 19[21, 23, 25, 28, 33, 37] times more. 272[296, 328, 356, 388, 432, 468] sts.

Dividing Round: Remove end-of-round marker, k108[119, 132, 144, 157, 173, 187] (to second marker), remove marker, place next 56[58, 64, 68, 74, 86, 94] sts (all sts to third marker) on hold on waste yarn, slip marker, k80[90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140] (to fourth marker), remove marker, place next 56[58, 64, 68, 74, 86, 94] sts (all sts to first marker) on hold on waste yarn, slip marker. This point is now beginning of round. 160[180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280] sts.

LOWER BODY
Work in stockinette st until work measures 3 inches from Dividing Round.

Waist Decrease Round: [K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1] twice. 4 sts decreased.
K 3 rounds.
Repeat these 4 rounds once, then work Waist Decrease Round once more. 148[168, 188, 208, 228, 248, 268] sts.

Continue in stockinette st until work measures 6.25[6.25, 6.25, 6.75, 7.25, 7.25] inches from Dividing Round.

Waist Increase Round: [K1, inc1, k to 1 st before marker, inc1, k1] twice. 4 sts increased.
K 3 rounds.
Repeat these 4 rounds once, then work Waist Increase Round once more. 160[180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280]

Continue in stockinette st until work measures 9.5[10, 10, 10.5, 11, 11, 11] inches from Dividing Round, or desired length to top of side vent. Note that side vents/lower border will add 3 inches to length of sweater.

Lower Border:
Using shorter circular needle, k to first marker. Remove marker and turn work; piece will now be worked back and forth in garter st (k every row). Leave remaining 80[90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140] sts on hold on longer needle.
Work in garter st until border measures 3 inches, ending with a WS row.
BO all sts knitwise.

Join yarn to sts on longer needle with RS facing, and work second half of lower border in the same way as the first half.

SLEEVES
Place 56[58, 64, 68, 74, 86, 94] held sts of one sleeve on double-point needles. Join yarn at underarm; this point will be beginning of round.

Work in stockinette st until work measures 8.5[9, 9, 9.5, 9.5, 10, 10] inches from underarm, or desired length to top of cuff. Note that cuff will add 1.5 inches to length of sleeve.

Cuff:
Work back and forth in garter st until cuff measures 1.5 inches, ending with a WS row.
BO all sts knitwise.

Work second sleeve in the same way.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends, sewing up small holes at underarms. Block as desired.

Linden Heflin is a graduate student in Oklahoma who spends an inappropriate amount of time dreaming about yarn and trying to persuade her university to offer a Ph.D. in knitting.

She writes about all of her knitting (and non-knitting) hijinks here.