Lavaca

A raglan

Materials

Purl Soho, Cattail Silk, 2 skeins

US 4, 24” and 16” circular needles

Optional: 1 set US 4 double pointed needles

Stitch markers

Spare needle or scrap yarn

Tapestry needle

Gauge

4” = 22 stitches + 30 rows in stockinette stitch on US 4 needles, blocked

Notes

This top is the breezy, summer piece of my hippy, witchy dreams. Living in a place that regularly gets warmer than 100* in certain months, the idea of knitting a “summer sweater” is usually a joke. UNTIL this one! Worked in a loose gauge with super light silk, this sweater whips up to weigh next to nothing. 

The sweater is worked seamlessly, top down— essentially just a basic raglan with big, flowing sleeves. It’s worked flat to shape the neck before joining to work in the round, down to the armholes, where the body and sleeves are split and worked separately in the round. If you like, you can pick up stitches around the neck for a more defined neckline, or skip it for a looser and slouchier style. You can pick up the sleeves with double pointed needles before switching to the 16” circular needle, or if you’re okay with working over a stretched surface, you can jump in with the 16” needle.

The pattern uses Purl Soho’s Cattail Silk (I used Flower Field Gray). Due to its generous yardage, you’ll only need 2 skeins for any size!

If you prefer a longer size or want to use up all your yarn and avoid leftovers, work the sleeves first instead of the body. Then knit the body until you’ve got only a few yards left and bind off.

The pattern is written for a fingering weight yarn. However, I also knit one up using 4 skeins of Shibui Twig, a DK weight (its the darker version pictured). To account for the larger gauge of the yarn, I knitted the smallest size.

The pattern is available here for free, or you can purchase a PDF from my Ravelry shop for only $2. ^-^

Measurements and Modifications

This pattern is written in four sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4). Please see the diagram below for measurements. Keep in mind the top is meant to be work with a few inches of positive ease.

 

A (neck): 20 (21, 22.5, 24)”

B (armhole length): 7 (8, 8.5, 9.25)”

C (bust): 37 (41, 44, 48)”

D (arm): 13 (14, 15, 16)”

E (body): 11, (11, 13, 13)”

F (sleeve length): 12”

Pattern

Yoke

Using the longer needle, cast on 60 (64, 68, 72) stitches using the long tail cast on method (counts as first row).

Row 2: purl 3, place marker, purl 8, place marker, purl 38 (42, 46, 50), place marker, purl 8, place marker, purl 3.

Row 3: knit 1, make 1, *knit to 1 stitch before marker, yarn over, knit 1, slip marker, knit 1, yarn over.* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Knit until there is 1 stitch left, make 1, knit 1.

Row 4: purl 1, make 1, purl until there is 1 stitch left, make 1, purl 1.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4, 3 more times.

Row 11: knit 1, make 1, *knit to 1 stitch before marker, yarn over, knit 1, slip marker, knit 1, yarn over.* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Knit until there is 1 stitch left, make 1, knit 1. Cable cast on 14 (18, 22, 26) stitches. Place marker to indicate beginning of round. Join to begin working in the round. You should have 132 (140, 148, 156) stitches total.

Round 0: knit all stitches

Round 1: slip marker, *knit to 1 stitch before next marker, yarn over, knit 1, slip marker, knit 1, yarn over.* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Knit to end of round.

Round 2: knit all stitches.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2, 21 (24, 26, 29) more times. You should have 308 (340, 364, 396) stitches. 

Body

Setup round: knit to second marker (beginning of sleeve), remove marker, place 62 (68, 72, 78) stitches on scrap yarn, remove marker, cable cast on 10 (10, 12, 12), knit across back to next marker (beginning of other sleeve),  remove marker, place 62 (68, 72, 78) stitches on scrap yarn, remove marker, cable cast on 10 (10, 12, 12), knit to end of round. You should have 204 (224, 244, 264) stitches.

Continue working in stockinette stitch, knitting every row, until piece measures 11 (11, 13, 13)” or desired length. Loosely cast off all stitches.

Sleeves

You’ll now pick up the stitches you left on hold to work the sleeves.

Round 0: With shorter needle (or double pointed needles) and  right side facing, beginning in the center of the stitches you cast on for the body, rejoin yarn and pick up 5 (5, 6, 6) stitches from cable cast on edge. Pick up and work across the 62 (68, 72, 78) stitches you left on hold. Then pick up 5 (5, 6, 6) stitches from other half of cable cast on edge. Place marker. Join to work in the round. You should have 72 (78, 84, 90) stitches.

Rounds 1-5: knit all stitches

Round 6: knit 1, make 1, knit until there is 1 stitch remaining, make 1, knit 1.

Repeat Rounds 1-6, 14 more times. You should have 102 (108, 114, 120) stitches.

Loosely bind off all stitches.

Repeat these steps to work the other sleeve.

Finishing

Beginning at center of back neck edge, pick up and knit stitches around neckline. Join to work in the round. Knit 3 rounds. Bind off loosely.

Weave in all ends and block well.

Errata: The original post for this pattern contained a couple errors that have been corrected. On the neck and yoke instructions, you should repeat from * to * only 3 times, not 7 times. The number to cast on at the neck and the number of repeats on the yoke have been corrected as well.