Inspired by Paris fashions, this sweater was the result of a trip my daughter and I took to London and Paris during National Knitting Week.

The design has a flattering pull at the waist and flares around the hips. While it looks complicated, and does require some concentration during the increases and decreases, if you know how to knit, purl, increase and decrease, and you can count rows, you can make it.

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

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 31.5[35, 39, 42, 45.5, 53] inches, with ribbing slightly stretched
Length: 24[25.25, 26, 26.5, 27.75, 28] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Classic Elite Yarns Waterlily [100% extra fine merino wool; 100yd/91m per 50g skein]; color: #1979 Delphinium; 10[11, 12, 13, 15, 16] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US #8/5mm circular needle, 32 inches  or longer
1 spare circular needle, US #8/5mm or smaller, 32 inches or longer
Note: If you have additional US #8/5mm circular needles of any length, they will be useful when working the edging. If you are buying only one needle for this project, consider buying a 40-inch needle.

Notions
Stitch markers
Row counter
Safety pins or split ring markers
Stitch holders
Yarn needle
Buttons or hooks and eyes (optional)

GAUGE
16 sts / 21 rows = 4” in stockinette st
18 sts / 21 rows = 4” in 1x1 Rib, slightly stretched

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

Note: Sweater shown has been sewn shut, to function as a pullover. If you wish to use the sweater as a cardigan, buttons and button loops or hooks and eyes may be added. Try the sweater on after knitting it to determine which way of wearing it will suit you best.

cdd (Centered Double Decrease, worked on WS rows): The next st sts on the needle will be a k st, a p st, and another k st. Sl first 2 sts, one at a time, knitwise, to right needle. Reach tip of left needle around fronts of these 2 sts and insert it from right to left into both sts; slip them back to left needle. Sts will have been reordered, so that the k st which had been the first st is now the second st. K3tog. On RS of work, this will appear as a double p decrease centered above a k st.

ssp: Slip next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle. Slip them both, purlwise, back to left needle. Purl them together through their back loops.

Inc 1: Increases for this project are worked using the backward loop increase. Directions for this increase can be found here, described as Elizabeth Zimmermann's m1 increase.

1x1 Rib (Worked over an odd number of sts):
Row 1 [RS]: [P1, k1] to last st, p1.
Row 2 [WS]: [K1, p1] to last st, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows for 1x1 Rib.

Working wraps together with wrapped sts on WS rows:
Insert tip of left needle into back of wrap and purl it together with wrapped st.

DIRECTIONS
BACK
CO 83[91, 101, 109, 119, 137] sts. Do not join.
Row 1 [WS]: K1, p to last st, k1.
Row 2 [RS]: P1, k to last st, p1.

Work 12[12, 14, 14, 16, 16] more rows in stockinette st, maintaining 1 st at each edge in reverse stockinette st as set.

Note: All pieces are worked with 1 st at each edge in reverse stockinette st.

Work 14[14, 16, 16, 16, 18] rows in 1x1 Rib (see Pattern Notes above), beginning with a WS row and ending with a RS row.

FINISHING
Sew sleeve seams, and sew sleeve caps into armholes. Weave in ends and block sweater.
Try on sweater to determine whether you prefer it to be a pullover or a cardigan.
Sew sweater closed or attach closures as desired.

Lori, who lives in Princeton, NJ, with her family, has been knitting and designing for herself for over 30 years. Two years ago, she decided to retire from her “day job” and plunge headlong into hand-knit design.

This marks Lori’s debut publication. You can find more of Lori’s designs at loriversaci.com.