by Stefanie Japel

I'm so happy to be part of this issue of Knitty! When I first started designing for Knitty, I was single, in grad school, and knitting gave me a sense of accomplishment and approval that my schoolwork didn't always deliver. This fall, I'm getting my own daughter ready to start her first year of school.

With thoughts of school as inspiration, I decided to keep the knitting simple on this versatile top. It's a quick knit (great for working on in class) but has some fun stitch patterning at the shoulders. It's reminiscent of my Bad Penny pattern, but updated for a modern silhouette. I hope that you enjoy it!

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
To fit chest: 30[34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches
(shown in size L with 3.5" ease)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 33.5[37.2, 42, 45.6, 49.6, 54, 57.6] inches
Length: 16.5[18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 20] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Miss Babs Yowza Whatta Skein 100% Superwash Merino Monochrome [100% Superwash Merino; 560 yds/ 512 m per 8 oz /226g skein]; ColorName: Blackwatch; 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3] skeins

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 5/3.75mm circular needle
1 24-inch US 7/4.5mm circular needle

Notions
stitch markers
stitch holders
yarn needle

GAUGE

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

This sweater is worked in the round from the bottom up, split at the underarms, and front and back finished separately. The shoulder seams can also be finished by using 3-needle bindoff as instructed, or Kitchener stitch, or by binding off each shoulder and seaming them together.

Double-Wrap Purl:
Purl, wrapping the yarn around the needle twice, rather than once, for each purl stitch.

DIRECTIONS
Body

Ribbing:
Using US 5 (3.75mm) needle, cast on 168[186, 210, 228, 248, 270, 288] sts and join to work in the round, placing a marker at the beginning of the round and at the halfway point (84[93, 105, 114, 124, 135, 144] sts).

Work in k3p3 ribbing for 2.5 inches.

Main body
Rounds 1-12: Change to US 7 (4.5mm) needle and knit 12 rounds.

Round 13: Purl.

Repeat Rounds 1-13 a total of 3[4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5] more times. 52[65, 65, 65, 65, 65, 78] total main body rounds.

Separate front and back:
Row 1: Bind off 5 sts, knit to 5 sts before marker, bind off 10 sts, knit to 5 sts before last marker, bind off 5 sts. 74[83, 95, 104, 114, 125, 134] sts in front and back.

Front:
Cut yarn and reattach to next stitch on left hand needle. Work on 74[83, 95, 104, 114, 125, 134] front sts only, leaving remaining sts on hold.

Row 2 [RS]: Knit.
Row 3 [WS]: Purl.
Rows 4-11: Repeat Rows 2 & 3.
Row 12-14 [RS]: Knit.
Row 15 [WS]: Purl.
Rows 16-25: Repeat Rows 14 & 15.
Row 26 [RS]: Purl.
Row 27 [WS]: Double-wrap purl.
Row 28 [RS]: Knit, dropping each extra wrap from previous row as you come to it.
Row 29 [WS]: Purl.
Row 30 [RS]: Knit.
Row 31 [WS]: Double-wrap purl.
Row 32 [RS]: Knit, dropping each extra wrap from previous row as you come to it.
Row 33 [WS]: Purl.
Row 34 [RS]: Knit.
Row 35 [WS]: Double-wrap purl.
Row 36 [RS]: Knit, dropping each extra wrap from previous row as you come to it.
Row 37 [WS]: Purl.
Row 38 [RS]: Knit.
Row 39 [WS]: Double-wrap purl.
Row 40 [RS]: Knit, dropping each extra wrap from previous row as you come to it.
Row 41 [WS]: Purl.

With WS facing, attach yarn at neckline edge.

Row 1 [WS]: Bind off 3[3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7], double-wrap purl to end.

Row 2 [RS]: Knit.

Row 3 [WS]: Bind off 3[3, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6], purl to end.

Row 4 [RS]: Knit.

Row 5 [WS]: Bind off 3[3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6], double-wrap purl to end.

Row 6 [RS]: Knit.

Rows 7-12: Work remaining stitches in stitch pattern as established.

Place remaining 21[23, 25, 27 ,29, 31, 33] sts on holder to be worked later.

Back:
With RS facing and ready to knit, attach yarn to work.
Work back to match front.

FINISHING
Join front to back using 3-needle bind off at each shoulder. See Pattern Notes for alternate finishing options.

Armhole Ribbing:
With RS facing, using US 5 (3.75mm) needle, and starting at lower edge of armhole, pick up and knit 2 sts for every 3 rows. Work 1 inch in k2p2 ribbing. Bind off.
Seam edges of ribbing to bound off stitches at underarm, so that the ribbing just meets at center underarm.

Pick up and knit one stitch for each stitch bound off at neckline. Bind off.
Weave in ends. Block.

My name is Stefanie Japel. I learned to knit over 30 years ago from my grandmother.

I've been designing knitwear for publication since my first pattern, Postmodern Legwarmers, appeared on Knitty.com in 2003. Since then, I've written three booksand my work has appeared on television, in books, magazines, and on the web. I love to teach in-person workshops, and also teach classes on the amazing online craft site Craftsy.com

Check out my blog.