T
his project is a blast from the past from my Ravelry page. It is “Silken Straw Summer Sweater” by Purl Soho. I absolutely love every pattern that Purl Soho comes out with. I wish I could get in the brains of their pattern designers because I love how their brains work. Seriously, such classy and fun stuff from them.
I started this project back in June of 2014, and it took me approximately a month. It was my FIRST ever garment I knit, not including socks. (Are socks considered a garment?) To this day, it is still the only garment I have knit. But I hope to change that really soon. The thought of making something that needs to fit me exactly is slightly terrifying.
The pattern comes in a small/medium and medium/large size. Back in 2014, I was super skinny. So I adjusted this pattern to create my own XS/S size and hopefully by sharing that here I can help others out!
The Materials:
US 3 (3.25mm) needles
Mirasol Yarn – Nuna Fina (colorway Ruby), 2 skeins
The nuna fina yarn is a lace weight, 40% silk, 40% merino wool, 20% bamboo viscose. It is extremely soft with gorgeous, rich jewel tone colors. I wish I remember where I bought this beauty from. I think it was a yarn shop in Woodbury, MN.
Pattern adjustments:
Hip circumference: 36 inches
Chest circumference: 34.7 inches
Body adjustments: I cast on 216 stitches (12 less stitches than small). Follow pattern as is until piece measures 5.5″ from bottom edge, then k 108, place marker, and knit to the end of round. Decrease as written, with 5 repeats, ending with 196 stitches. Increase as written, ending with 208 stitches.
Underarm adjustments: Knit 84 stitches (instead of 98/110) to first bind off (184 stitches remain)
Cast on for sleeves adjustments: Cable cast on 55 stitches, knit the next 92 stitches, cable cast on 55 stitches, knit to end and m1 (295 stitches)
I did not make any changes with the decreasing for the yoke.
Shaping neckline adjustments: Knit 52 stitches, bind off 18 stitches, knit to marker, remove marker, knit to beginning of neck bind off. (159 stitches)
And that is all she wrote! Everything I didn’t specify, I did as written in the pattern. Here is a breakdown in the difference in stitch count between the three sizes. Gauge (blocked):6 stitches = 1 inch
| XS/S | S/M | M/L | ||
| CO
HIP |
216 (36”) | 228 (38”) | 252 (42”) | |
| Decreases WAIST | 196 (32.7”) | 208 (34.7”) | 232 (38.7”) | |
| Increases CHEST | 208 (34.7”) | 220 (36.7”) | 244 (40.7”) | |
| Underarm BO | 184 (30.7”) | 196 (32.7”) | 220 (36.7”) | |
| CO for sleeves | 295 (49.2”) | 315 (52.5”) | 350 (58.3”) | |
| Decrease | 236 (39.3”) | 252 (42”) | 280 (46.7”) | |
| Decrease | 177 (29.5”) | 189 (31.5”) | 210 (35”) | |
| Round1 | 159 | 171 (28.5”) | 192 (32”) | |
| Neck R1 W | 156 | 168 (28”) | 189 (31.5”) | |
| Neck R2 R | 153 | 165 | 186 | |
| Neck R3 W | 151 | 163 | 184 | |
| Neck R4 R | 149 | 161 | 182 | |
| Neck R5 W | 147 | 159 (26.5”) | 180 (30”) | |
| Neck R6 R | 145 | 157 | 178 | |
| Neck R7 W | 97 | 105 (17.5”) | 119 (19.8”) | |
| Neck R8 R | 95 | 103 | 117 | |
| Neck R9 W | 95 | 103 | 117 | |
| Finished | 91 (15.1”) | 99 (16.5”) | 113 (18.8”) | |
Thoughts on the pattern:
As far as a pattern for first time sweater, I would say this is a great one to choose. It is knit in the round which makes it very user friendly. It was easy enough to follow, but I would recommend writing it all out and crossing off lines as you go. I’m not sure if people can do it any other way, but I would loose my place so quickly without doing that.
