I got an email from a reader asking if I could help her with her quest to knit a version of this sweater, designed by Correll Correll for Anthropologie. It’s a great summer sweater — slouchy, slightly open gauge, interesting texture, and that random colorwork. Y, I’ll call her, said she thinks she can figure out the colorwork but was having trouble finding a suitable pattern. I’ve had requests for similar things before, and honestly I’m surprised there isn’t a blank-canvas pattern — that I’ve seen — for a boxy, sleeveless top like this. But it would be pretty easy to do a little math and make it up. (Look at a few Pickles patterns, such as the Dressy Sweater, for the basic approach: Knit a tube from the hem to the underarms, divide your stitches in half for the front and back, working those sections back and forth to the desired armhole depth, then grafting it back together along the tops of the shoulders. Leave out the stripes, ribbing and sleeves.) Otherwise, you could easily adapt Elka Park by Heather Dixon, knitting it a little bit wider than the pattern calls for (going up a needle size would accomplish that and loosen the gauge), and changing the stitch pattern. I’d also make the armholes deeper.
It looks to me like the stitch pattern is a 4-row repeat: 2 rows of stockinette, then a garter ridge. But it starts at the hem with 3 garter ridges, which gives some ballast and prevents it from rolling. So after your cast-on, alternate knit rounds and purl rounds for a total of 6 rounds. Then switch to three knit rounds followed by a purl round (that’ll give you two rows of stockinette followed by a garter ridge); repeat. That’s as long as you’re working in the round. Once you’ve separated for the front and back, and are working those sections back and forth, to maintain that same stitch pattern you’d knit row 1, purl row 2 (that’s two rows of stockinette), then knit row 3, knit row 4 (one ridge of garter).
The colorwork is up to you!
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I was thinking of your great post a few days ago and being reminded of Purl Bee’s amazing (free) Cap Sleeve Lattice Top pattern. If you just knit straight up instead of adding the lattice, this would make a good template to look at for this shape, too!
That lattice sweater is a good’un. It’s actually a different method, and one I thought about recommending — it’s knitted in one big flat piece with a neckhole in the middle, and then you seam the two sides together. In-the-round sweater detractors would say that’s the better way to go.
Funny that…I made it in the round and totally forgot until I read your reply! My brain is such a sieve. ;-D
That is funny.
I would love to see someone’s FO for your adapted pattern! It looks like the colors were sometimes changed on the RS. I’ve seen this on a couple of trendy sweaters this season. I actually saw a Fair Isle sweater that was intentionally turned inside out. I want to say it was a Free People sweater, but I don’t remember for sure.
Yeah, both popular tricks. I mentioned recently in a comment on some other post, so apologies to anyone who’s seeing this for a second time, but one of my very favorite sweaters is a cardigan I bought from J.Crew a few years ago — a sort of Chanel-ish black and ivory thing with black trim — and it only recently dawned on me that that’s what the very interesting textile is. Inside-out fair isle.
That is a super cute sweater – and it doesn’t sound like it would be too difficult the way you describe it. Cool!
And quick!
Thank you so much Karen! That helps a lot. I’ll send in a photo when I am done!
I hadn’t seen this sweater yet, and now i’m itching to knit it!!! (Although, depending on the yarn i choose, it may actually be more cost effective to buy it)
I love that sweater! Of course it’s an online exclusive – shipping to Canada is a FORTUNE! I just made a sweater in Berrocco Karma (it’s bulky cotton tape). I imagine it as the perfect yarn for this (and it would keep the knitting project cheaper than the actual sweater!).
So cute! This Wool and the Gang pattern is a good start but it doesn’t have those cool, dramatic sleeves. http://www.woolandthegang.com/en/articles/view/414
Love the colorwork on the Anthro top, though. I’d love to see Miss Y’s FO!
The pocket’s cute. I’m assuming that one is knitted flat and seamed. But they still don’t sell patterns without the yarn, right? It’s always the kit?
Hmm I’m not sure! I’ve only seen it with the whole kit so you might be right. But I really love the layout of their patterns. Super easy to read.
I am almost done with the sweater. I will send photos as soon as the blocking is complete. I just remembered this pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/striped-breathless-sweater
Oh, I forgot about that one. Can’t wait to see how yours turns out!
Hi Karen!
This is the ravelry link for the project with some pictures!
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ygirl/anthropologie-inspired-summer-sweater
Something about the speed with which you did that (or the fact that it actually happened) — it’s like magic! I made a blog post and POOF! a sweater.
(I’m sure it doesn’t feel that way to YOU, having actually done all of that knitting!)
The secret is working from home and having an injured foot. Confinement to the couch is a great tool for non-stop knitting!
The shape is really nice. I wore it last night and someone asked me if it was a designer sweater. In essence, it is!
Absolutely gorgeous! It looks BETTER than their version! Well done.
Aw shucks! Thank you!
Ahhh…but it is a step up from just ‘designer’…it is BESPOKE, in Saville Row terms. heh
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