Sweater knitted with "puff" sleeves

This is a sweater with a high collar and a fitted silhouette. The front and back are made with a 2x2 rib pattern, while the voluminous top of the sleeves is in stockinette stitch. The sweater is quite short in style, but if desired, you can easily change its length to be longer or shorter, achieving the right length for you.

SIZES: XS (S) M (L) XL

FINAL MEASUREMENTS FOR THE SWEATER:

• Sweater length (from shoulder top): 52 (55) 58 (60) 63 cm.

• Sleeve length (from armhole): 41 (42) 43 (44) 44 cm.

• Width: 70 (76) 84 (92) 98 cm.

NEEDLES:

• Circular needles 3.5 mm with cable lengths of 40 cm, 60 cm, and 80-100 cm.

• Double-pointed needles 3.5 mm.

If you are knitting the sleeves using the Magic Loop method, you won't need double-pointed needles.

Please note that the above is only the recommended needle size. Before starting work on the sweater, make a gauge swatch. Measure your knitting gauge and compare it with the gauge specified below; if they do not match, change the needle size.

GAUGE:

• 30 stitches × 33 rows = 10 × 10 cm (2x2 rib, 3.5 mm needles).

• 23 stitches × 31 rows = 10 × 10 cm (stockinette stitch, 3.5 mm needles).

YARN:

2 strands of yarn = 1 strand of Alpaca yarn + 1 strand of Silk Mohair yarn.

• 150 (150) 150 (200) 250 g  (100% alpaca, 400 m / 50 g).

• 125 (150) 150 (175) 200 g (70% mohair, 30% silk, 212 m / 25 g).

SIZE SELECTION RECOMMENDATIONS:

The sweater has a fitted silhouette, with an allowance for ease of about +3-5 cm to the actual bust circumference measurements.

Sizes XS (S) M (L) XL correspond to European sizes:

• 34-36 (36-38) 38-40 (42) 42-44 and bust circumference 75-80 (80-88) 88-93 (93-100) 99-105 cm.

Measure your bust circumference with a tape measure and choose the appropriate size.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE WORKING:

RIB 2×2:

(2 knit, 2 purl). In the description, it is simply referred to as "ribbing".

SINGLE INCREASES:

Made before/after markers.

• Before the marker: right-leaning increase (+1R / +1R-purl).

• After the marker: left-leaning increase (+1L / +1L-purl).

Increase 1 knit stitch:

• +1R — lift the yarn over from the RS and knit it through the front loop.

• +1L — lift the yarn over from the WS and knit it through the back loop.

Increase 1 purl stitch:

• +1R-purl — lift the yarn over from the RS and purl it through the front loop.

• +1L-purl — lift the yarn over from the WS and purl it through the back loop.

TRIPLE INCREASES:

+3 stitches — lift the yarn over, knit (1 knit, 1 knit through the back loop, 1 knit).

SHORT ROWS (German method):

• In WS rows: knit, turn, yarn forward, slip the stitch, bring the yarn back, pull to a double stitch (DS).

• In RS rows: similarly, but the yarn remains behind the work.

Knit the DS through both legs.

CONVENTIONAL NOTATIONS:

• RS / WS — right / wrong side

• M — marker

• PM — place marker

• L-needle / R-needle — left / right needle

• DS — double stitch

• ODS — create a double stitch

• 2 together knit — knit 2 together

WORK DESCRIPTION:

All knitting is done with two strands together.

YOKE:

• Cast on 88 (96) 100 (104) 108 stitches using the 2×2 rib cast-on method.

• Knit in the round in 2×2 ribbing for 4 (5) 5 (5.5) 5.5 cm.

• Try on the collar.

• Place markers:

  • 16 (20) 20 (20) 24 stitches

  • marker

  • 10 stitches (shoulder)

  • marker

  • 34 (38) 38 (42) 42 stitches.

  • marker

  • 10 stitches (shoulder)

  • marker

  • 18 (18) 22 (22) 22 stitches.

Shoulder slope shaping:

• Increase sequence: 2 rows knit, 2 rows purl, repeat.

• After all increases: 192 (216) 236 (256) 268 stitches.

• Then one more row with increases for knit stitches.

• Bind off 10 stitches from each shoulder.

• Transfer the front stitches to a holder.

BACK:

• Knit back and forth with edge stitches 1 knit.

• Up to a height of 19 (20) 21 (23) 24 cm from the shoulder stitches bound off.

FRONT:

• Similarly to the back.

JOINING:

• In the round, join the front and back by casting on 8 (12) stitches under the armholes.

• Total number: 192 (216) 236 (264) 276 stitches.

• Knit in ribbing to the desired length (52–63 cm from the shoulder).

• Bind off stitches as per pattern.

SLEEVES:

• Pick up 106 (110) 114 (120) 120 stitches around the armhole.

• Markers for 10 stitches of the shoulder.

• Transfer part of the stitches to the right needle.

• Shaping the "puff": triple increases and short rows.

• After the short rows: 121 (125) 129 (135) 135 stitches.

• Knit stockinette stitch to 23–25 cm.

• Make decreases:

  • Row 1: knit all 2 together → 61–68 stitches.

  • Row 2: decrease another 9–12 stitches.

• Then 21–23 cm of 2×2 ribbing.

• Bind off stitches.

• The second sleeve is made similarly.

FINISHING:

• Weave in the ends.

• Block the garment.