Named for the famous aria sung by the title character in the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, the Habañera sweater is a top-down, seamless pullover worked in the round with either short or ¾ raglan sleeves. The lace cowl is worked flat separately, and sewn to the neckline after blocking.

The pattern includes a general How-To for inserting Horizontal Bust Darts to the pullover for further tailoring.

While the body of the sweater is straightforward, take your time with the cowl. It is worked separately & is constructed by first knitting the outer lace edging, then picking up stitches along this edging to work Barbara Walker’s Roman Stripe lace pattern. However, the get the cowl the to lay just right when worn, there is shaping within the Roman Stripe lace. Shaping within lace?? Yes, and it can take some extra attention--use sticky notes, highlighter tape, etc…to keep track of what row you are on (because all those yarn overs can make me cross-eyed, too!), and remember to breath. It’s a small piece, and the results are worth it!

Shaping to the waist and hips is accomplished along princess “seams” to allow for maximum customization, and it is recommended that the sweater be worn with 0-2” of negative ease at the bust (ie. With the pullover measuring 0-2” less than your measurement at the full-bust).

Gauge: 24 sts and 32 rows/4 inches (after blocking) in stst on size 5 needle (or size to obtain gauge).

Sizes: 29(32, 35, 38, 41, 45, 47, 50)” bust. Finished bust measurements: 29.3(32, 35.3, 38, 41.3, 44, 47.3, 50)”.

Short-Sleeved Version: 2(3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5) skeins Astral Bath Vesper (437 yards/skein), or approximately 825(910, 1025, 1170, 1300, 1450, 1650, 1720) yards fingering weight yarn.
¾ -Sleeved Version: 3(4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) skeins Plucky Primo Fingering (385 yds/101 g), or approximately 1100(1200, 1300, 1420, 1550, 1675, 1800, 1900) yards of fingering weight yarn.

Both Habanera and Chanteuse pullovers are available on Ravelry in the Habanera/Chanteuse ebook. Because both have nearly-identical sweater bodies, you get both patterns for the typical price of a Lyrical Knits sweater pattern.