Did you get fascinated by the speckled yarn that’s available everywhere at the moment, and bought just that one skein on an impulse? That’s what I did. And speckled yarn usually being very colorful, I’ve been a little scared of making a fully speckled sweater. So what’s better than to just add a little bit of color to a relatively basic sweater?

The result is a simple, flattering sweater with a sprinkle of fun at the shoulders and yoke. A bit of texture is added on the back, just to bring out those speckles a bit more. As one of my friends said: It looks like a neon clown sneezed on you! Hence the name ;)

Achoo is worked top down, using the contiguous sleeve method for shaping the shoulders and upper body. The upper body is worked flat with German short rows to shape the scooped neckline, then joined in the round to create a henley style opening. The body and sleeves are each worked in the round after dividing.

Yarn: La Bien Aimée Merino DK (100% Superwash Merino), 230 meters / 252 yards per 115g, 4-4-5-5-6-6 skeins.
Colorways: “Aimée’s Sweater” (speckled yarn, one skein) and “Smoke” (semisolid, rest of the yarn).
Appr meterage/yardage needed: 820-910-1040-1170-1280-1420 meters / 900-1000-1145-1285-1410-1560 yards.
If you’re substituting yarn, note that: 1) The La Bien Aimée skeins are 115g, as opposed to the usual 100g. Look at the yardage instead! 2) I used a speckled yarn with the same base color as the semisolid. This made the switch entirely invisible. Two contrasting or matching colors could be used as well!

Needles:
3,5 mm / US 4 circulars for neckline, cuffs and hem, 60 cm / 24 inches or longer for magic loop.
4 mm / US 6 circulars, 80 cm / 32 inches or longer for magic loop.
One extra needle size 4 mm / US 6, DPN or short circular for joining fronts.
Optional: DPNs in both sizes to work sleeves.

Other: Stitch markers, tapestry needle for weaving in ends, 5-6 buttons appr 1 cm / 0.5 inch in diameter.

Gauge: Sample uses gauge of 17 sts & 28 rnds to 10 cm / 4 inches in stockinette stitch on bigger needles, after blocking.

Size: XS-S-M-L-XL-2XL, to fit bust of 74-84-94-104-114-124 cm / 29-33-37-41-45-49 inches.
Actual garment measurement, bust: 76,5-86-95,5-107-116,5-126 cm / 30-33.75-37.5-42.25-45.75-49.5 inches.
Garment is intended to be worn with 0-5 cm / 0-2 inches of positive ease.

This pattern has been tech edited and tested. A big THANKS to everyone involved!