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The Dreamweft Sweater is this summer’s hottest trend—featuring an all-over mesh design with large holes in lightweight yarn, perfect for layering on warm days. It offers plenty of positive ease for comfort and boasts sophisticated shaping in the back.

This piece will intrigue knitters, making them wonder—is it really knit or crochet? The fun lace pattern consists of double yarnovers and triple decreases, and once you get into the flow, it’s both soothing and meditative.

A note of caution: the stitch pattern tends to pull in one direction. To counteract this, solid breaks are incorporated at the sides to aid with blocking. Ensure you choose a blockable yarn and add the recommended positive ease.

A detailed pattern deep-dive video is available on our YouTube channel. This video covers the construction, techniques, and possible customisations in greater detail.

The sweater is worked seamlessly from the top down and uses a surprisingly small amount of yarn for the size of fabric achieved.

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And if you’d like to join a group of knitters who have already made this sweater, feel free to join our Slack community, then find and join the dreamweftsweater channel.

Difficulty: Intermediate. Ability to work from a chart is required.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Finished bust circumference:

• 106.5 (115.5, 124.5, 133.5, 142, 151, 169, 178, 186.5) cm
• 42¾ (46¼, 49¾, 53¼, 57, 60½, 67½, 71, 74¾)”

Designed to be worn with 30-40 cm / 12-16” positive ease around the chest.
To choose the most appropriate size, measure the wearer’s chest and add the preferred ease. Or measure the circumference of an already-owned cardigan that fits well. Then find the closest finished chest circumference.

Yarn: Fingering weight yarn. Depending on the length of the sweater, allow approximately:

• 825 (880, 920, 1000, 1080, 1120, 1245, 1320, 1380) m
• 900 (965, 1010, 1090, 1180, 1225, 1360, 1445, 1510) yds

Yarn used in the sample (Size 2) is 4 skeins of BC Garn Bio Balance (55% Pure Organic Wool / 45% Pure Organic Cotton; 225 m 246 yds / 50 g).
If using heavier yarn, yardage will be affected.

Gauge:
Main fabric: 18 sts & 24 rows = 10 cm / 4” in Lace pattern on largest needles worked flat, blocked.

• Width of 4 repeats = 9 cm / 3 ½”
• Height of 5 repeats = 8 cm / 3⅓”

Ribbing: 24 sts & 34 rows = 10 cm / 4” in 1x1 twisted ribbing on smallest needles worked in the round.

Suggested needles:

• 4.5 mm (US 7) circulars 60-100 cm / 24-40″ long and (optional) DPNs for small circumference knitting. Due to the nature of the stitch pattern, these should be metal (or material that doesn’t break easily) and with sharp tips
• 2.75 mm (US 2) circulars 60-100 cm / 24-40″ long and (optional) DPNs for small circumference knitting
• (Optional) 3.25 mm (US 3) and 3.75 mm (US 5) circulars 60-100 cm / 24-40″ long for gradual transition to smallest needle when working the neckband

Notions: Stitch markers, row counter, scissors, tape measure, stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle.

Techniques used: Backwards loop cast-on, lifted increases, lace knitting, knitting in the round, twisted ribbing.

Construction notes: The sweater is worked seamlessly from the top down, starting with stitches cast on for the back neckline. Shoulder shaping begins with lifted increases, progressing down the back to the underarms with armhole shaping increases.

Stitches are then picked up along the back shoulders to form the front shoulders. Each side worked separately with increases that shape the front neckline. The fronts are joined by casting on additional stitches, completing the neckline, and continuing down to the underarms with increases for the armholes.

Once the back and fronts are united, the body is knitted in one piece down to the hem, finishing in a 1x1 twisted rib using the smallest needles.

Sleeves are started by picking up stitches along the shoulder and underarm edges. They are then knitted in the round with decreases leading to the cuffs, which also feature a 1x1 twisted rib.

The neckband is added on last by picking up stitches around the neckline. 1x1 twisted ribbing is worked to the desired height, starting optionally with needles one size smaller than those used for the main fabric before gradually transitioning to the smallest size needles for a refined finish.

Other notes: The lace stitch pattern causes the fabric to slant and pull in one direction, resulting in a twisted appearance. To counteract this, it’s essential to pin the sweater down during blocking. If you don’t have blocking mats, glass head pins or dressmaker pins and a towel can serve as effective alternatives.