The Semper Slipover is ideal for your springtime wardrobe. It is a light layer which can be styled easily and keep you warm without the weight of a full sweater. This version of the pattern features a crew neck finished with a classic and comfortable double-folded collar.

You will begin by working the back panel, with optional short-row shaping at the shoulders, down to the underarms. Once you have finished the back underarm shaping, you will pick up and knit stitches to form the left shoulder and then the right shoulder. Again, you have the option of working short rows on both shoulders to mirror the back. After this, you will join the left and right shoulders together and work the front panel to the same length and width as the back panel, at which point you will join the front and back panels together with some underarm stitches and begin working in the round. To finish, you will work an applied double-folded collar and also pick up and knit stitches to form the armhole trims. And that’s it! Simple knitting at its finest.

Please note that this is a digital download and not a physical knitting pattern.

This pattern has been professionally tech edited, and pattern support is available.

Materials & Fit

Notions: 3 mm/US 2.5 (40- or 60-cm/16- or 24-in cord), 3.5 mm/US 4 (40- and/or 60-cm/16- and/or 24-in cord) and 4.5 mm US 70-, and/or 100-cm/24-, 32-, and/or 40-in cord) circular needles.

You will also need some stitch markers, at least 2 of which should be clip-on markers, a darning needle, and some spare needles, scrap yarn, or stitch holders. You may also wish to use some shirring elastic to help your collar maintain its shape over time.

Tension: 21 stitches x 28 rows = 10 cm/4 in Stockinette stitch on 4.5 mm/US 7 needles. Make sure to wash and block your swatch for the most accurate results. Please note that I have tighter-than-average row gauge, but this isn’t too important in this pattern. You may wish to go up or down a needle size, working in 0.25/0.5 mm/US 0.5/1 needle size increments as needed to meet gauge.

Yarn: Approximately 3 (3) 3 (3) 3-4, (4) 4 (4) 4 (4) 4-5 skeins of Knitting for Olive Merino (100% merino; 50 g = 250 m/273 yds) and 3 (3) 3 (3-4) 4, (4) 4 (4) 4 (4) 4-5 skeins of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair (70% mohair; 30% silk; 25 g = 225 m/246 yds), held together throughout (i.e., you hold the two yarns together as you knit with them). The sample garment was knit with both yarns held together in the shade Trenchcoat.

This works out to be 750 (750) 750 (750) 750-1,000, (1,000) 1,000 (1,000) 1,000 (1,000) 1,000-1,250 m/819 (819) 819 (819) 819-1,092, (1,092) 1,092 (1,092) 1,092 (1,092) 1,092-1,365 yds of Merino held with 675 (675) 675-900 (675-900) 900, (900) 900 (900) 900, (900) 900-1,125 m/738 (738) 738-984 (738-984) 984, (984) 984 (984) 984, (984) 984-1,230 yds of Soft Silk Mohair.

These estimates are based on test knitter feedback and are, if anything, generous.

If you prefer working with a single strand of yarn, you could also just use a DK-weight yarn instead of the fingering- and lace-weight combination suggested here. Where possible, try to buy more yarn than you need to avoid issues with dye lots.

Sizing and ease: The Semper Slipover has about 0-5 cm/0-2 in positive ease for Sizes A-H, and 0-10 cm/0-4 in positive ease for Sizes I-K around the chest. If you would prefer more ease, pick a size up. If you would prefer less ease, pick a size down. The sample garment is Size D to fit a 92-cm/36.25-in chest. Please note that the sample garment is about 10 cm/4 in shorter in length than the measurements given below as I prefer a more cropped fit. Use the schematic below to find your best size based on your chest measurement.

Size: A (B) C (D) E, (F) G (H) I (J) K

Chest measurement (cm): 75-80 (80-85) 85-90 (90-95) 95-100, (100-105) 105-110 (110-115) 115-125 (125-135) 135-145
Chest measurement (in): 29.5-31.5 (31.5-33.5) 33.5-35.5 (35.5-37.5) 37.5-39.25, (39.25-41.25) 41.25-43.25 (43.25-45.25) 45.25-49.25 (49.25-53.25) 53.25-57

Actual circumference of garment (cm): 80 (85) 90.5 (95) 100, (105.5) 110.5 (115) 125 (135) 145
Actual circumference of garment (in): 31.5 (33.25) 35.5 (37.5) 39.25, (41.5) 43.5 (45.25) 49 (53.25) 57

Back/front width, with armhole trim (cm): 32 (32) 33 (34) 34.5, (36) 38 (39) 40 (40) 41
Back/front width, with armhole trim (in): 12.5 (12.5) 13 (13.5) 13.5, (14) 15 (15) 15.5 (16) 16

Armhole depth, with armhole trim (cm): 21 (21.5) 22 (23) 24, (24) 24 (24) 24 (24) 24
Armhole depth, with armhole trim (in): 8.25 (8.5) 8.75 (9) 9.5, (9.5) 9.5 (9.5) 9.5 (9.5) 9.5

Total length (cm): 49 (51) 55 (57) 59, (61) 63 (64) 65 (67) 69
Total length (in): 19.25 (20) 21.5 (22.5) 23.25, (24) 24.75 (25.25) 25.5 (26.25) 27

Techniques include working flat and in the round, German short rows (or your preferred short-row method), leaning increases, working a tubular cast-off, and picking up stitches along a vertical and horizontal edge.

This pattern has been written with newer knitters in mind, but it is not necessarily a beginner pattern.