The Semper Sweater V-Neck is my take on a classic raglan jumper, with elegant V-neck shaping. It’s simple knitting at its finest and, I think, most stylish. This project is perfect for when you want comforting ‘vanilla’ knitting to sooth a troubled mind.

The sweater itself is initially worked flat and then is joined in the round. It uses a combination of fingering- and lace-weight yarns, or a single strand of a DK-weight yarn, if you prefer to work with just one yarn at a time. It starts with neckline shaping and raglan increases with some German short rows over the shoulders to improve the fit. Once the neckline shaping is finished, you will join your work in the round and leave the sleeves to rest and work the body to your desired length. You will then pick up the stitches for the sleeves and work them with some decreases to create a slight taper. I recommend that you finish the body and sleeves with tubular cast-offs, but you can use your preferred method.

Materials & Fit

Notions: 3 mm / US 2.5 (80-cm / 32-in cord), 3.5 mm / US 4 (40-cm / 16-in cord) and 4.5 mm / US 7 (40-, 60-, 80-, and 100-cm /16-, 24-, 32-, and 40-in cord; the 100-cm / 40-in cord may not be useful for all sizes but I would recommend it if you are using the magic loop method for, say, the sleeves) circular needles.

You will also need 8 stitch markers (one of which should be in a contrasting colour to indicate the beginning of the round) some, stitch markers with clip-on fastenings, a darning needle, and some spare needles/scrap yarn/stitch holders where the stitches of the sleeves will rest.

Tension: 21 sts x 28 rows = 10 cm / 4 in stocking 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 with to go up or down a needle size, working in 0.25/0.5 mm /0.5/1 US needle size] increments as needed to meet gauge.

Yarn: Approximately 4 (4) 4-5 (4-5) 5, (5) 5 (6) 6 (7) 8 skeins of Knitting for Olive Merino (100% merino; 50 g = 250 m 273 yds) and 4 (4-5) 5 (5) 5-6, (6) 6-7 (6- 7) 7 (8) 9 skeins of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair (70% mohair; 30% silk; 25 g = 225 m 246 yds), held together throughout. See below for alternatives. Indeed, the sample garment was knit with Sandnes Garn Tynn Peer Gynt and Tynn Silk Mohair, both in the shade 7720, which I highly recommend for this project.

This works out to be 1,000 (1,000) 1,000-1,250 (1,000-1,250) 1,250, (1,250) 1,250 (1,500) 1,500 (1,750) 2,000 m 1,093 (1,093) 1,093-1,368 (1,093-1,368) 1,368, (1368) 1,368 (1,640) 1,640 (1,914) 2,190 yds of Merino held with 848 (848-1,060) 1,060 (1,060) 1,060-1,272, (1,272) 1,272-1,484 (1,272-1,484) 1,474 (1,696) 1,908 m 928 (928-1,160) 1,160 (1,160) 1,160-1,392, (1,392) 1,392-1,623 (1,392-1,623) 1,622 (1,855) 2,087 yds of Soft Silk Mohair.

Where possible, buy more yarn than you need to avoid issues with dye lots.

Yarn alternatives: Any combination of fingering- and lace-weight yarns or DK-weight yarn suitable for 3.5-4.5 mm US 4-7 needles should work well. A more thorough explanation of finding yarn substitutions is available through my website. Where possible, I would recommend sticking with a wool based-yarn, as alpaca- or cotton- based yarns tend to stretch over time with washing and wear. If you are using such fibres, I would perhaps recommend going down a size to accommodate any changes to the shape of your Semper Sweater over time.

Good alternatives for the Knitting for Olive Merino include Filcolana Arwetta Classic (80% superwash merino 20% nylon; 50 g = 210 m / 230 yds), Along Avec Anna Merino (100% superwash merino; 50 g = 200 m / 218 yds), Sandnes Garn Sunday (100% merino; 50 g = 235 m / 257 yds), Sandnes Garn Tynn Peer Gynt (100% Norwegian wool; 50 g = 205 m / 224 yrds), and Drops Flora (65% Wool, 35% Alpaca; 50 g = 210 m / 230 yds).

Good alternatives for the Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair include Drops Kid-Silk (75% mohair, 25% silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds), Sandnes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair (57% mohair, 15% wool and 28% silk; 25 g = 212m / 232 yds), Along Avec Anna Silk Mohair (72% mohair, 28% silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds), and CaMaRose Midnatssol (54% baby alpaca, 36% tencel, 10% merino wool; 25 g = 200 m / 219 yds). I have written an extensive mohair comparison post on my blog, reviewing lots of different products, should you want a different alternative to the Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair. Please note that I would not recommend an alpaca-based mohair alternative, with the exception of CaMaRose Midnatssol, as in my experience they are rarely – if ever – a true lace-weight yarn.

Good DK-weight options include West Yorkshire Spinners WYS Elements (60% TENCEL™ Lyocell 40%, Falkland Islands Wool; 50g = 122m / 133 yds], Sandnes Garn Double Sunday (100% merino; 50g = 108 m / 118 yrds), Along Avec Anna Double Merino (100% superwash merino, 108 m / 118 yrds), and Sandnes Garn Peer Gynt (100% Norwegian wool; 50g = 91 m / 100 yrds).

Sizing and ease: The Semper Sweater V-Neck has about 5-10 cm / 2-4 in positive ease for sizes A-H, and 5-15 cm / 2-6 in positive ease for sizes H-J. Choose your size based on your chest measurement. If you would like a closer fitting or looser garment, size up or down accordingly. The sizes are as follows:

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) 37.5-39.3, (39.3-41.3) 41.3-43.3 (43.3-45.3) 45.3-49.2 (49.2-53.1) 53.1-57
Actual circumference of garment (cm): 85 (90) 95 (100) 105, (110) 115 (120) 130(140) 150
Actual circumference of garment (in): 33.5 (35.5) 37.5 (39.3) 41.3, (43.3) 45.3 (47.3) 51.2 (55.1) 59
Approximate depth of V-neck before collar (cm): 20 (21.4) 21.4 (24.3) 24.3, (25) 25.7 (27.1) 27.9 (29.3) 31.1
Approximate depth of V-neck before collar (in): 7.75 (8.5) 8.5 (9.5) 9.5, (9.75) 10 (10) 10.5 (11) 11.5
Recommended total length, from bottom of collar to hem at mid-back (cm): 51 (52) 53 (55) 57, (58) 60 (62) 63 (66) 68
Recommended total length, from bottom of collar to hem at mid-back (in): 20 (20.5) 20.75 (21.5) 22.5, (22.75) 23.5 (24.5) 24.75 (26) 26.75
Sleeve circumference (cm): 32 (33.75) 35.25 (36.75) 37.5, (39) 40 (42) 43.25 (47.25) 51
Sleeve circumference (in): 12.5 (13.25) 13.75 (14.5) 14.75, (15.25) 15.75 (16.5) 17 (18.5) 20

The sample garment is Size D to fit a chest measurement of 92 cm / 36 in, but has been modified to be more cropped than the measurements given here to better suit my body type.

Please note that if you would like to alter the depth of the V-neck, you can easily do so by increasing (to shorten) or decreasing (to lengthen) the increase rate along the neckline. If your row gauge is dramatically looser than mine, you may wish to make increases more frequently after Shaping the yoke, pt. 1.