Enjoy 25% off all my patterns until 10 November 2024 at 11:59 pm GMT to celebrate the launch of the Sennen Sweater. Thank you!

Yarn kits from Marina Skua can be found here: https://marinaskua.com/products/sennen-sweater-yarn-patte...

The Sennen Sweater is an oversized drop-shoulder sweater with stranded colourwork stripes through the body and sleeves inspired by Sennen Cove Beach in Cornwall, UK. There is also a modification for purl textured stripes if that is your preference. There is optional shaping through the body to create a tapered silhouette, whilst the sleeves have more dramatic shaping around the cuff.

You will start by working the back panel of your sweater before moving onto the left and right shoulders in turn. You will then join the shoulders together to form the front panel. The back and front panel are both worked flat. When you have worked to the specified length for your size, you will join these panels in the round to form the body. Whilst working the length of the body I recommend that you work 5 stripes, with optional shaping between each stripe. The body is finished with a lateral braid before some rib.

You will then work the collar, which also features a lateral braid motif, and then the sleeves, which have stripes to match the body.

This pattern has been professionally tech edited by Wendy Sargeant. If you require pattern support at all, please contact me by email (the.knit.purl.girl2020@gmail.com).

A 4-ply weight version of this pattern is forthcoming. I’m aiming to have it ready in February and you will receive an updated (or additional) pdf when this is ready.

Materials & Fit

Notions: 3 mm / US 2.5 and 4 mm / US 6 circular needles, both with 40- and 80-/100-cm / 16- and 32-/40-in cords. You will also need a darning needle, some stitch markers and something to hold resting stitches (e.g., a spare circular needle, scrap yarn, or a stitch holder).

Yarn: The first sample (Size D) is knit with Marina Skua Mendip DK (100% woollen-spun British lambswool; 50 g = 120 m / 131.5 yds) in the shades Sheep and Sky (main colour and contrast colour respectively, both on the “Sunny” base).

Based on testers’ feedback and my grading, I estimate that you will need approximately 8 (9) 9-10 (10), 10-11 (11) 11 (12), 13 (14) 15 (16) hanks of your main colour and 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 3 (3) 3 (3) of your contrast colour.

If you want to use a different yarn, this works out to be 900 (1,000) 1,070 (1,150), 1,200 (1,250) 1,300 (1,350), 1,550 (1,650) 1,750 (1,850) m / 985 (1,095) 1,170 (1,260), 1,315 (1,370) 1,425 (1,480), 1,695 (1,805) 1,915 (2,025) yds of your main colour.

I estimate that you will need 160 (165) 175 (180), 200 (205) 210 (220), 245 (265) 285 (300) m / 175 (180) 195 (200), 220 (225) 230 (240), 270 (290) 315 (330) yds of your contrast colour.

I have tried to be generous with these estimates, and have rounded these figures up to the nearest 25 m and converted those figures into yards. I’ve then rounded this conversion up to the nearest 5 yards to make this easier to read.

The second sample (Size C) is knit with World of Wool Fluff DK (100% non-superwash merino wool; 50 g = 115 m / 125 yds) in the shade Baby Seal using a slightly different chart for a texture modification. Where relevant, there are notes on this modification throughout the pattern. This does affect the amount of yarn used. You will only need one colour of yarn, and I estimate that you will need approximately 990 (1,020) 1,080 (1,120), 1,240 (1,280) 1,360 (1,390), 1,530 (1,690) 1,820 (1,950) m / 1,085 (1,115) 1,185 (1,225), 1,360 (1,400) 1,490 (1,520), 1,680 (1,850) 2,000 (2,135) yds of a DK-weight yarn.

Please note that this modification was not part of the test knit, so these quantities are based primarily on my sample and grading spreadsheet.

Tension: 21 stitches s x 28 rows/rounds in Stockinette stitch on 4 mm / US 6 needles = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 in. 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 increments as needed, to meet gauge.

Sizing and ease: The Sennen Sweater has a recommended positive ease of 21-27 cm / 8.25-10.5 in around the chest (or the widest part of your torso) for Sizes A-H, and 17-27 cm / 6.75-10.5 in positive ease for Sizes I-L. If you want a tighter fit, you should feel free to pick a size with less positive ease relative to your body using the measurements given below, and vice versa. If in doubt, I recommend measuring a garment you already own that is also oversized and using that as a guideline to help you find your preferred fit.

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

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 (145-155)
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 (57-61)

Actual circumference of garment (cm): 102.5 (106) 111.5 (117), 122.5 (126) 131.5 (137), 142.5 (151.5) 162.5 (171.5)
Actual circumference of garment (in): 40.5 (41.75) 43.75 (46), 48.25 (49.5) 51.75 (54), 56.25 (59.75) 64 (67.5)

Actual sleeve circumference at upper arm (cm): 34.5 (34.5) 37 (37), 40 (40) 43 (43), 46 (51.5) 54.5 (57)
Actual sleeve circumference at upper arm (in): 13.5 (13.5) 14.5 (14.5), 15.75 (15.75) 17 (17), 18 (20.25) 21.25 (22.5)

Recommended sleeve length (cm): 42.5 (42) 41 (41), 40.5 (40.5) 40 (40), 40 (39.5) 39 (38.5)
Recommended sleeve length (in): 16.75 (16.5) 16.25 (16.25), 16 (16) 15.75 (15.75), 15.75 (15.5) 15.25 (15)

Recommended body length from underarm to hem (cm): 35
Recommended body length from underarm to hem (in): 13.75

Note: You can easily adjust the length of the body to better suit your preferences, but this will affect the amount of yarn you need.

—

Techniques include leaning increases and decreases, working flat and in the round, reading a knitting chart, working two-stranded colourwork, picking up stitches along vertical and horizontal edges, working lateral braids, working a tubular cast-off, working an applied folded collar, and German short rows. The textured modification version of this pattern (see sample 2) is simpler than the stranded colourwork version, but this is a relatively straightforward pattern.