The website that hosted St. James is currently offline. I will be republishing this pattern on my website as soon as possible with updates for an even better fit! If you would like to receive a copy in the meantime, please email tonyawagner@theshizknit.com and send it to you as soon as possible.

St. James is a boatneck shirt knit top-down in the round, making it excellent for advanced beginners. The seed stitch tie and simple shaping make this sweater fun to knit without making it too complicated.

One of my biggest style influences is forties and fifties “secretary fashion.” I was delighted to see blouses with ties on the Proenza Schouler runway, which fit perfectly into my fifties aesthetic. I fell in love with this detail and knew that I somehow would incorporate it into a knit garment. My idea was reinforced when I saw the ties pop up in the Dolce and Gabbana Fall collection and in various fashion magazines.

My design is a more accessible version of what you see on the runways. The tie collar draws the eye up to your face and the neckline shows off the collarbone. St. James can be dressed up or down. I can still feel stylish as I run errands with my one-year-old son and effortlessly transition to a night out with my husband by trading casual pants for a pencil skirt. Pair St. James with straight-leg jeans and you can fit in just about anywhere – wear ballet flats for day and heels at night.

St. James is named for St. James Court, home of an excellent art fair every that takes place annually in Louisville.

Hate picking up and knitting stitches? Here are some other ways to create the collar.

Don’t like the ties? How to create a plain collar.