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The Stamford Sweater is a relaxed raglan sweater with a distinctive button-up neckline and a high collar worked in 1x1 rib. The yoke is worked flat and includes some German short-row shaping around the neckline and compound increases to get a better fit across the chest and shoulders. When the yoke is complete, you will put the sleeve stitches to rest and begin to work the body flat. When the button placket is your preferred depth (there are three suggested options), you will join to work the body in the round. You will then apply the collar to the neckline and then work both sleeves in the round.

This pattern has been tech edited by Rebecca Williamson. Should you require pattern support, please contact me by email. The pdf has been formatted for A5 paper. If you would like me to resize this for you for printing, let me know.

Please also note that this pattern has been graded for feminine body types. However, I have also had it professionally graded for masculine body types and am aiming to have it ready for testing by mid-January. If you’d be interested in test knitting, please let me know by email (the.knit.purl.girl2020@gmail.com).

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Materials & Fit

Notions: You will need 3 mm / US 2.5 (40- and 80-cm / 16- and 32-in cord) and 4 mm / US 6 (40-, 60-, and 80-cm / 16-, 24- and 32-in cord circular needles. You will also need at least 8 stitch markers, a darning needle, and either scrap yarn, spare circular needles, or stitch holders for the resting sleeve stitches. You will also need 5 buttons, measuring approximately 2.5 cm / 1 in in length/diameter. I used these buttons by Hemline: https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/hemline-wood-novelty-wooden-...

Please note that as the yoke is worked flat, you could just use circular needles with an 80- or 100-cm / 32- or 40-in cord to make this garment, as long as you are comfortable using the Magic Loop method for the sleeves. Personally, I worked the yoke and body of my sample on a 60-cm / 24-in needle and the sleeves on a 40-cm / 16-in cord but this totally depends on your personal preference and available materials.

Tension: 20 stitches x 30 rows/rounds in Stockinette stitch on 4 mm / US 6 = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 in.

Yarn: You will need approximately 950 (1,010) 1,070 (1,130), 1,180 (1,250) 1,310 (1,370), 1,490 (1,600) 1,700 (1,820) m / 1,030 (1,100) 1,170 (1,230), 1,290 (1,370) 1,430 (1,500), 1,630 (1,750) 1,870 (1,990) yds of both a DK- and a lace-weight yarn if working with 2 strands, or a worsted-weight yarn if working with a single strand. Please note that I have rounded all figures given here up to the nearest 10 m / 10 yds for ease of reading.

For my sample, I used Isager Jensen (100% wool; 100 g = 250 m / 273.5 yds) and Isager Silk Mohair (75% kid mohair, 25% silk; 25 g = 212 m / 232 yds) in the shades 44s and 54 respectively.

If you want to use the same yarns, this works out to be 4 (4-5) 5 (5), 5 (5-6) 6 (6), 6 (7) 7 (8) 100-g hanks of Isager Jensen, and 5 (5) 5-6 (6), 6 (6) 7 (7), 7-8 (8) 8-9 (9) balls of Isager Silk Mohair. You are very welcome to use other yarns.

If you are using a different yarn, more or less any combination of DK- and lace-weight yarns, or any worsted-weight yarn should work nicely here.

My sample is Size C, worn with 9 cm / 3.5 in positive ease on my 89 cm / 35 in bust. It is also 10 cm / 4 in shorter in length through the body than the recommended lengths given below, as I prefer a more cropped fit for my body type.

Sizing and ease: The Stamford Sweater has a recommended positive ease of 8–13 cm / 3.25–5 in for Sizes A-H and 8-18 cm / 3.25-7 in for Sizes I-L around the chest (or the widest part of your torso). However, if you wanted less ease, you would be welcome to choose a smaller size relative to your chest measurement and vice versa.

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 at chest (cm): 88 (93) 98 (103), 108 (113) 118 (123), 133 (143) 153 (163)
Actual circumference of garment at chest (in): 34.75 (36.75) 38.5 (40.5), 42.5 (44.5) 46.5 (48.5), 52.25 (56.25) 60.25 (64.25

Yoke depth (cm): 16.5 (18.5) 19.5 (20.5), 22 (23.5) 23.5 (23.5), 23.5 (23.5) 24 (25.5)
Yoke depth (in): 6.5 (7.25) 7.5 (8.25), 8.75 (9) 9 (9), 9 (9) 9.5 (10)

Body length from cast-on edge to hem at centre back (cm): 55 (57) 58 (60), 61.5 (63) 64.5 (66), 67 (68) 69 (70)
Body length from cast-on edge to hem at centre back (in): 21.75 (22.5) 22.75 (23.5), 24.25 (24.75) 25.5 (26), 26.5 (26.75) 27.25 (27.5)

Sleeve circumference at bicep (cm): 31.5 (32) 33.5 (35), 36 (37.5) 38.5 (40), 43.5 (47.5) 51 (53.5)
Sleeve circumference at bicep (in): 12.25 (12.5) 13.25 (13.75), 14.25 (14.75) 15.25 (15.75), 17.25 (18.75) 20 (21)

Sleeve length (cm): 48
Sleeve length (in): 19

A word on button placket length: During the test knit of this sweater, different knitters had their own preferences for how deep the button placket should be.

Initially, I suggested that all sizes join in the round about 7.5 cm / 3 in after dividing the body and sleeve sections, as this was what I did for my sample. In my sample, the length from the cast-on edge to the live stitches measuring straight down the back was 27 cm / 10.75 in when I joined in the round, and the open edge of the neckline opening measured 21 cm / 8.25 in. The finished button placket on my sample measures about 29 cm / 11.5 in.

However, this was too deep for some of the testers so I have adjusted the pattern to give some options as I don’t like to be too prescriptive, and these are as follows:

1) If you want the placket to have a similar look to my sample, I would recommend working the body flat until the open edge of the neckline measures about 21 cm / 8.25 in.

2) If you would like the placket to be more dramatic, you could also work the body for 7.5 cm / 3 in after dividing the body and sleeves. This would give finished placket lengths of 26 (28) 29 (30), 31.5 (33) 33 (33), 33 (33) 33.5 (35) cm / 10.25 (11) 11.5 (11.75), 12.5 (13) 13 (13), 13 (13) 13.25 (13.75) in. Please note that this is the same as option 1 for Size C, as this was my sample size.

3) If you would prefer a shorter button placket, join in the round at the same time as dividing the body and sleeve sections of the yoke. This would give a finished button placket length of 18.5 (20.5) 21.5 (22.5), 24 (25.5) 25.5 (25.5), 25.5 (25.5) 26 (27.5) cm / 7.25 (8) 8.5 (8.75), 9.5 (10) 10 (10), 10 (10) 10.25 (10.75) in.

Techniques include German short rows, leaning increases and decreases, picking up stitches along vertical and horizontal edges (including with a long tail), working flat and in the round, and working a tubular cast-off.

This isn’t a particularly challenging pattern, but it probably isn’t suitable for beginners either. I’m always happy to offer pattern support where possible.