Caline Turtleneck Sweater Dress

Time: 40-50 hrs

Skill Level: Adventurous Beginner

Sizes: 44 (48, 54, 58, 62, 66)” garment chest circumference, intended with 6-8” of positive ease.

Gauge: 14 sts x 22 rows = 4 x 4” in Stockinette stitch on larger size needles.

Materials

Yarn: Rico Design Fashion Skinny Alpaca (48 % alpaca, 25 % virgin wool, 20 % polyamide, 7% viscose, 213 yards [195 meters]/ 50 grams), Aran weight in color 001,  4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 7) skein.

Needles: US size 9 (5.5mm) and US size 8 (5.0mm) circular needles, 24” cord or larger.

Notions: stitch markers, tapestry needle, tape measure.

Special Stitches

M1R – Make 1 Right: on Right Side – insert Left Needle from Back to Front under the horizontal strand between the last st worked and the next st on the needle, knit this strand through the Front Loop; on Wrong Side – insert the Left Needle from Back to Front into the horizontal strand and purl it through the Front Loop.

M1L – Make 1 Left: on Right Side – insert the Left Needle from Front to Back under the horizontal strand between the last stitch worked and the first stitch on the Left Needle, knit this strand through the Back Loop; on Wrong Side – insert the Left Needle from Front to Back under the horizontal strand and purl it through the back loop.

Pattern Notes

Pattern is worked top-down, starting at the Back Neck. After completing Shoulder increases, the Back piece is knitted flat to underarm. Stitches for Left and Right Front pieces picked up at the Shoulders and knitted flat, shaping the Front Neck. The Back and Front pieces are joined together at underarms, and the rest of the body knitted seamlessly in the round. Short Rows used to give a slight shaping to the hem and to add extra fabric for drape and better fit. Sleeve and turtleneck stitches picked up at the openings, and knitted seamlessly in the round.

Pattern

Back

With larger size circular needle, CO 26 (28, 32, 34, 34, 36) sts.

Setup Row (WS): P3, PM, P 20 (22, 26, 28, 28, 30), PM, P3.

Begin working shoulder inc as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K3, Sl m, M1R, K to m, M1L, Sl m, K3. 2 sts Inc.

Row 2 (WS): P3, Sl m, M1L, P to m, M1R, Sl m, P3. 2 sts Inc.

Rep rows 1 & 2 another 12 (13, 14, 15, 16, 17) times. 78 (84, 92, 98, 102, 108) sts on the needle.

PM to mark this point and measure from here.

Cont to work in St st flat, without increases, until piece measures 7 (7.25, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 8.75)” from marker along the armhole. Break yarn.

Transfer sts to spare needle.

Left Front

With RS of work facing, join yarn at the neck edge of Back Left Shoulder piece. PU and K 26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) sts along Back Left Shoulder, turn.

Setup Row (WS): P 23 (25, 27, 29, 31, 33) sts, PM, P3.

Begin shaping Left Front Neck as follows:

Inc Row (RS): K3, Sl m, M1R, K to end. 1 st Inc.

Next Row (WS): Purl.

Rep last 2 rows another 3 times. 4 sts Inc. 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40) sts on the needle.

Break yarn. Transfer sts to spare needle.

Right Front

With RS of work facing, join yarn at the armhole edge of Back Right Shoulder piece. PU and K 26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) sts along Back Right Shoulder, turn.

Setup Row (WS): P3, PM, P to end.

Begin shaping Left Front Neck as follows:

Inc Row (RS): K to m, M1L, Sl m, K3. 1 st Inc.

Next Row (WS): Purl.

Rep these 2 rows another 3 times. 4 sts Inc. 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40) sts on the needle.

Join Fronts

Join Right and Left Fronts together as follows:

Next Row (RS): K 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40) sts, using Backward Loop CO method, CO

18 (20, 24, 26, 26, 28) sts for Front Neck, K 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40) sts. 78 (84, 92, 98, 102, 108) sts on the needle.

Cont to work flat, in St st, until piece measures 8 (8.25, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 9.75)” along the armhole, ending with RS Row.

Join Front and Back

Setup Rnd: using Backward Loop CO method, CO 0 (0, 2, 4, 6, 7) sts for Left Underarm, K across 78 (84, 92, 98, 102, 108) Back sts, CO 0 (0, 2, 4, 6, 7) sts for Right Underarm, K across 78 (84, 92, 98, 102, 108) Front sts, K 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) sts, place BOR m. 156 (168, 188, 204, 216, 230) sts on the needle.

Body

Work is St st in the rnd, until piece measures 20” from underarm.

Curved Hem

Set-up Rnd: K 78 (84, 94, 102, 108, 115) sts, PM, K to end.

Begin Short Row shaping as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K to 3 sts before M, turn.

Row 2 (WS): Make DS, P to 3 sts before M, turn.

Row 3 (RS): Make DS, K to 3 sts before M, turn.

Rep Rows 2 & 3 another 3 times, and Row 2 once more.

Next Row (RS): Make DS, K to M, Sl M, K to 3 sts before BOR M, turn.

Rep Rows 2 & 3 another 4 times, and Row 2 once more.

Next Row (RS): Make DS, K to BOR m, Sl M.

Knit 1 Rnd. Change to smaller size needles.

Inc Rnd: Evenly inc 16 (16, 20, 20, 24, 26) sts. 172 (184, 208, 228, 240, 256) sts.

Work 2×2 Rib for 4”. BO all sts loosely.

Right Sleeve

With RS facing, join yarn at underarm.

With large size needles, PU and K 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, 3) sts from underarm, 22 (24, 25, 26, 28, 30) sts along Back armhole edge, 24 (26, 27, 28, 30, 33) sts along Front armhole edge, 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) sts from underarm; place BOR marker and join to K in the Rnd.  46 (50, 54, 58, 64, 70) sts on the needle.

*Work in Stockinette, in the Rnd, until sleeve measures 12”.

Change to smaller size needle.

Dec Rnd: Evenly dec 10 (18, 18, 22, 24, 30) sts. 36 (32, 36, 36, 40, 40) sts on the needle.

Work 2×2 ribbing for 4”. BO all sts loosely.

Left Sleeve

With RS facing, join yarn at underarm.

With large size needles, PU and K 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) sts from underarm, 24 (26, 27, 28, 30, 33) sts along Front armhole edge, 22 (24, 25, 26, 28, 30) sts along Back armhole edge, 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, 3) sts from underarm; place BOR marker and join to K in the Rnd. 46 (50, 54, 58, 64, 70) sts on the needle.

Work as for Right sleeve from *.

Turtleneck

With RS facing, join yarn at Right Shoulder. With smaller size needles PU and K 22 (22, 26, 28, 28, 30) sts along Back Neck, PU and K 7 sts along Left Neck edge, PU and K 20 (20, 24, 26, 26, 28) sts along Front Neck edge, PU and K 7 sts along Right Neck edge, place BOR marker and join to work in the Rnd. 56 (56, 64, 68, 68, 72) sts on the needle.

Work in 2×2 Rib for 8”. BO all sts loosely.

Finishing

Weave in the ends. Wet block and lay flat to dry.