Stripes & Solids Sweater Pattern—Part 1: The Yoke

Happy funky fresh Friday! After weeks of sneak peeks, it’s here: the pool ball sweater, now officially the Stripes & Solids Sweater, is finally ready to share.

The Stripes & Solids Sweater is worked from the top down. First, the back yoke is worked back and forth using short rows to shape the shoulder slope. Then each shoulder is worked with short rows while shaping the neckline, and the shoulder pieces are joined at the base of the neckline to create the full front panel. The front and back are worked separately, then joined under the arms, and the body is worked in the round to the hem. Sleeves are picked up around the armhole and shaped with decreases to the cuff. The neckline ribbing is worked from stitches picked up along the neckline, then folded down and knit together. The pool ball graphics are applied using duplicate stitch once the sweater is complete. 

Sizes

XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 

Finished bust circumference 

43 (45) 47 (49) 51 (53)”

Length 

23 (23.5) 24.25 (25) 25.75 (26.5)” 

(measured mid back, excluding neckline ribbing)

Sizing guide

The Stripes & Solids Sweater is designed with about 12” of positive ease, meaning it’s intended to measure 12” larger than your bust.

Sizes XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) are made to fit a bust circumference of 30–32 (32–34) 34–36 (36–38) 38–40 (40–42)”.

The finished bust measurements listed above include the intended ease.

Gauge

21 sts x 32 rows in stockinette stitch on 4mm needles after blocking

Needles

• 4 mm (US 6) circular needles, 30” / 80 cm

• 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles, 16” / 40 cm

• 4 mm (US 6) double-pointed needles (unless using the magic loop technique)

Yarn 

500 (550) 600 (650) 700 (750) g Cascade 220 Superwash Merino (shown here in Verdant Green 16) for the base sweater.

Less than 25 g sport or DK weight yarn for the pool ball graphics. I used a cotton/acrylic blend, but most scraps will work fine. 

About Increases and Decreases

Increases and decreases are worked so they slant either to the right (M1R and k2tog) or to the left (M1L and ssk).

M1L: Insert the left needle under the strand between stitches from front to back, then knit through the back loop (twisted).

M1R: Insert the left needle under the strand between stitches from back to front, then knit it.

K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together.

SSK: Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip the next stitch knitwise, insert the left needle through the front loops of both slipped stitches, and knit them together.

About Short Rows

Short rows are used throughout the yoke to shape the shoulders and neckline. Use the German Short Row technique for the short rows when the pattern says "turn." 

—Back Yoke—

CO 107 (113) 118 (123) 128 (133) sts using the long-tail cast-on.

Break the yarn.

Slip the first 36 (38) 40 (42) 44 (46) sts from the left to the right needle without working them.

Join new yarn and purl 35 (37) 38 (39) 40 (41) sts, leaving 36 (38) 40 (42) 44 (46) sts unworked, turn.

Next row (RS): Knit to 3 sts past the join, turn.

Continue with short row shaping as follows:

Row 1 (WS): Purl to 3 sts past the previous turn, turn.

(in other words, work the turning stitch and then purl 3 more stitches before turning.)

Row 2 (RS): Knit to 3 sts past the previous turn, turn.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 a total of 12 (12) 13 (14) 14 (15) times. At the last turn, there are 2 (0) 1 (0) 2 (1) sts left on the left needle. 

The next row is a WS row.

Next row (WS): Purl to end of row.

The next row is a RS row.

The back yoke is now shaped like a trapezoid and measures approximately 3 (3) 3.25 (3.5) 3.5 (3.75)" mid back from the cast-on edge.

Work back and forth in stockinette stitch (with no short rows) as follows:

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Repeat these 2 rows 31 (31) 33 (35) 35 (37) times—for a total of 62 (62) 66 (70) 70 (74) rows—until the piece measures approximately 10.75 (10.75) 11.5 (12.25) 12.25 (13)" mid back from the cast-on edge. 

Work increases for the armholes as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K1, M1L, knit to the last stitch, M1R, K1.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Work rows 1 and 2 for a total of 2 (2) 2 (3) 3 (3) times. There are now a total of 111 (117) 122 (129) 134 (139) sts for the back. 

Break the yarn and let the stitches rest while working the shoulders.

—Left Shoulder—

With the right side of the work facing you, pick up 36 (38) 40 (42) 44 (46) sts along the left shoulder using the tail end of your yarn, starting at the neckline and working out toward the shoulder.

Slide the stitches to the other end of the needle to begin knitting a RS row.

Row 1 (RS): K3, turn.

Row 2 (WS): Purl to end.

Row 3 (RS): Knit to 3 sts past the previous turning stitch, turn.

Row 4 (WS): Purl to end.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until there are 2 (0) 1 (0) 2 (1) sts left unworked at the end of the row.

Next row (RS): Knit all sts.

Next row (WS): Purl.

Shape the neckline as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K1, M1L, knit to end.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 7 (8) 8 (8) 8 (8) times ending on a WS row.  There are now a total of 43 (46) 48 (50) 52 (54) sts for the left shoulder. Break yarn and let the stitches rest.

—Right Shoulder—

With the right side of the work facing you, pick up 36 (38) 40 (42) 44 (46) sts along the right shoulder, starting at the shoulder and working in toward the neckline.

The first row is a WS row.

Row 1 (WS): P3, turn.

Row 2 (RS): Knit to end.

Row 3 (WS): Purl to 3 sts past the previous turning stitch, turn.

Row 4 (RS): Knit to end.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until there are 2 (0) 1 (0) 2 (1) sts left unworked at the end of the row.

Next row (WS): Purl all sts.

Next row (RS): Knit.

Next row (WS): Purl.

Shape the neckline as follows:

Row 1 (RS): Knit to 1 st before the end, M1R, K1.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 7 (8) 8 (8) 8 (8) times, ending on a WS row.

There are now 43 (46) 48 (50) 52 (54) sts on the needle for the right shoulder.

Do not break the yarn.

—Front Yoke—

The next row is a RS row.

Join the left and right shoulders to form the front yoke as follows:

Knit across the 43 (46) 48 (50) 52 (54) right shoulder sts, CO 21 (21) 22 (23) 24 (25) new sts using the backwards-loop method, then knit across the 43 (46) 48 (50) 52 (54) left shoulder sts.

There are now 107 (113) 118 (123) 128 (133) sts on the needle.

Next row (WS): Purl all sts.

Work back and forth in stockinette stitch as follows:

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 23 (22) 24 (26) 26 (28) times — for a total of 46 (44) 48 (52) 52 (56) rows.

The next row is a RS row.

Work increases for the armholes as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K1, M1L, knit to the last stitch, M1R, K1.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Work Rows 1 and 2 a total of 2 (2) 2 (3) 3 (3) times.

There are now 111 (117) 122 (129) 134 (139) sts on the needle for the front.

Don’t break the yarn — we’ll pick it up here next week for the body!

Part 2 will be up next Friday and will cover the rest of the base sweater: the body, sleeves, and neckline. The pool ball graphics will be up the Friday after that.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment — I’d be happy to help!