Specifications
| Brand: | Valley Yarns |
| Yarn Weight: | DK | Light Worsted, Lace | 2 Ply, Sport, Worsted |
| Designer: | Kirsten Hipsky |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
| Techniques and Construction: | Seamless, Top Down, Worked In The Round |
| Pattern Code: | 155 |
Product Description
Imagine knitting a sweater with no seams to sew, that you can try on at any time, that you can just knit until you run out of yarn, with the only purl stitches being at the ribbing. It’s not a dream! It’s Valley Yarns Deep Breath Sweater that is the beauty of the boat neck top-down sweater as explained in Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top Down. This would make an ideal first top-down sweater. For those of you who are trepidatious about trying this method of sweater design, just take a deep breath and dive right in! It's easier than you'd imagine. And if you're an experienced knitter who maybe has some yarn that already "does all the talking," or perhaps if you need a break from all the intricate stuff, breathe easy. This'll be so relaxing.
Finished Measurements: 38 (40, 42, 44, 46, 48)" bust
Yarn Requirements: Approx. 900 (1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400) yards of Valley Yarns Colrain Lace in Navy
Needles: US 8 (5.00mm) 12" or 16" and 32" circular and DPNs
Gauge: Approx. 16 sts and 24 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch
Pattern updated on 06/03/13.
Valley Yarns Deep Breath Sweater
What Is Being Made
The Deep Breath Sweater is a seamless, top-down knit garment featuring a boat neck design. This sweater is constructed without seams, allowing knitters to try on the piece at any stage during construction and to knit until yarn runs out, with only the ribbing containing purl stitches. The design is ideal for knitters new to top-down sweater construction, offering a straightforward introduction to this popular technique.
Construction Method and Techniques
This sweater is worked seamless and in the round using the top-down method, a technique explained by Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top Down. The sweater begins at the boat neck and progresses downward, with sleeves divided off and worked separately on shorter circular needles while the main body remains on longer circulars. This approach eliminates the need for seaming and allows for continuous try-ons throughout the knitting process.
The raglan shaping is created by strategic decreasing at the armholes and along the sleeves. When dividing the sleeves, the first and last stitches at each armhole are knit together to eliminate gaps. Sleeves are decreased at the beginning and end of specified rounds—every 10th, 8th, 7th, 6th, and 5th round depending on size—until the sleeve reaches 32 stitches.
Stitches Used
- Knit stitch (k) – forms the main fabric of the sweater body and sleeves
- Purl stitch (p) – used exclusively in ribbing sections
- K2, p2 ribbing – creates the finished edges at the neckline and cuffs, worked for 1 inch at each location
- Garter stitch – mentioned as an alternative option for a lighter, semi-sheer variation
- Yarn overs (yo's) – suggested as substitutes for make-ones (m1's) to create lacy eyelet details in variations
Design Variations
The pattern accommodates creative modifications for different effects. For a light, semi-sheer layering sweater, knitters can work with lace-weight yarn at the same gauge, substitute garter stitch rows for ribbing, incorporate yarn overs instead of make-ones to form lacy eyelet raglan lines, and work sleeves straight without decreasing for big, loose, drapey proportions.
Materials
This project requires circular needles in two lengths—longer circulars for the main body and shorter circulars for the sleeves—as well as double-pointed needles (dpn) for the final portions of sleeve shaping when stitch counts become too small for circulars. The sweater is worked in yarn at a specified gauge; lace-weight yarn is mentioned as an alternative for creating semi-sheer variations.
Difficulty Level
Rated as intermediate, the Deep Breath Sweater is positioned as an ideal first top-down sweater project. The pattern is designed to build confidence in knitters who may be hesitant about top-down construction methods, offering clear instruction and a manageable structure that progresses logically from neckline to hem.
Designer
This sweater was designed by Kirsten Hipsky and is part of the Valley Yarns collection.
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