This sweater began as an experiment: could I create a sweater with an all over pattern in stranded colorwork, which I love, without steeking, which I do not?

This quest began when I discovered some great geometric patterns in the pages of an old book. I’m not sure what they were meant to be, the book is incomplete and written in a language that I don’t read, but I fell in love with the strong graphic quality of those old charts.

To make the project a bit easier—I chose a design (no. 429) that did not require much float trapping. I also subtracted a smaller portion of that pattern that would be tolerable to purl on the reverse side. An extra bonus is that it’s easy to memorize.

Skipping the steeking also meant that I could choose this soft and delicious yarn, in a fiber that is springy enough to make all the stitches look great.

PATTERN INFO
Sizes
For women’s garments: XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X]
shown in size L with 0 inch/0 cm of ease

Finished measurements
Bust: 31.25[34, 38.25, 43.25, 48, 50, 52.25, 59.25, 62.5, 69.5] inches / 79.5[86.5, 97, 110, 122, 127, 132.5, 150.5, 159, 176.5] cm
Length: 20.5[21.25, 21.5, 24.75, 25.25, 25.5, 25.75, 26, 26.5, 26.75] inches / 52[54, 54.5, 63, 64, 65, 65.5, 66, 67.5, 68] cm

Materials
Louet Gems Fine/Sport Weight [100% Merino Wool; 225 yd/206 m per 100 g skein]
[MC] Olive; 4[4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9] skeins
[CC1] Eggplant; 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] skeins
[CC2] Teal; 2[3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6] skeins

1 set US #4/3.5mm needles for working small circumferences in the round
1 US #4/3.5mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long (if not using magic loop)
1 US #4/3.5mm circular needle, 32 to 40 inches/80 to 100 cm long
1 set US #5/3.75mm needles for working small circumferences in the round
1 US #5/3.75mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long (if not using magic loop)
1 US #5/3.75mm circular needle, 32 to 40 inches/80 to 100 cm long

Gauge
23 sts/24 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in chart pattern and stockinette stitch on larger needles

PATTERN NOTES
This garment is worked seamlessly in the round from the bottom up. The body begins with a folded hem and then is worked from the hem to the underarms in stockinette stitch without shaping. Work the body with a needle length closest to the finished bust measurement.

This sweater is then split at the underarms and the front and back are finished separately. The shoulder seams are finished by using 3-needle bind off as instructed, or alternatively by binding off each shoulder and seaming them together.

Colorwork patterns begin on different stitch numbers so that patterns are centered over body and sleeves. Side stitch patterns trap stitches and balance patterns.

Charts are worked in Stockinette Stitch.