Building Blocks Drop by Aimee Sher

Building Blocks Drop

Knitting
January 2023
Worsted (9 wpi) ?
17 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches
in Stockinette St knit in the round
US 8 - 5.0 mm
US 6 - 4.0 mm
US 5 - 3.75 mm
800 - 2300 yards (732 - 2103 m)
38.5 (43.25, 47, 50.75) [54.5, 59.25, 63, 66.75] (70.5, 75.25, 79)” / 96.5 (108, 117.5, 127) [136.5, 148, 157.5, 167] (176.5, 188, 197.5) cm
low vision format available
English
This pattern is available for $10.50 USD buy it now

The perfect basic with the flawless fit, with thoughtful underarm shaping and optional bust darts to achieve a better fit across all sizes and make sure that shoulder drop really is in the mid-upper arm, not all the way in the elbows! Plus, there are BUST DARTS to make sure your bust is fully accommodated.

Build your perfect sweater with a vest view as well as a full length sleeve view. There are options for pockets, edge stripe (purchase additional yardage for this) and high-low split hem, pictured in these two samples.

The Building Blocks Drop has drop-shoulder construction, worked bottom-up in the round, then split for front and back. The front and back are worked separately, with neck bind offs and short row shoulder shaping, and finished with Three Needle Bind-Off. The sleeves are picked up and worked with a shallow short row cap for fit, and then worked to the wrist for a tapered sleeve.

The pattern features optional bust shaping short rows, which increases the size inclusivity 4 inches in addition to the B cup that the base pattern is drafted for. It also has instructions on moving the bust darts and also for working the armscye for a different size for a full bicep adjustment.

Find all the information you need to know before purchasing, including schematics, measurements, and full yardage listings for every size and view in this PDF! The full pattern also comes with full scale, measurement-line-free coloring pages for nearly every view of the pattern possible for you to plan your perfect vest/pullover with.

Sizes
A (B, C, D) E, F, G, H (I, J, K) designed to fit based on upper bust, with optional bust dart shaping built into the pattern.

To fit upper bust measurements of: 31 (34.25, 37.5, 40.75) 44, 47.25, 50.5, 53.75 (57, 60.25, 63.5)” / 77.5 (85.5, 93.5, 102) 110, 118, 126.25, 134.5 (142.5, 150.5, 159) cm

Finished full bust measurements are: 38.5 (43.25, 47, 50.75) 54.5, 59.25, 63, 66.75 (70.5, 75.25, 79)” / 96.5 (108, 117.5, 127) 136.5, 148, 157.5, 167 (176.5, 188, 197.5) cm

Choose a size based on your upper bust measurement. If the difference between your full bust measure and the finished full bust is between 7 to 11”, then you have chosen the correct size. There are optional bust darts if the difference is 6” or less.

Gauge
17 stitches and 24 rounds = 4” / 10 cm, Stockinette stitch knit in the round on Needle A

Yarn and Yardage
Yarn Selection
Choose a very lightweight, fluffy worsted weight yarn held single, or unspun yarn (held single if particularly fluffy, held double if not), that gets gauge. Please note that all yardages below were worked using the pink sample for the yards/meterage, and all Nutiden yardage based on the burgundy sample. Yardages varied widely between testers on this test for both types of yarn due to row gauge differences and how different each yarn used was, so you may end up using less than the amounts indicated.

Long Sleeve Sample
4 (5, 5, 5) 6, 6, 6, 7 (7, 7, 8) plates of Honer Och Eir Nutiden in Sejd, held double

Nutiden is an unspun yarn and works up to about worsted / light aran weight. It comes in slightly variable yardage (but very flexible gauge) in 100 gram plates

or worsted weight yarn in the following amounts:

1175 (1275, 1375, 1475) 1575, 1700, 1800, 1875 (1975, 2125, 2225) yards / 1075 (1175, 1250, 1350) 1450, 1550, 1650, 1725 (1800, 1950, 2025) meters

25 yards/meters additional are required for each pocket or bust dart size.

Vest Sample
Wooldreamers La Rinconada in Granito (MC) and Blanc Naturale (CC), held single. La Rinconada is a worsted weight, woolen spun 100% Spanish Merino, 252 yards / 230 meters per 3.5 oz / 100g skein

or worsted weight yarn in the following amounts:

800 (900, 975, 1075) 1150, 1250, 1325, 1425 (1500, 1600, 1675) yards / 725 (825, 900, 975) 1050, 1150, 1200, 1300 (1375, 1475, 1525) meters

OR 3 (3, 4, 4) 4, 5, 5, 5 (5, 6, 6) plates of Nutiden.

25 yards/meters additional are required for each pocket or bust dart size.

Needles
Needle A (Main Fabric)
US8 / 5 mm or size to obtain Stockinette stitch gauge, in the following lengths:
Circular needle 32” / 80 cm or higher depending on size
Preferred style for knitting in a small circumference for sleeves

Needle B (Ribbing)
US6 / 4 mm or 2 sizes down from Needle A, in the following lengths:
Circular needle 32-40” / 80-100 cm for body
Circular needle 16” / 40 cm for neckline
Preferred style for knitting in a small circumference for sleeve cuffs

Needle C (Tubular Cast On, optional)
US5 / 3.75 mm or 3 sizes down from Needle A, in the following lengths:
Circular needle 32-40” / 80-100 cm

Notions
Unique marker for beginning of round, 2 stitch markers to mark side and short rows, tapestry needle, waste yarn, removable markers

Credits
Tech Editing & Schematic: Becky Monahan
Tech Editing: Heather Storta
Grading Consultant: Jen Parroccini
Pink Sample Knitter: Hannah Graham
Layout: Symphony Chau
Photos: Roy and Aimee Sher

Accessibility

  • The main pattern file has properly tagged header structure for screen reader users.
  • The low vision file has 22 pt font, black text on white background, no italics, and bolded font for emphasis only throughout.
  • There are no charted instructions in this pattern.

#SizeInclusive #BustDarts