Cove Sweater
The Cove Sweater is a modified drop-shoulder sweater with a relaxed, boxy fit. It is a relaxing knit that has a lot of small details which make it an elevated addition to your wardrobe. You will begin by working the back panel and will then pick up and knit stitches to form the shoulders, which will be joined to form the front panel. You will then join the front and back panel in the round and work to your preferred length. You have the option of shaping the body with some German short rows to create a dipped hem effect, which makes the front of the sweater sit higher than the back. You will finish the body with a 2x2 rib hem. You will then work the sleeves. The sleeves are then finished with decorative decreases before the cuffs. Finally, you will work an applied 2x2 rib collar to finish the garment.
Please note that this is a digital pdf and not a physical knitting pattern.
This pattern has been tech edited and test knitted. Should you require pattern support, please contact me either via the form on this website or by email.
Materials & Fit
Notions: 4 mm / US 6 (40- and/or 60- cm / 16- and/or 20-in 80- and/or 100-cm / 32- and/or 40-in cord) and 5 mm / US 8 (80-, and/or 100-cm / 24-, 32-, and 40-in cord) circular needles. You will also need some 3.5 mm / US 4 circular needle to finish off the collar. You will also need a few stitch markers, a darning needle, and some spare needles/scrap yarn/stitch holders where the back panel will rest. At least 2 of the stitch markers should have a clip-on mechanism to help you keep track of your progress, especially when mapping out the back shaping.
Tension: 18 sts x 29 rows and rounds in stocking stitch on 5 mm [US8] needles = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 in. Make sure to wash and block your swatch for the most accurate results. Please note that I have tighter-than-average row gauge, but this isn’t too important in this pattern. You may wish to go up or down a needle size, working in 0.25/0.5 mm increments as needed, to meet gauge.
Sizing and ease: The Cove Sweater has a recommended positive ease of 15-25 cm / 6-10 in around the chest (or the widest part of your torso). If you want a tighter fit, you should feel free to pick a size with less positive ease relative to your body using the measurements given below, and vice versa. If in doubt, I recommend measuring a garment you already own that is also oversized and using that as a guideline to help you find your preferred fit.
Size: A (B) C (D), E (F) G (H), I (J) K (L)
Chest measurement (cm): 75-80 (80-85) 85-90 (90-95), 95-100, (100-105) 105- 110 (110-115), 115-125 (125-135) 135-145 (145-155)
Chest measurement (in): 29.5-31.5 (31.5-33.5) 33.5-35.5 (35.5-37.5), 37.5-39.25 (39.25-41.25) 41.25-43.25 (43.25-45.25), 45.25-49.25 (49.25-53.25) 53.25-57 (57-61)
Actual circumference of garment (cm): 93.5 (100) 104.5 (109), 115.5 (120) 124.5 (131), 140 (151) 160 (169)
Actual circumference of garment (in): 36.75 (39.25) 41 (42.75), 45.5 (47.25) 49 (51.5), 55 (59.5) 63 (66.5)
Actual yoke depth at outer edges of the yoke (cm): 18 (18.5) 19.5 (20), 20.5 (21) 21.5 (22.5), 24 (26.5) 28.5 (29.5)
Actual yoke depth at the outer edges of the yoke (in): 7 (7.25) 7.75 (7.75), 8 (8.25) 8.5 (8.75), 9.5 (10.5) 11.25 (11.5)
Sleeve circumference at upper bicep (cm): 36.5 (37.5) 39 (40), 41 (42.5) 43.5 (44.5), 48 (53) 56.5 (59)
Sleeve circumference at upper bicep (in): 14.5 (14.75) 15.25 (15.75), 16.25 (16.5) 17 (17.5), 19.25 (21) 22.25 (23.25)
Recommended sleeve length (cm): 42.5 (42) 41 (41), 40.5 (40.5) 40 (40), 40 (39.5) 39 (38.5)
Recommended sleeve length (in): 16.75 (16. 5) 16.25 (16.25), 16 (16) 15.75 (15.75), 15.75 (15.5) 15.25 (15)
Recommended total length from back neck cast-on edge to hem at the mid-back (cm): 57 (58) 60 (60), 62 (63) 63 (64), 64 (65) 65 (66)
Recommended total length from back neck cast-on edge to hem at the mid-back (in): 22.5 (22.75) 23.5 (23.5), 24.5 (24.75) 24.75 (25.25), 25.25 (25.5) 25.5 (26)
Yarn: You will need approximately 8-9 (9) 9 (9-10), 10 (11) 11 (11-12), 12 (12-13) 13 (13-14) skeins of Sandnes Garn Double Sunday (100% merino wool; 50 g = 108 m / 118 yds) held with 4 (5) 5 (5), 5 (5-6) 6 (6), 6 (6) 6-7 (7) skeins of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair (70% mohair, 30% silk; 25 g = 225 m / 246 yds). These estimates are based on the sample garments and the grading, and I have tried to be generous with them.
The first sample garment is made with Sandnes Garn Double Sunday in the shade That Orange Feeling from the PetiteKnit shade card, and Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair in the shade Blood Orange. The second sample garment is made with Sandnes Garn Peer Gynt in the shade Natural Tweed 2523, and Filcolana Tilia in the shade Natural White 101 (see Yarn alternatives below for more information).
If you wish to substitute different yarns, I estimate that you will need roughly 875 (925) 975 (975-1,000), 1,050 (1,100) 1,150 (1,200), 1,250 (1,300) 1,350 (1,425) m / 975 (1,025) 1,075 (1,075-1,100), 1,150 (1,200) 1,275 (1,325), 1,375 (1,425) 1,475 (1,575) yds of each yarn. Please note that I have rounded the figures here up to the nearest 25 m [25 yds] for ease of reference. Again, I have tried to be generous here based on my samples and the grading and testers’ feedback.
Yarn alternatives: In place of Sandnes Garn Double Sunday, I recommend Sandnes Garn Peer Gynt (100% Norwegian wool; 50 g = 91 m / 100 yds); Isager Jensen (100% wool; 50 g = 125 m /137 yds); Wool Dreamers Mota (100% Spanish merino Entrefino wool; 100 g = 230 m / 252 yds); Knitting For Olive Heavy Merino (100% merino wool; 50 g = 125 m / 136.5 yds); or Filcolana Peruvian Highland Wool (100% Peruvian highland wool; 50 g = 100 m /109 yds). If you wanted a superwash option, Along Avec Anna Double Merino (100% superwash merino wool; 50 g = 108 m / 118 yds) is lovely (if you are holding the yarn with a mohair, though, I would still strongly recommend hand-washing your garments). You could also use 2 strands of a fingering-weight yarn held together to achieve a similar effect. I like Sandnes Garn Sunday (100% merino wool; 50 g = 235 m / 275 yds); Knitting for Olive Merino (100% merino wool; 50 g = 250 m / 274 yds); and Sandnes Garn Tynn Peer Gynt (100% Norwegian wool; 50 g = 205 m / 224 yds).
In place of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair, I recommend Filcolana Tilia (70% mohair, 30% silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds); Drops Kid-Silk (75% mohair, 25% silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds); Sandnes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair (57% mohair, 15% wool and 28% silk; 25 g = 212m / 232 yds); Along Avec Anna Silk Mohair (72% mohair, 28% silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds); and CaMaRose Midnatssol (54% baby alpaca, 36% Tencel, 10% merino wool; 25 g = 200 m / 219 yds). I do find that most lace-weight mohair yarns are more or less interchangeable when the silk content is below 30%, however, so feel free to use your preferred mohair yarn here. I would hesitate to recommend lace-weight alpaca yarns (with the exception of CaMaRose Midnatssol), however, as I find that they knit up to a much heavier weight than a mohair which can impact your tension.
