Learn to Knit a Sweater – Woman’s T-shirt
Summertime knitting, and no prior sweater knitting experience needed!
This sweater is a top-down raglan style, knit in a light summery yarn. Learning to knit (and fit) this style of sweater will set you up to knit all kinds of other patterns. I’ve sized this sweater from XS to 3X.
Sizes: XS (S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X) [Actual bust measurements 29” (32”, 36”, 40”, 44”, 48”, 52”).] The fit of this sweater includes 1 inch of ease at the bust.
Needles: Size 7 US 24” circular needles, size 7 US double-pointed needles, size 10.5 US needle (for loose bind-off)
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Sport in Honey Dew, 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8 ) skeins
Additional Materials: 4 stitch markers, scrap yarn for reserving stitches, tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Gauge: 18 stitches and 23 rows over 4 inches (blocked)
The pattern includes links to 7 instructional videos to guide you through the techniques, as well as how to make your sweater fit perfectly.
Pattern + links to 7 instructional videos $8 US via PayPal 
Doin’ a HAPPY dance! Thank you so much for the pattern…
I have to purchase it as soon as I finish that dang WIP…
We will see how patient I will be! Thanks again!
Comment by Debbie — June 21, 2011 @ 2:39 pm
This is fantastic! I haven’t had the nerve to try sweaters yet, so this is an excellent opportunity for me. Thank you!
Comment by Lori — June 21, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
Thank you for another fantastic tutorial! I’m working on my first cardigan right now and picked up a lot of great tips. Do you, by any chance, recall the name of the etsy seller that makes the stitch markers you were using? I know I’ve seen them before, but can’t, for the life of me, remember her name. Thanks so much.
Comment by Susan — June 25, 2011 @ 8:13 pm
Yes – that Etsy shop is here, but she appears to be on vacation right now:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/rycrafty
S t a c i
Comment by s t a c i — June 26, 2011 @ 8:08 am
thanks so much for the info staci! guess i’ll have to wait til she gets back. have a great weekend and keep the wonderful tutorials coming!
Comment by Susan — June 26, 2011 @ 8:49 am
Staci, this is one of the nicest sweaters I’ve seen. Want to make this grandaugher after I finish current project and granddaugter looses her pregnant belly. What yarn did you use, I know you said a cotton blend and I’m betting yarn came from Knit Picks.
Lovely sweater,
Barbara
Comment by Barbara — June 28, 2011 @ 7:05 am
Love your tutorials. Your toe of voice, timing and skill really come through on camera. I am relatively new to knitting, so your videos offer much help and encouragement for me. Thank you.
Comment by Vivian — June 29, 2011 @ 9:47 pm
I am new to your blog and I am so enthralled with your professional tutorials! The video is so sharp and the camera placement makes everything easy to see. Thank you for the inspiration to try something more advanced.
Comment by Kim — June 30, 2011 @ 5:53 pm
Great video (as always!) I’m hoping I get to try this soon. Work just gets in the way, doesn’t it?!
Have a great 4th!!
Comment by Terri — July 2, 2011 @ 6:34 am
I’m tempted to buy the pattern, but my chest measurment is 60inch. Yes that is very big, I know. My problem is I wouldn’t know how to figure how many to cast on and how to make this pattern fit me. Is there a simple way to figure out how to change the pattern up a couple sizes? Thank you.
Comment by Rhonda — July 7, 2011 @ 10:19 pm
Hi Rhonda – I think you’ll be able to alter the size without any problem. This style of sweater is easily fit to any body, and I talk about that in the videos and how to do it. I believe that if you cast on for the 52″ bust, then continue the raglan increases until you are able to fit it the way I show in the video, you’ll be good. The only danger would be with the cast-on number being too small, but this is a wide, boat-neck opening, and the 52″ neck size should be a good fit.
I just did the math, and it looks like you will need 11 skeins of the Knit Picks Comfy Sport yarn, or about 1130 yards of another yarn.
Good luck!
S t a c i
Comment by s t a c i — July 8, 2011 @ 6:55 am
I LOVE your site. You have the best patterns and by far the best tutorials. I’m buying this pattern today so I can follow along and learn to knit this sweater.
But…could you by any chance make your next project (I’m sure you don’t have anything else going on
)selling the pattern and tutorials for the beautiful pink sweater in your “tinking” video???? Please???
Comment by Debbie — July 8, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
Staci, You are making my beginning knitting experience so wonderful, the videos are saving me from much frustration and despair, thank you so much! I’m trying things I never could because of your guidance. I have one request!!! PLEASE can you offer a men’s EASY sweater?? I tried converting the toddler raglan to adult size but the numbers blew my circuits. I know many knitters would love a men’s easy top down raglan. Thanks and thanks again, KIm
Comment by kim — July 9, 2011 @ 10:51 am
I second what Debbie said. I would love to see the pattern and video for the pink sweater1
Comment by Jeane — July 13, 2011 @ 11:47 pm
Hi Jeane – sorry, I replied to Debbie’s comment privately, when I should have done it publicly!
The pink cardigan that you’ll see on the mannequin in some of my videos is not my design, so I really can’t do a tutorial on it. I am, however, working on a woman’s cardigan tutorial right now, which will be released before the end of the year. If you’d like to take a look at the pink sweater pattern, it is called “#221 Summer Cardigan”, and it can be found on this page:
http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com/cardi.html
S t a c i
Comment by s t a c i — July 14, 2011 @ 11:12 am
Hi Staci,
I did the swatch (my very first one) and the width was correct but the lenght for 23 rows was only 3.5 inches. How do I correct this?
I love your site, this is a great way to learn to knit. I am excited about making mky first sweater.
Thank you,
Vicki
Comment by vicki charbonneau — July 18, 2011 @ 7:44 pm
Hi Vicki – very good question. In this pattern (as in most) row gauge isn’t nearly as important as stitch gauge. As long as you have the correct stitch gauge, you’re good to go. Just follow the instructions I give in the videos for fitting your sweater to your body, and your sweater will turn out perfectly.
I’m also just an email away if you have any questions while you’re working on it!
S t a c i
Comment by s t a c i — July 19, 2011 @ 8:10 am
Looking forward to the cardigan tutorial. I’ve purchased Barbara G. Walker’s old book on Knitting from the Top Down and some of the instructions are not clear to me (they might be for someone else, but I struggle with that sort of thing). I want to use fingering weight yarn (because I look better in fine gauge yarns and there are not enough patterns using them) with size 2 needles. I’ve already done my swatch and got 8 stitches to the inch. The problem is, I do not understand how to do the figuring for the first rows. She starts with measuring the back of the neck and using so many stitches for that and then adding on for sleeves, etc.
So, I’m looking forward to your tutorial !!
Comment by Tracy — July 22, 2011 @ 3:32 pm
I am enjoying working on the sweater but have one question. Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but I keep having trouble (every once in a while) at the YO part. I’ll be moving happily along when suddenly 1 of the 4 (in a single row) will come out wonky. I have ripped out several rows several times. Is there a way to correct it without “tink”ing back to it? If so, and I realize this is a HUGE imposition, would it be possible to post a video response in your course? Seems like it might be one of those difficult written explanations – but perhaps I’m wrong.
These mistakes take several different shapes: a larger than normal hole, the twisted YO is closer to the YO before (not centered between), or there is a 3rd yarn involved in the YO.
I even used 2 markers attached to each other so that if I was on the orange, it was a YO row, blue: a knit row.
Also, do you think knitting a row on 40″ circs would mess up the stitches – as an alternative to putting the sts on a thread for trying on? I ended up doing it 3 or 4 times as I wasn’t sure about the sizing ( due to my inexperience in knitting a top).
I really am enjoying the pattern/tutorials. All problems indicated are user errors! lol
Comment by Donna — July 25, 2011 @ 8:16 am
Could you please do a summer sweater in finer gauge yarn with either a round neck or v-neck ?
Comment by Tracy — July 25, 2011 @ 11:12 am
You’re my idol. THANK YOU for sharing your expert advice. I was knitting at the airport in Atlanta last week and a woman from Nebraska asked me if I knew “The Pink Lady”. … I happily told her that you are the only reason I have a pair of socks I can actually wear! Keep on knitting and making your excellent videos for all of us that need you. Thanks again.
Comment by Dianna — August 30, 2011 @ 4:34 pm
Brilliant!! I am new to your site, and I must say that I am so very pleased to have found you! Your videos are wonderful!! This pattern is marvelous. I would have never thought to work sport weight yarn at such a loose gauge. I live in CA and experience quite hot summers. By knitting a light-weight yarn loosely, I’ll be able to wear my knits much more of the year. Thank you so very much for your generosity with your videos!!!!
Comment by Ray — October 1, 2011 @ 9:35 am
I keep seeing this type sweater in the stores and don’t know what to call it to look for a pattern. The sweater is a pullover and looks like it’s two knit rectangles sewn together at the shoulder to make a kind of boat-neck. Then the sides seams are sewn about half way up so the rest of the side is open. So I guess it could fall into the vest category, but not exactly. I know this is very vague, but I don’t know how to better explain it. Thank you.
Comment by Kate — November 13, 2011 @ 5:44 am
I am a beginning knitter and I love the t-shirt sweater pattern. However, I am a jewelry designer and therefore generally wear scoopneck sweaters and shirts to showcase my designs. The sweater you are wearing in the photo above – plain black and scoopnecked, is EXACTLY what I am looking for — in long sleeve and short.. Do you have a pattern for that sweater?
Love your site and thanks so much!
Dawn
Comment by Dawn Bryant — December 25, 2011 @ 7:12 am
I’ve been doing a little knitting off and on for a while, I’ve just finished knitting scarfs for the kids in the family for Christmas. I learn how to make socks from you and enjoyed it very much. I’ve watched this tutorial and have enjoyed it, but wish I could find the pattern for this sweater for free as I am short on cash. I really like the way you teach in the videos, it’s easier for me to learn if I can see it, so thank you so much for that.
Comment by Robin — January 13, 2012 @ 9:03 am
Gate Adjustable Eyes…
[...]v e r y p i n k . c o m » Learn to Knit a Sweater – Woman’s T-shirt[...]…
Trackback by Gate Adjustable Eyes — February 15, 2012 @ 5:06 am
Hello Staci
I am a very beginner in knitting but I decided to knit your green sweater.
I just have one question – you are placing 4 stitch markers. The first one I understand where to place. But what about the next 3? Should it be some number of stitches between the markers?
Thank you a lot!
Julia
Comment by Julia — February 17, 2012 @ 4:54 am
Hi Julia – all of that information, including how many to cast on for each size and where to place the markers, is available in the purchased pattern. The videos are designed to accompany the pattern.
S t a c i
Comment by s t a c i — February 17, 2012 @ 8:59 am