Silken Straw Summer Sweater
I’ve always been surprised by knitters who put their needles down for the summer. How do they occupy their hands for those three months? Even if I’d ever been able to break my knitting habit, I’ve never really seen a reason to. After all, some of nature’s most beautiful fiber creations are best experienced on a hot day under the shade of a great big tree!
One of my all-time favorite summer yarns is Alchemy’s Silken Straw. While I appreciate the gorgeous hand dyed color, what really makes Silken Straw so special is its one-of-a-kind texture. Rustic and elegant at the same time, Silken Straw is the perfect blend of country and city mouse. Plus its cool, crisp touch is just what I want when the thermometer is rising, never clingy or sticky!
The Silken Straw Summer Sweater is designed to cover you in just a whisper of silk. A slip of a sweater, its beauty is its understated grace and quiet confidence. Team it up with a camisole for dinner and a movie, or throw it over your bathing suit for a sea glass hunt. So simple to knit and so easy to wear, it’s just like summer itself!
Update: New Yarn
May 2017
We’ve revisited this classic pattern in Purl Soho’s Cattail Silk! Nearly the same as our original Silken Straw Summer Sweater, this version has simpler finishing and lots more sizes. The Cattail Silk also has a lighter drape and, with less shine than the Silken Straw, a more versatile wear-anywhere look. To find the pattern, click here!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoSilkenStrawSummerSweater. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 4 skeins (for both sizes) of Alchemy’s Silken Straw, 100% Silk. Approximately 944 yards required. This color is Cornflower Blue.
- A US 4 (3.5 mm) 24-inch circular needle
- Two US 4 double pointed needles
- A stitch marker
Gauge
Unblocked: 26 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette
Blocked: 24 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette
Sizes
Small/Medium (Medium/Large)
- Hip Circumference: 38 (42) inches
- Chest Circumference: 36½ (40½) inches
- Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 18 inches
NOTE: To adjust the sizing, the easiest thing to do is to alter the gauge. Silken Straw is very amenable to gauge variations! Just divide the cast on number by your stitch-per-inch number and you’ll know the hip measurement. For example, if you’re knitting at 5½ blocked stitches to the inch and you follow the Medium/Large pattern, you’ll end up with 45¾ inch hips (252 divided by 5.5 = 45.8).
Pattern
Body
With the 24 inch circular needle, cast on 228 (252) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Knit every round until the piece measures 5½ inches from the bottom edge (unroll the edge to measure).
Next round: K 114 (126), place marker, knit to end of round.
*Decrease Round 1: Knit to last 3 stitches, ssk, k1. (1 stitch decreased)
Decrease Round 2: K1, k2tog, knit to 3 stitches before first marker, ssk, k1, slip marker, k1, k2tog, knit to end of round. (3 stitches decreased)
Knit 7 rounds.**
Repeat from * to ** four more times. 208 (232) stitches
Knit 14 rounds.
*Increase Round 1: Knit to last stitch, make 1 right (m1r), k1. (1 stitch increased)
Increase Round 2: K1, make 1 left (m1l), knit to 1 stitch before first marker, m1r, k1, slip marker, k1, m1l, knit to end of round. (3 stitches increased)
Knit 7 rounds. **
Repeat from * to ** two more times, ending last round 6 stitches before the end marker. 220 (244) stitches
Create Underarms
Bind off 12 stitches (removing marker), knit to 7 stitches before next marker, bind off 12 stitches (removing marker), knit 98 (110) stitches to first bind off. 196 (220) stitches
Cast On for Sleeves
Place a new beginning-of-round marker; turn so the wrong side of the work is facing you and use a cable cast on to cast on 60 (65) stitches; turn so the right side of the work is facing you, and, making sure the cast on isn’t twisted, knit the next 98 (110) stitches (to the next set of bound off underarm stitches); with the wrong side facing you, use a cable cast on to cast on 60 (65) stitches; with the right side facing you, and, again making sure the cast on isn’t twisted, for the Medium/Large size knit to the end; OR for the Small/Medium Size, knit to the last 2 stitches, k2tog. 315 (350) stitches
Yoke
Knit until the sleeve measures 2 inches from the cable cast on edge.
Decrease Round: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 252 (280) stitches.
Knit until the sleeve measures 4 inches from the cable cast on edge.
Decrease Round: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 189 (210) stitches.
Knit until the sleeve measures 5 inches from the cable cast on edge.
Shaping Neckline
Round 1: K56 (63), bind off 18 stitches, knit to marker, remove marker, knit to beginning of neck bind off. 171 (192) stitches
Note: From now on you will be working back and forth in rows, with each row ending at the neckline.
Row 1 (wrong side): Bind off 3 stitches, purl to end of row. 168 (189) stitches
Row 2 (right side): Bind off 3 stitches, knit to end of row. 165 (186) stitches
Row 3: Bind off 2 stitches, purl to end of row. 163 (184) stitches
Row 4: Bind off 2 stitches, knit to end of row. 161 (182) stitches
Row 5: P1, p2tog, purl to the last 3 stitches, p2tog through the back loop (p2togtbl), p1. 159 (180) stitches
Row 6: K1, ssk, knit to the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. 157 (178) stitches
Row 7: *P1, p2tog, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, p1, p2togtbl, p1. 105 (119) stitches
Row 8: Repeat Row 6. 103 (117) stitches
Row 9: Purl.
Repeat Rows 8 and 9 two more times. 99 (113) stitches.
Bind off loosely.
Finish
Bottom Edge
Cast 3 stitches onto a double pointed needle (for the neatest possible finishing, use a Provisional Cast On).
Knit an Attached I-cord around the bottom hem of the sweater, picking up 1 stitch for each cast on stitch. (When you are finished: If you used a provisional cast on, join the beginning and end of the I-cord with the Kitchener Stitch. If you just cast on normally, bind off the I-cord and sew the beginning and end together.)
Armhole Edges + Neckline
In the same way, knit Attached I-cords to the sleeve edges and around the neckline. Pick up 1 stitch for each cast on or cast off stitch; and, along the neckline, for each edge stitch.
Weave + Block
Weave in the ends. Block your finished sweater by first soaking it in room temperature water and a mild detergent (I love Soak because you don’t have to rinse it!). Squeeze out the excess water first with your hands, then by rolling the sweater in a dry towel. Finally, lay your sweater flat on another dry towel. You’ll notice that the sweater grows a bit when you block it and also that the silk really softens. Your sweater won’t continue to grow each time you wash it, but it will continue to get softer and softer! Enjoy!
Is there another yarn that would work with this pattern? Cattail Silk?
Hi Saskia,
Thanks for reaching out! I think Cattail Silk would be a perfect alternative, especially since it’s also 100% silk (and machine washable)!
Happy knitting!
Zha Zha
Can you tell me how much yardage needed for the
Silken straw summer sweater.
Hi Bridget,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we no longer have the exact yardage information for this sweater, but since Silken Straw had 236 yards, I would plan on needing 944 yards.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
What is the required yardage for this sweater? Since the original yarn is not stocked, I couldn’t convert.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately we no longer have the exact yardage information for this sweater, but since Silken Straw had 236 yards, I would plan on needing 944 yards.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I was wondering if there was a schematic drawing of this top?
Hi Dawna,
Thanks for writing in! I’m afraid we don’t have a schematic for this pattern, but I will certainly pass your request along to the design team!
Best,
Julianna
How many skeins of cattail would be required for this pattern?
Hi Beth,
Thanks for reaching out! Cattail Silk would be great with this pattern! 2 skeins would be plenty for either size!
Warmly,
Gianna
I am at that part where I am working on shaping the neckline in back and forth rows. Question: row 1 states “wrong side” in purl stitches. row 2 states “right side” in knit stitches. Are the following rows also wrong side for purl and right side for knit?
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for reaching out. Yes, all of the rows in this section are knit on the right side and purled on the wrong side!
All the best,
Lili