Right about now, many of us are tucking our hand knits into beds of cedar shavings for the summer, but don’t toss the knitting needles in there, too! Warm weather never stopped us from casting on, and our Circular Yoke Summer Shirt is one great reason why!

Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho

In our gorgeous new Cattail Silk, the Circular Yoke Summer Shirt is light and airy, fresh and ventilating, just what a summer knit should be. Knit in the round from the bottom up, its beauty come from simple details, like pretty yoke decreases, gentle waist shaping, and no-fuss finishing.

Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho

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.

Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho

And best news for last, you only need two or three skeins of Cattail Silk! We used cool and collected Lavender Daybreak, but our palette of eighteen colors is full of lots of pretty choices. And with a whole summer of knitting ahead, no need to choose just one!

Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoCircularYokeSummerShirt, and #PurlSohoCattailSilk. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho
  • 2 (2, 2, 3, 3) (3, 3, 3, 4) skeins of Purl Soho’s Cattail Silk, 100% silk. Each skein is 618 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 945 (1090, 1240, 1415, 1520) (1655, 1805, 1955, 2105) yards required. We used the color Lavender Daybreak.
  • US 3 (3.25 mm), 24-inch circular needles
  • Size 34¾ only: US 3, 16-inch circular needles
  • Stitch markers, including one unique

GAUGE

28 stitches and 36 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked

SIZES

NOTE: For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!

34¾ (38¾, 42¾, 46¾, 50¾) (54¾, 58¾, 62¾, 66¾)

To fit actual chest circumference of 31-33 (35-37, 39-41, 43-45, 47-49) (51-53, 55-57, 59-61, 63-65) inches, with approximately 1¾-3¾ inches of positive ease

  • Finished Chest Circumference: 34¾ (38¾, 42¾, 46¾, 50¾) (54¾, 58¾, 62¾, 66¾) inches
  • Finished Waist Circumference: 33¼ (37¼, 41¼, 44½, 48½) (52½, 56½, 60½, 64½) inches
  • Finished Hip Circumference: 36½ (40½, 44½, 48, 52) (56, 60, 64, 68) inches
  • Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 18 inches
Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho

SAMPLE: The sweater shown here is size 38¾, worn with 3 inches of ease.

NOTE: We have updated this pattern to include more sizes. If, for some reason, you would like the original pattern, please contact customerservice@purlsoho.com, and we’ll send you the PDF!

PATTERN

BODY

BEGIN AT BOTTOM EDGE

Cast on 256 (284, 312, 336, 364) (392, 420, 448, 476) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place a unique marker for end of round and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit every round until piece measures 5½ inches from cast-on edge (unrolled). (NOTE: You may begin shaping earlier if you prefer to shorten the length from Bottom Edge to Underarms.)

Next Round: K128 (142, 156, 168, 182) (196, 210, 224, 238), place marker (pm), knit to end of round.

SHAPE BODY

*Decrease Round 1: Knit to next marker, slip marker (sm), knit to last 3 stitches, slip slip knit (ssk), k1. [1 stitch decreased]

Decrease Round 2: K1, knit 2 together (k2tog), knit to 3 stitches before next marker, ssk, k1, sm, k1, k2tog, knit to end of round. [3 stitches decreased]

Knit 8 rounds even, or for just under 1 inch.

Repeat from * 5 more times. [232 (260, 288, 312, 340) (368, 396, 424, 452) stitches remain]

Knit 10 rounds even, or for just over 1 inch. (NOTE: You may adjust the number of these rounds if preferred.)

**Increase Round 1: Knit to next marker, sm, 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 marker, m1R, k1, sm, k1, m1L, knit to end of round. [3 stitches increased]

Knit 9 rounds even, or for 1 inch.

Repeat from ** 2 (2, 2, 3, 3) (3, 3, 3, 3) more times. [244 (272, 300, 328, 356) (384, 412, 440, 468) stitches]

Knit every round until Body measures 18 inches from cast-on edge (rolled), or until desired length, ending last round 7 (9, 10, 12, 12) (12, 13, 13, 13) stitches before end-of-round marker.

BIND OFF FOR UNDERARMS

Bind off 14 (18, 20, 24, 24) (24, 26, 26, 26) stitches (removing end-of-round marker), knit to 7 (9, 10, 12, 12) (12, 13, 13, 13) stitches before next marker, bind off 14 (18, 20, 24, 24) (24, 26, 26, 26) stitches (removing marker), knit to first bind off. [216 (236, 260, 280, 308) (336, 360, 388, 416) stitches remain]

CAST ON FOR SLEEVES

Turn work so wrong side is facing you and cable cast on 67 (72, 80, 80, 91) (92, 100, 106, 107) stitches; turn so right side of work is facing you, and making sure cast on isn’t twisted, knit next 108 (118, 130, 140, 154) (168, 180, 194, 208) stitches (to next set of bound-off stitches); turn so wrong side is facing you and cable cast on 67 (72, 80, 80, 91) (92, 100, 106, 107) stitches; turn so right side is facing you, and again making sure cast on isn’t twisted, knit next 54 (59, 65, 70, 77) (84, 90, 97, 104) stitches, pm for new end of round. [350 (380, 420, 440, 490) (520, 560, 600, 630) stitches]

YOKE

NOTE: The end of round is now located at center back.

Knit every round until Sleeves measures 1¾ (2¼, 2¾, 3½, 3) (3¼, 3½, 3¾, 4) inches from cable-cast-on edge.

Decrease Round: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [280 (304, 336, 352, 392) (416, 448, 480, 504) stitches remain]

Knit 16 (16, 16, 16, 12) (12, 12, 12, 12) rounds, or for 1¾ (1¾, 1¾, 1¾, 1¼) (1¼, 1¼, 1¼, 1¼) inches.

Decrease Round: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [210 (228, 252, 264, 294) (312, 336, 360, 378) stitches remain]

Knit 9 rounds, or for one inch.

SIZES 50¾, 54¾, 58¾, 62¾, AND 66¾ ONLY

Decrease Round: *K– (–, –, –, 8) (5, 3, 2, 2), k2tog, repeat from * to last – (–, –, –, 4) (4, 1, 0, 2) stitch(es), knit to end of round. [– (–, –, –, 265) (268, 269, 270, 284) stitches remain]

Knit 9 rounds, or for one inch.

SHAPE NECKLINE

ALL SIZES

Set-Up Round: K95 (104, 116, 122, 122) (124, 124, 125, 132), bind off 20 (20, 20, 20, 21) (20, 21, 20, 20) stitches, knit to end-of-round marker, remove marker, knit to beginning of bind off. [190 (208, 232, 244, 244) (248, 248, 250, 264) stitches remain]

NOTE: From now on you will be working back and forth in rows, with each row ending at the Neckline edge. Also, for this section feel free to try a Sloped Bind Off for a neater finish!

Row 1 (wrong side): Bind off 4 stitches, purl to end of row. [186 (204, 228, 240, 240) (244, 244, 246, 260) stitches remain]

Row 2 (right side): Bind off 4 stitches, knit to end of row. [182 (200, 224, 236, 236) (240, 240, 242, 256) stitches remain]

Row 3: Bind off 3 stitches, purl to end of row. [179 (197, 221, 233, 233) (237, 237, 239, 253) stitches remain]

Row 4: Bind off 3 stitches, knit to end of row. [176 (194, 218, 230, 230) (234, 234, 236, 250) stitches remain]

Row 5: P1, purl 2 together (p2tog), purl to last 3 stitches, p2tog through the back loop (p2tog tbl), p1. [174 (192, 216, 228, 228) (232, 232, 234, 248) stitches remain]

Row 6: K1, ssk, knit to the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. [2 stitches decreased]

Row 7: *P1, p2tog, repeat from * to last 4 (4, 4, 4, 4) (5, 5, 4, 6) stitches, p1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (2, 2, 1, 3), p2tog tbl, p1. [115 (127, 143, 151, 151) (154, 154, 155, 165) stitches remain]

Row 8: Repeat Row 6. [2 stitches decreased]

Row 9: Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 8 and 9 two more times. [109 (121, 137, 145, 145) (148, 148, 149, 159) stitches remain]

Bind off loosely in knit stitch.

FINISHING

BOTTOM, ARMHOLE, + NECKLINE EDGES

NOTE: Use 16-inch circular needles if making size 34¾.

Pick up and bind off around the Bottom, Armhole, and Neckline edges. Here’s how…

Picking up 1 stitch for each cast-on or bound-off stitch, and along the Neckline, for each edge stitch, pick up two stitches, *pass first stitch over, pick up one stitch, repeat from * around entire edge, cut yarn and pull through remaining stitch.

WEAVE IN + BLOCK

Weave in the ends and wet block to finished dimensions.

Circular Yoke Summer Shirt | Purl Soho