Julie Hoover For Purl Soho: Copley in Blackbird Linen
Julie Hoover’s Copley in Blackbird Linen reminds us once again that when it comes to beautiful garments, less really is more.
Master of the elevated basic, Julie has you knit this drop-shoulder dress knitting pattern in pieces, finishing with seams that provide some structure and a simple counterbalance to the drape of this linen fabric.
You start by knitting the front and back pieces from the bottom up. After finishing the pockets and seaming the shoulders, you pick up stiches for a quick little neckband, then move on to the sleeves, which you pick up and knit flat. You finish by seaming the sleeves and sides, and then you get to slip this stunner over your head to relax in its airy beauty.
Long-lasting and easy to care for, our Blackbird Linen is a wonderful yarn choice for Julie’s wear-everyday dress. This gorgeous 100% French linen yarn has an earthy character and linen’s characteristic cool touch that wicks away moisture, so you stay comfortable through spring, summer, and fall. And it gets softer with every wash, so the more you wear your Copley, the more your love for it will grow!
The colors of Blackbird Linen are rich and expressive with a subtle sheen. Bold but not loud, pick the glowing Warm Copper of our version or a neutral shade like Natural Flax. In these, or any of the other fifteen shades, the simple elegance of this linen will shine!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Designed for Purl Soho by Julie Hoover. Currently based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Julie Hoover designs knitwear and makes yarn, for both her own personal label and others. Her work reflects a lifelong passion for clothing and textiles, and her view that knitting is a beautiful way of creating timeless fashion, a thoughtful mix of quality and creativity, intention and care.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
MATERIALS
- 9 (10, 11, 12) (13, 14, 15, 16) skeins of Purl Soho’s Blackbird Linen, 100% linen yarn. Each skein of this light worsted/DK weight yarn is approximately 175 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1470 (1615, 1795, 1950) (2150, 2295, 2500, 2660) yards required. We used the color Warm Copper.
- US 6 (4mm), 24- or 32-inch circular needles
- US 6, 16-inch circular needles
- A set of US 6 double pointed needles
- Stitch markers
- 4 locking markers
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- Waste yarn for provisional stitches (for optional pockets)
- Blocking wires & T-pins (optional, but recommended)
- A Copley Pattern
GAUGE
18 stitches and 29 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!
36 (40, 44, 48) (52, 56, 60, 64)
To fit actual chest circumference of 30–33 (34–37, 38–41, 42–45) (46–49, 50–53, 54–57, 58–61) inches, with approximately 3–6 inches of ease
- Finished Chest Circumference: 36 (40, 44, 48) (52, 56, 60, 64) inches
- Finished Length from Shoulder to Bottom Edge: 36¼ (36¾, 38¼, 38¾) (40¼, 40¾, 42¼, 42¾) inches
- Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 25 (25, 26, 26) (27, 27, 28, 28) inches
- Finished Sleeve Length from Underarm to Cuff: 10 (10, 10, 10) (9½, 9, 8½, 8) inches
- Length from Center Neck to Cuff: 21 (22, 23, 24) (24½, 25, 25½, 26) inches
- Length from Shoulder to Underarm: 11¼ (11¾, 12¼, 12¾) (13¼, 13¾, 14¼, 14¾) inches
Sample: The sample shown here is size 44 worn with 10 inches of ease (although outside of the recommended ease, we also like this very loose fit!)
PATTERN
The Copley Pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download only.
LEARN ABOUT SANTOLINA + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
A wonderfully wild mix of 70% organically grown cotton, 20% bamboo, and 10% hemp, lovely Santolina brings its hearty character and lustrous finish to this knit. A machine washable, two-ply fingering-weight yarn with a super soft touch, try Santolina… You’ll love it!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Santolina knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarn
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop cotton yarn (What helps cotton keep its cool? Learn all about this soft, natural fiber in our guide to cotton yarn!)
- Shop bamboo yarn
- Shop hemp yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
You all make the most exquisite things! Your patterns allow even beginners to create a beautiful quality piece worthy of the time and effort the knitter puts into it. Thank you. I admire and am so grateful for your sharing patterns with artistic fine craftsmanship. There’s been a marked difference in the recipient appreciation of the quality of pieces I’ve made from Purl Soho.
Hi Katie,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re so happy to hear of your admiration of the patterns we offer!
All the best,
Lili
Hello, I’m think of making a top instead of a dress — maybe 10″ shorter than as written. How would I figure out how much less yearn I would need? size 48.
thanks for any advice.
Hi Jody,
Thanks for reaching out. Based on your idea for this pattern, I think you’ll be able to complete the garment with just 10 skeins of Blackbird Linen. You may want to order an 11th skein just in case though, so I want to let you know that we accept returns of skeins in their original condition. If you end up purchasing 11 skeins, I’d recommend only winding each one until you’re certain you need to use it. That way, you can return the final one for store credit if you don’t end up using it!
All the best,
Lili
Oh em gee … this is beautiful !!! Yet … why oh why are there no complete descriptions of the size and shape and fit ?!! Please don’t make it so hard and a task of sleuthing that info !!! The dress actually has shaping … the hip circumference is much more forgiving than visually indicated … but all of this is only discovered when looking at the detailed measurements of the schematic. The pattern itself nor your introduction of it describe the length … hip measurements … and so many more details that could efficiently be highlighted. It always remains so very aspirational … off on a dreamy cloud !!! Where are all the wonderful makers who put the dream into execution and a finished garment?! The only successful project is a completed project that you are happy with !!!
Hi Ina,
Thanks for writing in! We totally agree that it’s helpful to see the full schematic diagram in order to get a sense of a pattern’s fit. To view this for any of our paid patterns, you can navigate to the pattern PDF’s product page (here, for Copley) and select the second image. This image shows the final page of the pattern, which includes information on materials, gauge, sizes, and the schematic. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Oh my, you lost me with the inches… Is it possible to get the pattern with metric system?
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m afraid that we do not have a version of this pattern that uses the metric system. I’d recommend using an online converter to view any necessary measurements in centimeters instead of inches!
All the best,
Lili
How would this work with Linen Quill (my favorite yarn)?
Hi Jessica,
You can absolutely use Linen Quill for this pattern! You’d just need to hold two strands at once in order to reach the correct yarn weight. I’d also highly recommend knitting up a gauge swatch beforehand in order to confirm that you’re achieving the correct gauge. You may need to adjust your needle size to do so!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, is it possible to make this dress in your 100% merino wool knitting yarn?! Thank you in advance! With love, Willeke
Hi Willeke,
Knitting Yarn is a great choice for this pattern, since it’s also a DK weight yarn! Just be sure to knit up a gauge swatch before beginning so that you can determine the best possible needle size for the project. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to achieve the gauge of the pattern!
All the best,
Lili