Magic Hour Sweater
Magic Hour. That fleeting moment just before sunset when the sun is extra golden and the shadows are extra blue. Romantic and moody, it is my favorite time of day. It's special anywhere you are, and I always loved summer nights in the city, but there's something particularly spectacular to see the sun fade over the mountains. I've been spending a lot of evenings outside knitting while my boyfriend Nick (aka my personal photographer) fishes in the river just in front of our place, and as I worked on this latest Lion Brand collab sweater, I noticed how the little flecks of color in the yarn matched the epic sky. The name was meant to be! Scroll down for the free pattern for the Magic Hour Sweater, or click here to purchase the ad-free PDF.
You can purchase a kit from Lion Brand with everything you need here. They just launched a brand new website that makes kit shopping so much easier and more customizable - now you have the option to choose any color yarn you'd like and add the additional materials like needles and notions to your kit order!
I have to admit that as an extrovert, even though it's wonderful to be living in nature and getting to experience a really beautiful upstate summer, I definitely miss the hustle bustle of the city. And just other humans, haha. I know the definition of "extrovert" is an expressive, outgoing person (which I guess I sort of am) but what I've come to learn is it's really about where you find your energy. Introverts recharge when they're alone, and extroverts are energized when they are around others - and that is definitely me! So not having physical access to all of my favorite people has been a bit draining since quarantine started, BUT there are definitely surges of energy when I get really excited about a project. And the Magic Hour Sweater absolutely falls into that category!
Some of you may remember the Spring Breeze Sweater I designed for Lion Brand last year as part of their summer promo. It's a simple, loose garter stitch crewneck with a slightly longer back body thanks to some short row shaping. It's one of those pieces that is basic in the best way possible. It's so light and easy to throw on, and that back curve gives it a little more personality than a standard silhouette. On top of that, there's hardly any purling which makes for a very enjoyable project (unless you're like me, and you actually like purling, haha). The Spring Breeze Sweater quickly became one of my most popular patterns! I knew it was a good "base pattern" to build off of for future designs, so I made a note to revisit it this spring.
For the Magic Hour Sweater, I chose to knit the back panel identically to the Spring Breeze, but I switched up the neckline on the front into a v-neck instead of a crewneck. There's something so satisfying about a knit v-neck collar, and I'm so excited with how this one turned out. I also made the sleeves slightly roomier to give the whole sweater a bit more slouchy feel. Best of all - I graded this pattern into 8 sizes, AND I went back and graded the Spring Breeze Sweater into 8 sizes as well (it was previously only 3 sizes)! Woohoo!
While this pattern is pretty basic, the addition of the short rows and the v-neck keep it interesting. If you're nervous about either of those things - don't worry! They are much easier than they sound/look. Short rows in garter stitch are very simple and nearly invisible as well. This is a great introduction to the technique if you are unfamiliar.
This is an easy level knitting pattern and the techniques involved are the knit stitch, purl stitch, ssk and k2tog single decreases, s2kp double decrease, picking up stitches along an edge, and short rows.
MATERIALS:
2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) skeins Lion Brand Yarn Comfy Cotton Blend in Driftwood or approx. 784yds/716m (1176yds/1074m, 1176yds/1074m, 1176yds/1074m, 1176yds/1074m, 1176yds/1074m, 1568yds/1432m, 1568yds/1432m) of another light worsted, category 3 yarn
Size US 10.5 (6.5mm) circular knitting needles, 24”/60cm long
Size US 11 (8mm) knitting needles
Stitch holder or scrap yarn
Removable stitch markers
Tapestry needle
FINISHED SIZE:
Suggested positive ease: 12-14”/30.5-35.5cm
Pictured in a size S on model with 34”/86cm bust
GAUGE:
12 sts + 20 rows = 4”/10cm in garter stitch on US 11 (8mm) needles
ABBREVIATIONS:
CO – cast on
K – knit
K2tog – knit 2 together
P – purl
Rep – repeat
RS – right side
S2KP – slip 2 knitwise together, knit 1, pass sl sts over
SSK – slip, slip, knit
St(s) – stitch(es)
W&t – wrap and turn
STITCH EXPLANATION:
Wrap and turn (w&t) – Bring working yarn to front of work, slip next stitch purlwise with yarn in front, bring working yarn to back of work, slip the wrapped stitch back to the left needle purlwise with yarn in back, bring working yarn to front of work once more, and turn the work.
Notes: Sweater is worked flat in separate pieces from the bottom up for the body and top down for the sleeves. Neckline is picked up and knit in the round. Short rows are used to lengthen back of sweater. Pattern is written for eight sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL).
BACK
With size US 10.5 (6.5mm) needles, CO 65 (71, 77, 83, 89, 95, 101, 107) sts.
Row 1: K 1, *P 1, K 1, rep from * to end of row.
Row 2: P 1, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to end of row.
Rows 3-6: Rep rows 1 and 2.
Change to size US 11 (8mm) needles.
Rows 7 and 8: K.
Begin short row shaping to curve back hem:
Row 9: K 38 (42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72, 78), w&t.
Row 10: K 11 (13, 19, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49), w&t.
Row 11: K 15 (17, 23, 29, 35, 41, 47, 53), w&t.
Row 12: K 19 (21, 27, 33, 39, 45, 51, 57), w&t.
Row 13: K 23 (25, 31, 37, 43, 49, 55, 61), w&t.
Row 14: K 27 (29, 35, 41, 47, 53, 59, 65), w&t.
Row 15: K 31 (33, 39, 45, 51, 57, 63, 69), w&t.
Row 16: K 35 (37, 43, 49, 55, 61, 67, 73), w&t.
Row 17: K 39 (41, 47, 53, 59, 65, 71, 77), w&t.
Row 18: K 43 (45, 51, 57, 63, 69, 75, 81), w&t.
Row 19: K 45 (47, 53, 59, 65, 71, 77, 83), w&t.
Row 20: K 47 (49, 55, 61, 67, 73, 79, 85), w&t.
Row 21: K 49 (51, 57, 63, 69, 75, 81, 87), w&t.
Row 22: K 51 (53, 59, 65, 71, 77, 83, 89), w&t.
Row 23: K 53 (55, 61, 67, 73, 79, 85, 91), w&t.
Row 24: K 55 (57, 63, 69, 75, 81, 87, 93), w&t.
Rows 25 and 26: K to end of full row.
Row 27: K.
Rep row 27 until work measures 19”/48cm (19.5”/49.5cm, 20”/51cm, 20.5”/52cm, 21”/53.5cm, 21.5”/54.5cm, 22”/56cm, 22.5”/57cm) along the sides (it will be longer in the middle due to the short row shaping).
Bind off for back neck:
Next row: K 19 (22, 25, 27, 30, 32, 35, 37) bind off 27 (27, 27, 29, 29, 31, 31, 33) sts, K to end of row.
Place sts worked BEFORE the bind off of previous row onto a holder, and begin working only the sts worked AFTER the bind off to form the left shoulder.
Next 3 rows: K.
Bind off.
Place sts on holder back onto needles and rejoin yarn at neckline edge to begin the right shoulder.
Next 3 rows: K.
Bind off.
FRONT:
With size US 10.5 (6.5mm) needles, CO 65 (71, 77, 83, 89, 95, 101, 107) sts.
Row 1: K 1, *P 1, K 1, rep from * to end of row.
Row 2: P 1, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to end of row.
Rows 3-6: Rep rows 1 and 2.
Change to size US 11 (8mm) needles.
Row 7: K.
Rep row 7 until work measures 9”/23cm (9.5”/24cm, 10”/25.5cm, 10.5”/26.5cm, 10.25”/26cm, 10.75”/27cm, 11.25”/28.5cm, 11.75”/30cm).
Begin v-neck shaping:
Next row (RS): K 32 (35, 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 53) place next (center) st on a holder, turn. Place remaining sts on a second holder. You will now work only the sts on the needles to form the front left side. (32 (35, 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 53) sts on needles)
Next 3 rows: K.
Next row (RS): K to last 4 sts, K2tog, K 2. (31 (34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 52) sts)
Rep last 4 rows 12 (12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13) more times. (19 (22, 25, 28, 30, 33, 36, 39) sts)
Bind off.
Leave center st on its holder, and place remaining 32 (35, 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 53) sts back on needles, and rejoin yarn at neckline edge to begin the front right side.
Next 4 rows: K.
Next row (RS): K 2, SSK, K to end of row. (31 (34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 52) sts)
Next 3 rows: K.
Next row: K 2, SSK, K to end of row. (30 (33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 51) sts)
Rep last 4 rows 11 (11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12) more times. (19 (22, 25, 28, 30, 33, 36, 39) sts)
Bind off.
SLEEVES (MAKE 2):
With size US 11 (8mm) knitting needles, CO 44 (46, 48, 50, 54, 56, 60, 64) sts.
Rows 1-7: K.
Row 8: K 2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K 2. (42 (44, 46, 48, 52, 54, 58, 62) sts.
Sizes XS (S) only:
Rep rows 1-8, eight more times. (26 (28) sts)
Sizes M (L) only:
Rep rows 1-8, six more times. (34 (36) sts)
Next 5 rows: K.
Next row: K 2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K 2. (32 (34) sts)
Rep last 6 rows, two more times. (28 (30) sts)
Sizes XL (2XL) only:
Rep rows 1-8, two more times. (48 (50) sts)
Next 5 rows: K.
Next row: K 2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K 2. (46 (48) sts)
Rep last 6 rows, six more times. (34 (36) sts)
Next 3 rows: K.
Next row: K 2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K 2. (32 (34) sts)
Rep last 4 rows, one more time. (30 (32) sts)
Sizes 3XL (4XL) only:
Next 5 rows: K.
Next row: K 2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K 2. (56 (60) sts)
Rep last 6 rows, six more times. (44 (48) sts)
Next 3 rows: K.
Next row: K 2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K 2. (42 (46) sts)
Rep last 4 rows, five more times. (32 (36) sts)
All sizes: 26 (28, 28, 30, 30, 32, 32, 36) sts
If necessary, K each row until work measures 16”/40.5cm (16”/40.5cm, 16.5”/42cm, 16.5”/42cm, 17”/43cm, 17”/43cm, 17.5”/44.5cm, 17.5”/44.5cm).
Change to size US 10.5 (6.5mm) needles.
Next 6 rows: *K 1, P 1, rep from * to end of row.
Bind off.
CONSTRUCTION:
Seam shoulders.
Place markers 7”/18cm (7.5”/19cm, 8”/20cm, 8.5”/21.5cm, 9”/23cm, 9.5”/24cm, 10”/25.5cm, 10.5”/26.5cm) down from shoulders on either side and on both front and back pieces. Seam tops of sleeves between markers on both sides.
Fold at shoulders and seam sides from the bottom edge up to the underarm and then down underside of sleeves.
NECKBAND:
With size US 10.5 (6.5mm) circular needles and with the RS of the fabric facing up, rejoin yarn at the back right neck edge where the bind off starts. Pick up and K 27 (27, 27, 27, 29, 29, 29, 29) sts along back neck, then 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) sts along back left side edge to shoulder seam, then 36 (36, 36, 36, 38, 38, 38, 38) sts (approx. 2 sts for every 3 rows) along left v-neck edge down to the center front stitch that was placed on a holder. Pick up and K that stitch from the holder and place a marker on it. Pick up and K 36 (36, 36, 36, 38, 38, 38, 38) sts (approx. 2 sts for every 3 rows) along right v-neck edge up to shoulder seam, then 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) sts along back right side edge for a total of 104 (104, 104, 104, 110, 110, 110, 110) sts. Join in the round and place marker for beginning of round.
Round 1: *P 1, K 1, rep from * to 1 st before center marked stitch, remove marker, S2KP, replace marker on last st, K 1, *P 1, K 1, rep from * to end of round. (102 (102, 102, 102, 108, 108, 108, 108) sts)
Round 2: P 1, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to 1 st before center marked stitch, remove marker, S2KP, replace marker on last st, *P 1, K 1, rep from * to end of round. (100 (100, 100, 100, 106, 106, 106, 106) sts)
Rounds 3-6: Rep rounds 1 and 2, two more times. (92 (92, 92, 92, 98, 98, 98, 98) sts)
Bind off. Secure and weave in all ends.
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