Blackberry Boatneck Sweater: A Touch of Class
A perfect sweater to wear any time of year, the Blackberry Boatneck Sweater is a beautiful sheer piece that looks great over a simple camisole paired with jeans or a nice skirt. Knit top-down in stockinette for the upper body and a simple lace for the body and sleeve cuffs; this piece is a rather relaxing project.
Subtle a-line shaping around the body and the natural stretch of the lace make this sweater fit nicely around the body. You can adjust where you begin the lace portion if you are more ample and want a bit more room between your bust and the start of the lace. At the same time, I think the lace portion, as written, looks very nice where it lands on the bust.
Honestly, I think this boatneck sweater would be beautiful on any body type.
The Yarn, The Stitch Patterns, And The Neckline
Let’s talk about the yarn I used because that is what really makes this piece PERFECT!
As a designer, I try really hard to pick the perfect yarn for each of my projects. However, I must be honest. For this one, I didn’t choose this amazing yarn. It was the editor of the magazine it was originally published in, so I can’t take credit. Jen Burt really did make the perfect pairing.
This awesome top-down knit sweater is made all the more beautiful because of the yarn. SweetGeorgia Yarns Silk Mist is a perfect combination of mohair and silk. This coupling creates a perfectly fuzzy, hazy fabric with a little shimmer and strength. It is incredibly soft and wonderful against the skin.
Knowing that the yarn had a little haze to it, I kept the lace portion of the bodice simple, as the fibers of the yarn obscured the eyelets. But I think the eyelets created with the yarnovers are perfect peek-a-boo’s for the cami you wear underneath.
And what about the neckline? Of course! The neckline is a big feature of the name.
This boatneck sweater has a wide, yet high, neckline, opening all the way beyond halfway across each shoulder. This offers yet another peek-a-boo aspect to the soft-as-silk lacy sweater.
Now that I’ve told you the history behind the sweater, I want to offer you the Blackberry Boatneck Sweater pattern for FREE!
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links
BLACKBERRY BOATNECK SWEATER
Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue and Favorites
Skill level: Intermediate
Finished Measurements: 33 (36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57)” [84 (91.5, 99, 106.5,
114.5, 122, 129.5, 137, 145) cm] bust circumference.
Sample knit in size 39″ [99 cm] shown on a 37” bust.
MATERIALS
Yarn: SweetGeorgia “Silk Mist” (60% fine kid mohair, 40%
cultivated silk; 325 yds [297 m], .88 oz [25 g];): Blackberry, 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6) skeins.
Yarn Alternative:
Needles: Size US 5 (3.75 mm); 16″ and 32″ circular needles and double pointed (dpns), or size to obtain correct gauge.
Notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders or waste
yarn, tapestry needle.
GAUGE
24 sts and 32 rows = 4″ [10 cm] in St st.
22 sts and 32 rows = 4″ [10 cm] in Lace pat.
Take time to save time. Check your gauge.
*Remember that gauge is always given as a blocked gauge. So wash and block your swatch!*
ABBREVIATIONS
beg: begin(ning)
CO: cast on
dec(‘d)
inc(‘d)
k: knit
k2tog: Knit 2 sts
together (1 st decreased).
lhn: left hand needle
m: marker
M1L: (make 1 left slanting) Insert lhn under horizontal strand between st just worked and next st
from the front to the back, knit through the back loop (1 st increased).
M1R: (make 1 right slanting) Insert lhn under horizontal strand between st just worked and next st
from the back to the front, knit through the front loop (1 st increased).
meas: measure(s)
patt: pattern
pm: place marker
rep: repeat
rhn: right hand
needle
rnd(s): round(s)
sl: slip
st(s): stitches
ssk: (slip, slip, knit) slip 2 sts, 1
at a time, knitwise to the rhn; return sts to lhn in turned position and knit
them together through the back loops (1 st decreased)
yo: Yarn over (1 st
increased).
PATTERN STITCHES
Stockinette Stitch (St st) Knit all sts, every rnd.
Backward Loop Cast-on Method: *Wrap yarn around left thumb from front to
back and secure in palm with other fingers, insert rhn upwards through strand
on thumb, slip loop from thumb onto needle, pulling yarn to tighten; rep from *
for desired number of sts.
Lace Pattern: (multiple of 9 sts) (also, see chart)
Rnd 1: *Yo, k2, ssk, k2tog, k2, yo, k1; rep from
* to end.
Rnds 2, 4, 5 and 6: Knit.
Rnd 3: *K1, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k2; rep from
* to end.
Rep rnds 1–6 for Lace pat.
Sewn Bind Off: Cut yarn leaving a tail at least 3 times as long as the edge that will be BO. Thread tail through a tapestry needle and BO as follows: *put the needle through the first 2 sts to be BO, from right to left, go back through the first st from left to right, pull the yarn through, and slip the first st off the needle. Rep from * until 1 st rem, pull yarn through to fasten off.
PATTERN
YOKE
With 16″ circular needle, CO 110 (114, 120,120, 126, 130, 132, 136, 142) sts. Pm for beg of rnd and join to work in the rnd, being careful not to twists sts.
Knit 4 rnds even.
Pm for Raglan: *K12 (11, 11, 10, 10, 9, 7, 6, 6) for sleeve, pm, k43 (46, 49, 50, 53, 56, 59, 62, 65) for front, pm; rep from * for second sleeve and back.
Shape Raglan
(Note: Change to longer circular needle when sts no longer fit comfortably on shorter needle.)
Inc Rnd (body and sleeves): *K1, M1L, knit to 1 st before m, M1R, k1, sl m; rep from * 3 more times—8 sts inc’d.
Rep the last rnd 2 (3, 6, 8, 11, 15, 16, 18, 23) more times—134 (146, 176, 192, 222, 258, 268, 288, 334) sts total; 18 (19, 25, 28, 34, 41, 41, 44, 54) sts each sleeve, 49 (54, 63, 68, 77, 88, 93, 100, 113) sts each front and back.
Sizes 33 (36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, -)” only:
Inc Rnd (body and sleeves): *K1, M1L, knit to 1 st before m, M1R, k1, sl m; rep from * 3 more times—8 sts inc’d.
Inc Rnd (sleeves only): *K1, M1L, knit to 1 st before m, M1R, k1, sl m, knit to next m; rep from * once more—4 sts inc’d.
Rep the last 2 rnds 4 (4, 3, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, -) more times—182 (194, 212, 216, 234, 270, 280, 300, -) sts total; 34 (35, 37, 36, 38, 45, 45, 48, -) sts each sleeve, 57 (62, 69, 72, 79, 90, 95, 102, -) sts each front and back.
All Sizes:
Inc Rnd (body and sleeves): *K1, M1L, knit
to 1 st before m, M1R, k1, sl m; rep from * 3 more times—8 sts inc’d.
Knit 1 rnd even.
Rep the last 2 rnds 18 (20, 21, 23, 24, 23, 24, 25, 24) more times—334 (362, 388, 408, 434, 462, 480, 508, 534) sts total; 72 (77, 81, 84, 88, 93, 95, 100, 104) sts each sleeve, 95 (104, 113, 120, 129, 138, 145, 154, 163) sts each front and back.
Divide for Body and Sleeves:
*Place 72 (77, 81, 84, 88, 93, 95, 100, 104) sleeve sts onto st holder or waste yarn, use the backward loop method to CO 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) sts, pm for new beg of rnd, then CO 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) more sts, remove m between sleeve and body, then knit across back sts to next m, remove m; rep from * once more placing side marker and working across the front, then knit to new beg of rnd m—198 (216, 234, 252, 270, 288, 306, 324, 342) sts.
BODY
Work even in St st until piece meas 2½ (2¾, 3, 3, 3¼, 3¼, 3½, 3¾, 4)” [6.5 (7, 7.5, 7.5, 8.5, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10) cm] from underarm.
Work in Lace Pat until piece meas 16″ [40.5 cm] from underarm, then work in St st for 1″ [2.5 cm]. BO all sts using the sewn bind off (see pattern stitches).
SLEEVE
Return 72 (77, 81, 84, 88, 93, 95, 100, 104) held sleeve sts to dpns. Beg at center of underarm CO sts, pick up and knit 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) sts, knit across held sts, then pick up and knit 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) more sts along rem CO sts—76 (81, 85, 90, 94, 99, 103, 108, 112) sts. Pm for beg of rnd.
Work even in St st until piece meas 2” from underarm.
Sizes 33 (-, 39, -, 45, -, 51, -, 57)” only:
Shape Sleeve
Dec Rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1—2 sts dec’d.
Work 23 rnds even, then work dec rnd again—72 (-, 81, 0, 90, -, 99, -, 108) sts rem.
All Sizes:
Cont working even in St st until piece meas 12″ from underarm.
Work in Lace Pat for 5″, then work in St st for 1″. BO all sts using the sewn bind off (see pattern stitches).
Work second sleeve in the same manner.
FINISHING
Block boat neck sweater to measurements. Weave in ends.
Categories: Knitting, Our Free Patterns, Pattern, Uncategorized
Beautiful beautiful sweater and pattern!!
#Marlybird, I was looking for a boat-neck pattern to make a sweater for my sister; it’s her favorite style! So happy I came across this one on your site. I was wondering if it could be adjusted to be made in your new yarn, ‘Chic Sheep’ or a cotton blend. She is not a fan of Mohair and likes a sweater that has more “structure”. (That’s the word she uses when we shop together and rejects a sweater/top I recommend.)