Introducing Seablush Sweater
Arika wearing the purple standard length Seablush sweater in Biches et Buches Le Petit Lambswool
The Story
I’ve been playing with round yoke sweaters that have small, interesting stitch pattern repeats and this sweater happened pretty organically. I knew right away that the style would lend itself to a lot of customization, so I made samples in cropped and more standard lengths with bracelet length and regular long sleeves. Because it’s worked top-down and the shaping happens mostly in Stockinette stitch it’s super simple to make yoke, body, and sleeve lengths to exactly what suits you.
I named this sweater after some very sweet little pink puff ball flowers. They’re native to Vancouver Island and were one of the first plants to grow in my native plant garden planter. The first sample I made of this sweater was the pink one and it reminded me so much of those flowers.
A soft pink puff of a seablush flower and its vivid green leaves.
Melissa wearing the pink cropped Seablush sweater in Biches & Bûches Le Petit Lambswool
The Details
Seablush is a top-down fingering weight pullover with short row shaping to bring the back neck up and an easy textured stitch pattern. There are a few increase rounds near the beginning of the yoke that require a bit of concentration, but most of the sweater is intuitive and fun knitting. Waist shaping is given for both the cropped and standard-length versions. The skills needed are increasing, working a textured sort of lacy pattern using charted or written instructions (both are included), short row shaping, decreasing, and picking up stitches.
Yarn Choice
I used Biches et Buches Le Petit Lambswool for two of the samples, the cropped pink version and the standard-length purple version, and The Farmer’s Daughter Soka’pii for my standard-length green version. There are a lot of fingering weight yarns that could work for this sweater and I’ll have some thoughts and recommendations on that in a future post. Because this sweater is worked at a relatively tight gauge (29 sts = 4”/10 cm), a lot of yarns will work, even some more slippery yarns. I don’t recommend something really slick like a silk blend because there aren’t any seams to add structure, but standard sock yarns (even with a bit of nylon) and Merino/cashmere/nylon blends could be appropriate. And of course, I’m all in on woolen spun yarns like the Le Petit Lambswool. One thing to keep in mind is just that the yarn is soft enough for you. Softness is subjective and the fit on this sweater is snug enough that it’ll probably be worn right next to the skin, at least on the arms, so choose something that doesn’t feel itchy to you. I think Le Petit Lamsbwool is dreamy and very soft, but if you want even softer, you may prefer their Le Cashmere and Lamsbwool.
Get the pattern here on my website or over on Ravelry if you'd like to keep it in your Rav library.
Pattern Specs
Finished Dimensions
Bust Circumference: 32(35, 38, 41) 44.25, 47, 50, 539, 62) in/81.5(89, 96.5, 104) 112.5, 119.5, 127, 134.550, 157.5) cm
Intended to be worn with +1-4 in/2.5-10 cm of positive ease.
Shown in size 32 in/81.5 cm (pink) with 0 in/0 cm of positive ease and in size 53 in/134.5 cm (black) with +4 in/10 cm of positive ease.
Yarn
Cropped Version
1125(1225, 1340, 1435) 1540, 1645, 1790, 1870135, 2265) yd/1030(1120, 1220, 1310) 1405, 1505, 1640, 1710950, 2075) m fingering weight yarn
Shown in:
Biches et Bûches Le Petit Lambswool (100% lambswool; 270 yd/248 m per 50g skein) 5(5, 5, 6) 6, 7, 7, 7, 9) skeins
Colour: Very Light Pink
Standard Length Version
1320(1435, 1560, 1675) 1795, 1920, 2080, 2175470, 2620) yd/1205(1315, 1430, 1530) 1640, 1755, 1905, 1990260, 2400) m fingering weight yarn
Shown in:
Biches et Bûches Le Petit Lambswool (100% lambswool; 270 yd/248 m per 50g skein) 5(6, 6, 7) 7, 8, 8, 90, 10) skeins Colour: Dark Violet Blue
Shown in:
The Farmer’s Daughter Soka’pii (100% Rambouillet wool; 248 yd/227 m per 50g skein) 6(6, 7, 7) 8, 8, 9, 90, 11) skeins
Colour: Gary Cooper
Blocked Gauge
Gauge measurement should be taken after blocking.
29 sts/40 rounds = 4 in/10 cm in St st
Needles & Notions
Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.
Size US 2/2.75 mm:
16 in/40 cm circular needle
32 in/80 cm circular needle
Set DPN’s, long circular needle for magic loop, or two circular needles — whichever is your preferred small-circumference knitting method.
5 stitch markers, waste yarn, tapestry needle
Skills
increasing in pattern, ribbing, working lace using written or charted instructions (both are provided), picking up stitches, short row shaping
