Yes, horizontal stripes can flatter you! It's all a matter of balance. We've shortened the sleeves and added a bold solid-colored cowlneck and a surprise micro-stripe pattern on the back. It all adds up to a striking new take on stripes.

Shown in sized Large

Sizes

Directions are for women’s size X-Small.  Changes for sizes Small, Medium, Large, 1X and 2X are in parentheses

Finished Measurements

Bust – 32(36-40-44-48-52)”

Length – 24(24½-25½-26-26½-27)”

Materials

3(4-4-4-5-5) Hanks each Berroco Ultra Alpaca (100 grs), #6205 Dark Chocolate (MC) and #6293 Spiceberry Mix (CC)

Straight knitting needles, size 8 (5.00 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE

24” Length circular knitting needle, size 8 (5.00 mm)

1 St marker

Gauge

20 sts = 4”; 26 rows = 4” in St st

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE

Note

Stripes will not match at side seams.

Back

With straight needles, using CC, cast on 106(118-130-142-154-166) sts.

Ribbing:  Row 1 (RS):  K2, * p2, k2, rep from * across.

Row 2:  P2, * k2, p2, rep from * across.  Rep these 2 rows until piece measures 1½” from beg, end on RS.  Purl the next row, dec 16(18-20-22-24-26) sts across – 90(100-110-120-130-140) sts.  Work even in St st until piece measures 3” from beg, end on WS.

Dec Row (RS):  K3, k2 tog, k to last 5 sts, SSK, k3 – 88(98-108-118-128-138) sts.  Work even until piece measures 5” from beg, end on WS.  Join MC.  With MC, rep dec row, then purl 1 row.  From here, alternate 2 rows CC and 2 rows MC to shoulder.  AT THE SAME TIME, rep dec row every 2” 3 times more – 80(90-100-110-120-130) sts.  Work even, alternating colors, until piece measures 15½(15½-16-16-16½-16½)” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Armholes:  Bind off 4(5-6-8-10-10) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 2 st at beg of the following 2 rows – 68(76-84-90-96-106) sts.

Dec Row (RS):  K3, k2 tog, k to last 5 sts, SSK, k3 – 66(74-82-88-94-104) sts.  Rep this dec every RS row 3(5-6-7-7-10) times more – 60(64-70-74-80-84) sts.  Work even until armholes measure 7½(8-8½-9-9-9½)”, end on WS.

Shape Shoulders:  Bind off 5(5-6-8-9-9) sts at beg of the next 6(2-2-2-2-6) rows, then 0(6-7-7-8-0) sts at beg of the next 0(4-4-4-4-0) rows.  Bind off remaining 30 sts for back neck.

Front

With straight needles, using MC, cast on 106(118-130-142-154-166) sts.  Work in ribbing same as back for 1½”, end on RS.  P the next row, dec 16(18-20-22-24-26) sts across – 90(100-110-120-130-140) sts.  Work even until piece measures 2¾” from beg, end on WS.  Join CC.  Alternate 6 rows CC and 6 rows MC throughout while shaping side edges same as back.  When piece measures 15½(15½-16-16-16½-16½)” from beg, end on WS – 80(90-100-110-120-130) sts.  Shape armholes same as back.  When armholes measure 1½(2-2½-3-3-3½)”, end on WS.  Mark center 14 sts on last row worked.

Shape Neck:  Continuing to work armhole decs if necessary, work to first marker, join another hank of color being used and bind off center 14 sts, work to end.  Still continuing to work armhole decs, dec 1 st at each neck edge EVERY row 8 times.  When all decs have been completed, work even on 15(17-20-22-25-27) sts each side until armholes measure 7½(8-8½-9-9-9½)”, end on WS.  Bind off 5(5-6-8-9-9) sts at each armhole edge 6(2-2-2-2-6) times, then 0(6-7-7-8-0) sts 0(4-4-4-4-0) times for shoulders.

Sleeves

With straight needles, using MC, cast on 54(54-58-66-70-78) sts.  Work even in ribbing same as back for 3”, end on RS.  P the next row, dec 4(4-4-6-6-8) sts across – 50(50-54-60-64-70) sts.  Join CC work in St st, alternating 6 rows CC and 6 rows MC.  Inc 1 st each side every ¾” 5 times – 60(60-64-70-74-80) sts.  Work even until sleeve measures 8” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Cap:  Bind off 4(5-6-8-10-10) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of the following 2 rows – 48(46-48-50-50-56) sts.  Work 0(2-2-2-2-2) rows even, end on WS.

Dec Row (RS):  K3, k2 tog, k to last 5 sts, SSK, k3 – 46(44-46-48-48-54) sts.  Rep this dec every 4th row 0(2-3-3-3-3) times more, then every RS row 15(12-10-11-11-11) times, end on WS – 16(16-20-20-20-26) sts.  Bind off 3 sts at beg of the next 2 rows.  Bind off remaining 10(10-14-14-14-20) sts.

Finishing

Sew shoulder seams.

Cowl Collar:  With WS facing, using circular needle and MC, beg at right shoulder seam, pick up and k34 sts along right front neck edge, 14 sts across front neck edge, 34 sts along left front neck edge, then 30 sts across back neck edge – 112 sts.  Mark for beg of rnd and carry marker up.  Work even in St st (k EVERY rnd) for 3”.

Inc Rnd 1:  * K9, M1k, rep from * 9 times more, k to end – 122 sts.  Work even until cowl measures 4” from beg.

Inc Rnd 2:  * K10, M1k, rep from * 9 times more, k to end – 132 sts.  Continue to inc 10 sts in this manner working 1 more st between incs each time every 1” 4 times more – 172 sts.  Cowl should measure 8” from beg.  Knit 1 rnd.  Join CC and knit 2 rnds.  Knit 2 rnds with MC.  Knit 2 rnds with CC.  With CC, work even in k2, p2 ribbing for 1”.  Bind off in ribbing.  Sew in sleeves.  Sew side and sleeve seams.