For the casual nights out, or the not-quite-sweater-weather temperatures, this sweater is a modern take on a classic fit, featuring an open back with a delicate braid around the border.

This sweater is knit from the top down, working flat as you shape the yoke with standard raglan increases. Increases shape the gap in the back of the sweater, and shortly after the stitches are separated for the sleeves you cast on stitches to bridge the gap, finally working in the round to finish the body.

The ease in this design is more versatile - you control the amount of ease by adjusting the length of the back straps. Choose the size that gives you the desired fit around the bust, but you can easily modify this fit when you add the back straps!

Here are links to the project pages for the full-length-body and cropped-body samples.

Sizes: finished bust circumference 33, 36, 39 (42, 45, 48) (52, 54, 57) in, or 83, 91, 98 (106, 113, 121) (129, 136, 144) cm

• Recommended ease: 3-6” of positive ease

• You can add additional ease by making the back straps longer, or remove ease by making them shorter

• Both samples are shown in size 39”, on a 34.5” bust (containing about 4.5” of positive ease), with back straps meant to give a true-to-size fit (i.e. the straps were not excessively long or short)

Needles:

• Size US 4/3.5 mm 32” circular knitting needles

• Size US 4/3.5 mm DPNs or long circular needles for magic loop

• Size US 3/3.25 mm DPNs or long circular needles for magic loop

• Size US 3/3.25 mm 32” circular knitting needles (for full-length version, body hem)

• Size US 2/3.00 mm 32” circular knitting needles (for cropped version, body hem)

Yarn: fingering weight yarn in one color

• Full length body: 1030, 1140, 1220 (1325, 1430, 1510) (1615, 1700, 1800) yds, or 945, 1040, 1115 (1210, 1300, 1380) (1480, 1555, 1650) m (sample used Woolberry Fiber Co – Berry Merino in colorway The Secret Garden)

• Cropped body: 950, 1050, 1120 (1215, 1310, 1390) (1465, 1540, 1640) yds, or 870, 955, 1020 (1110, 1200, 1270) (1340, 1410, 1500) m (sample used The Plucky Knitter – Solo Fingering in colorway Deep Dish)

Notions: 5x stitch markers (including one unique for BOR), cable needle, waste yarn to hold sts tapestry needle

Gauge: 24 sts x 32 rows = 4” x 4” stockinette stitch, worked flat