Sanderling is a design built directly into CustomFit, which means that each Sanderling pattern is written specifically to your choice of gauge and size.

(This means that your Sanderling pattern can be made for anyone you like -- be they adult, child, etc. -- out of any yarn you like.)

Sanderling is one of the designs I created for my spring 2016 make. wear. love. retreat in Pacific Grove, CA. This year at the retreat, I really focused on great sweaters of lots of different shapes - so when the inimitable Indigodragonfly sent me some gorgeous DK-weight linen-silk, I knew I had to turn it into an A-line garment.

Sanderling features elbow-length sleeves and a tunic sweater length, although you can change both before you create your pattern. Narrow bands of garter stitch trim all edges, and the A-line shape keeps things swingy and comfortable.

A-line garments in CustomFit will ensure at least a 6’’ (12.5 cm) difference between sweater cast-on and bust/chest, though you can make that larger if you like by clicking “customize fit specifics” and altering the CO widths. All shaping occurs at the side seam, and can be worked however you like, as usual with edge shaping in CustomFit sweaters. (For more information on your choices, please see my edge shaping tutorial. For more information on A-lines in CustomFit, please see my blog post announcing their release.)

I used Indigodragonfly Chaingeling in a special retreat colorway for this design, and loved the fabric I got at a gauge of 5.5 stitches to the inch. (Kim loves it at 5.25 stitches to the inch. I think we’re both right.) But CustomFit will create your pattern to the gauge you specify - and for that reason, it’s difficult to give any kind of yardage advice! To estimate how much yarn you’ll need, I strongly recommend the “Stashbot” app or pamphlet by Hannah Fettig.

I think A-line sweaters cry out for drapey, fluid fabrics, so if you’re substituting yarn, please choose something with a nice amount of either linen, rayon/bamboo/viscose, silk, or alpaca for a similar look.