The Amy March Sweater is inspired by the character of Amy March from the classic book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. When I first started designing this sweater, I was taking inspiration from Edwardian style blouses with lace panels and ruffles. I wanted something romantic, elegant and with a real vintage vibe to it. I feel like what came out of this was a sweater a modern-day Amy March, with her love of feminine and pretty clothes, would love to wear perhaps to go and sketch in the woods. I hope both knitting and wearing it will bring you a lot of joy. As Louisa May Alcott said, “The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”

The Amy March Sweater is knit flat in pieces with a lace panel on the front bodice and stitches created across the front and back shoulders of the bodice for picking up the ruffle later in the pattern. The pieces are then seamed together using mattress stitch. The collar is attached using circular needles and knitted in the round. The ruffles are knit flat back and forth but circular needles are needed to cope with the circular shape of the knitting.

The lace panel in the front is designed to stretch so you can see the detail well so if you are in-between sizes (as I am) I would suggest going down rather than up a size. For example I am between a size 4 and 5 and chose to knit a 4 which has allowed the panel to be displayed well.

Sizes: 1(2) 3 (4) 5 (6) 7 (8)

Bust Circumference: 77 (88) 99 (108) 119 (130) 141 (152) cm | 30½ (34 ¾) 39 (42 ½) 46 ¾ (51 ¼) 55 ½ (59 ¾ ) inches.

Length: 49 (50) 51 (52) 53 (54) 55 (56) cm | 19 ¼ (19 ¾ ) 20 (20 ½ ) 20 ¾ (21 ¼ ) 21 ¾
(22) inches.

Sleeve Length: 44 (45) 45 (46) 46 (47) 47 (48) cm | 17 ¼ (17 ¾ ) 17 ¾ (18) 18 (18 ½ ) 18 ½ (19)

Gauge: 22st X 30 rows = 10x10cm | 4X 4 inches in both stockinette stitch and lace panel on 3.5mm needles (or the required needles to obtain gauge) after washing and blocking.

Needles: A pair of 3mm needles & a set of 3mm circular needles 40cm long for neck band, a pair of 3.5mm needles & a set of 3.5mm circular needles 80cm long for shoulder ruffles.

Materials: 500 (600) 650 (700) 750 (800) 850 (900)g Alpaca Wool by Mode at Rowan (50g – 116m/128 yds)

Bust Measurement: 76-81 (86-91) 97-102 (107-112) 117-122 (127-132) 137-142 (147-152)cm | 30-32 (34-36) 38-40 (42-44) 46-48 (50-52) 54-56 (58-60) inches