Sanderling

Description

Sanderling is available as a custom-gauge, custom-size pattern via my CustomFit custom pattern generator. Upon purchase, you’ll receive a credit for a custom version of Sanderling and instructions on how to create it.

This sweater shape has become part of my own daily “uniform” – comfortable, unfussy, but a bit polished too. I love a generous A-line tunic with my favorite pair of skinny jeans, and this elbow sleeve version is super-versatile when the New England weather changes.

Sanderling is one of the designs I created for my spring 2016 make. wear. love. retreat in Pacific Grove, CA. At this retreat, I focused on simple sweaters of lots of different shapes – and when the inimitable Indigodragonfly sent me some gorgeous DK-weight linen-silk, I knew I had to turn it into an A-line garment. A couple of years later, when she brought some of her Mad Science Series yarn to play, I dove right in and immediately knit another sample out of her fingering weight Chameleon Sock.

As I’ve written it, 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, the neckline has a sweet little overlapping detail, and the A-line shape keeps things swingy and comfortable.

Sizing

Sanderling is available as a custom-gauge, custom-size pattern for the yarn and measurements of your choice via CustomFit. It’s shown here on Amy in a “women’s close fit” with an a-line silhouette, but is available with hourglass and straight silhouettes and other fits as well.

Gauge

Your own customized version of the Sanderling pattern will be written to your gauge, whatever it may be. This design is shown in both fingering and DK versions, and works great up through worsted weight yarns.

Materials

I used Indigodragonfly Chaingeling in a special retreat colorway for the original (turquoise) sample of 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.) At my gauge, you will need approximately 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) hanks for a standard-size 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60)’’ / 76 (81.5, 86.5, 91.5, 96.5, 101.5, 106.5, 112, 122, 132, 142, 152.5) cm sweater.

The second time around, I used Indigodragonfly’s Chameleon Sock yarn in one of Kim’s special Mad Science Series colorways. Click the link to get your own; for a standard size 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60)’’ / 76 (81.5, 86.5, 91.5, 96.5, 101.5, 106.5, 112, 122, 132, 142, 152.5) cm sample you’ll need 3 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7) hanks of Chameleon.

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.

Construction

Sanderling is worked in pieces from the bottom up and then seamed, with set-in sleeves.