Baja Collection. Fall 2022. Sand Sweater.
I would like to devote this mini Fall collection to a very special place that completely changed my life 10 years ago. Baja. 10 years. A decade. I am writing these words and I can’t believe that this year I have marked 10 years in a place that became my second home, where I experienced happiness, heartbreak, inspiration and learned so much about life and who I am.
Taking the liberty to paraphrase Hemingway to express what I feel for this second home of mine:
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris Baja as a young man woman, then whenever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris Baja is a moveable feast“.
The first pattern from the collection has been released today - SAND SWEATER. Inspired by the textured sceneries and rocky formations at the off-road paths running along powerful Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez, the sweater combines stockinette stitch with ribbing, cabling and lace.
Design Notes
Sand sweater is a seamless drop-shoulder pullover with an oversize fit. You will create side splits at the 2x2 hem before moving to the main body that is knit bottom-up in the round up to the armholes.
Side splits at the 2x2 rib hem
Front and Back are worked flat separately, creating a deep V-neck with raw edges at the Front. I wanted to create this exaggerated V-neck that can be pared with simple cotton tops underneath or some lace bralettes for a fun and cozy outfit. The raw edges of the neckline add to sweater’s perfect imperfection. And plus untrimmed neckline edge allows much more stretchiness, so you can play with the neckline and instead of a deep V-neck, wear it off the shoulders, or off one shoulder, however you prefer it.
Then the shoulders are seamed together, using a three needle bind-off with the seam exposed for the decorative purpose. I also used the contrasting color to accentuate even more.
Exposed three-needle bind-off seam
The sleeve stitches are picked up from the armhole. The sleeves are knit in the round top-down in a simple stockinette stitch, with a minimum shaping and finished with a high cuff in the cable pattern. The cables are very basic and so addictive to knit! The cuff is finished with an I-cord.
Lace pattern block is knit separately and sewn on the sleeve for the extra texture and patchwork effect. I just love the looks with a blazer with elbow patches, so I thought why not do the same with the knitwear - so easy to execute, you can try different stitches for the patch, they don’t even have to match each other, you can even use your swatches from your previous projects depending on the stitch pattern, the space for experiment is limitless!
General Knitting Pattern Information
SIZING
The sweater is graded for 8 sizes with approximately 11-13″ (28-33 cm) of ease. The sample is shown in size 2 with 13″ (33 cm) of ease.
FINISHED BUST MEASUREMENT
Size 1 43” / 109 cm
Size 2 47” / 119.5 cm
Size 3 51” / 129.5 cm
Size 4 55” / 139.5 cm
Size 5 59” / 150 cm
Size 6 63” / 160 cm
Size 7 67” / 170 cm
Size 8 71” / 180.5 cm
GAUGE
16 sts & 22 rows = 4″ 10 cm in Stockinette stitch after blocking.
YARN
5 (6, 6, 6, 7) (7, 8, 8) skeins of Main Yarn
2 (2, 2, 2, 2) (2, 2, 2) skeins of Contrast Yarn
Juniper Moon Farm, 100% wool. Worsted weight (220 yds/100 g). Or any other yarn that gives you the gauge.
Other options that will work: Lite Lopi , Blue Sky Fibers Woolstock 150.
Note - the yardage is an estimate and may vary on the tension of your knitting and modifications you are making.
List of special techniques used:
Cables - written instructions and charts are provided.
I-cord bind-off – written instructions and link to the photo tutorial are provided.
The pattern has been edited by a professional technical editor.
