High Neck Jersey with Balloon Sleeves in Fishermans Rib

Seamless top-down raglan worked in the round with a high mock neck and dramatic balloon sleeves. Fabric is Fishermans rib throughout for luxury stretch, depth and squish. Suitable for worsted/aran weight yarn. Instructions include stitch counts for sizes XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL).

Finished Measurements

• Chest (finished): XS 32 in (81 cm), S 36 in (91 cm), M 40 in (102 cm), L 44 in (112 cm), XL 48 in (122 cm), XXL 52 in (132 cm)
• Yoke depth (from base neck to underarm): approx 9 in (23 cm) for most sizes; adapt as desired
• Body length from underarm to hem: XS 16 in (41 cm), S 17 in (43 cm), M 18 in (46 cm), L 19 in (48 cm), XL 19.5 in (50 cm), XXL 20 in (51 cm)
• Sleeve length from underarm to cuff: XS 17 in (43 cm), S 17.5 in (44 cm), M 18 in (46 cm), L 18.5 in (47 cm), XL 19 in (48 cm), XXL 19.5 in (50 cm)

Yarn

Worsted/Aran weight yarn. Suggested gauge and yardage below.

• Skein size: 100 g = approx 200 yd / 183 m (imperial and metric provided)
• Yardage required (approx): XS 1200 yd / 1097 m (6 skeins), S 1400 yd / 1280 m (7 skeins), M 1600 yd / 1463 m (8 skeins), L 1800 yd / 1646 m (9 skeins), XL 2000 yd / 1830 m (10 skeins), XXL 2200 yd / 2013 m (11 skeins)

Needles

Use smooth circular needles for working in the round; DPNs or short circulars for sleeves optional. Include US, UK old and metric sizes.

• Neck and ribbing: 3.75 mm - US 5 - UK 9 (16 in / 40 cm or 20 in / 50 cm circular to suit small circumference)
• Main body and sleeves (Fishermans rib): 6.0 mm - US 10 - UK 4 (24 in / 60 cm and 32 in / 80 cm circulars recommended)
• Optional smaller needles for hem/cuffs if you want firmer edges: 4.5 mm - US 7 - UK 7 (use same circular lengths as above)
• Double-pointed needles: same sizes as above for working small circumference if preferred

Gauge

Fishermans rib: 14 sts x 22 rows = 4 in (10 cm) on 6.0 mm needles. Always swatch in Fishermans rib and block to confirm.

Notions

• Stitch markers (4 raglan markers + extras)
• Tapestry needle
• Waste yarn for placing sleeve stitches
• Measuring tape

Abbreviations

• k = knit
• p = purl
• k1tbl = knit 1 through back loop (used in Fishermans rib)
• m1 = make one (lifted increase)
• kfb = knit front and back (increase)
• ssk = slip, slip, knit (decrease)
• k2tog = knit 2 together (decrease)
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• rnd = round
• rep = repeat

Fishermans Rib Stitch (in the round)

Round: *k1tbl, k1* repeat to end. Note that knit through back loop creates the deep reversed stitch followed by a regular knit; this is the simplest Fishermans rib in the round and produces the classic squishy fabric.

Pattern Notes

• This sweater is worked top-down in the round with raglan increases. When yoke is complete, sleeves are placed on waste yarn and body is worked in the round. Balloon shaping happens on each sleeve after splitting from the body.
• Numbers in parentheses correspond to sizes XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL).
• You can adjust ease by adding or removing increase rounds in the yoke before splitting.

Key Stitch Counts

Starting neck cast-on sts: XS 56, S 60, M 64, L 68, XL 72, XXL 76. These are cast on and joined for the neck rib.

Raglan increase rounds to reach the main body stitch counts (increase every other round, i.e., increase round, work round):

• XS: work 7 increase rounds -> total sts 112 -> section sts (each of 4 sections) 28
• S: 8 increase rounds -> total sts 124 -> section sts 31
• M: 10 increase rounds -> total sts 144 -> section sts 36
• L: 11 increase rounds -> total sts 156 -> section sts 39
• XL: 12 increase rounds -> total sts 168 -> section sts 42
• XXL: 13 increase rounds -> total sts 180 -> section sts 45

Instructions

Neck

1. Using 3.75 mm needles cast on neck sts: XS 56 (S 60, M 64, L 68, XL 72, XXL 76) using a stretchy cast on. Join to work in the round, place marker for beginning of rnd.
2. Work Fishermans rib in the round (k1tbl, k1) for 14 rnds (approx 2.5 in / 6 cm) or until neck height you prefer for a mock high neck. Option: work between 12-18 rnds for a lower or higher collar.
3. Change to 6.0 mm needles. Set up raglan increase markers: place 4 markers evenly (one after each quarter). The round will read: Section 1 (front), marker, Sleeve 1, marker, Back, marker, Sleeve 2, marker. You should keep your first stitch in pattern to keep marker visibility.

Yoke Raglan Increases

1. Increase round: Work Fishermans rib across to 1 st before marker, m1, k1tbl (marker), k1tbl, m1, continue Fishermans rib to next marker and repeat at each raglan marker. This adds 8 sts per increase round (2 sts per raglan line).
2. Work one round even in Fishermans rib.
3. Repeat the pair of rounds (increase round, even round) the number of times given for your size in Key Stitch Counts above. After completing the final even round, your total sts will match the totals listed.
4. Try on or measure yoke depth; if you want more or less negative ease at the underarm, adjust by working an extra pair of rounds or stopping early. Yoke depth target approx 9 in (23 cm) from base neck.

Separate Sleeves and Body

1. When happy with yoke, work to the first raglan marker. Slip sleeve sts (the sts between raglan markers) onto waste yarn or a holder. For the sleeves you will have sleeve count = section sts from Key Stitch Counts. Leave these sleeve sts on holders for later. Continue across front and back sections and slip the second sleeve sts to waste yarn. Join body sts in the round (you will be working the front+back sections together).
2. Place a marker at start of body rnd. You are now working in Fishermans rib for the body.

Body

1. Work in Fishermans rib until body measures desired length from underarm to hem: XS 16 in (41 cm), S 17 in (43 cm), M 18 in (46 cm), L 19 in (48 cm), XL 19.5 in (50 cm), XXL 20 in (51 cm), or desired length.
2. If you prefer a firmer hem, 2 rnds before finishing the body, switch to 4.5 mm needles and work 1x1 Fishermans rib for 10 rnds (approx 2.5 in / 6 cm) then bind off loosely in pattern, or work even larger needles if you want a looser edge. Alternatively, finish with a stretchy tubular or sewn bind off for a neat edge.

Sleeves - Balloon Shaping

Transfer sleeve sts from waste yarn to needles. Join in the round and begin working Fishermans rib.

1. Initial sleeve stitch counts at underarm (these are the section sts from Key Stitch Counts): XS 28, S 31, M 36, L 39, XL 42, XXL 45.
2. Balloon increase schedule: Increase 8 sts evenly around the sleeve every 2 in (5 cm), working one increase round followed by two rounds even between increases. Distribute the 8 increases evenly using M1 or kfb; for example, on 32 sts do every 4th stitch approximately, or use an increase trick: place 8 increase markers evenly and perform m1 after each marker on increase rounds.
3. Number of increase rounds recommended: XS 4, S 4, M 3, L 3, XL 3, XXL 3. After these increases your approximate sleeve stitches will be: XS ~60, S ~63, M ~60, L ~63, XL ~66, XXL ~69 (counts rounded from even distribution). Adjust by adding or removing an increase round to achieve the fullness you want.
4. Work even in Fishermans rib until sleeve measures to 1.5 in (4 cm) above desired cuff placement.
5. Decrease for cuff width: Decrease 8 sts evenly every 1.5 in (4 cm) until sleeve returns to approximately the small cuff circumference desired (target cuff circumference approx 8 in / 20 cm; target cuff sts ~28 for the given gauge). You may decrease fewer sts if you prefer a wider cuff.
6. Switch to 4.5 mm needles and work Fishermans rib for the cuff 2-3 in (5-8 cm) or desired cuff height. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Finishing

1. Weave in ends using tapestry needle.
2. Block gently to measurements. Fishermans rib relaxes and grows when blocked; aim for the finished measurements above. Use wet blocking or steam blocking according to yarn fiber.
3. Optional: If you used a provisional or waste yarn for sleeves, join sleeve underarms with a tidy graft or 3-needle bind off if you prefer, or simply join with mattress stitch if you worked sleeves flat for cuff; however this pattern is designed to be seamless when worked as written.

Sizing Tips and Adjustments

• To size up or down alter the number of raglan increase rounds: each increase round adds 8 sts total (2 sts per section). To add approx 3.5 in to bust circumference add one increase round; to reduce remove one increase round.
• To make the neckline higher, add more neck rib rounds before switching to main needles; to lower it, work fewer neck rounds.
• If you prefer a body with more negative ease, stop yoke increases one round earlier and/or work fewer body increases where suggested.

Troubleshooting

• If your Fishermans rib looks skewed or twisted ensure you are knitting the k1tbl properly and keeping the sequence consistent around the round.
• When increasing in Fishermans rib, place increases where they align with the pattern: an increase that creates a purl bump can be worked as m1 purlwise if that aligns better; swatch increases to see how they sit.

Abbreviated Summary

1 Cast on neck sts on 3.75 mm, work Fishermans rib for collar. 2 Switch to 6.0 mm, set 4 raglan markers and work Raglan increase pairs until you reach your size count. 3 Place sleeve sts on holders and work body in round to length. 4 Transfer sleeve sts, increase for balloon fullness according to schedule, then decrease to cuff. 5 Work cuffs and hem on smaller needles in Fishermans rib, bind off, weave ends, and block.

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