Boxy Drop-Shoulder Boatneck Pullover

A beginner-friendly, relaxed drop-shoulder pullover worked in worsted-weight yarn. Front and back are simple rectangles with no armhole shaping. Shoulders are seamed, leaving a wide boatneck. Sleeves are picked up along the straight armhole edges and worked down to the cuff. Boxy fit with 6–8" (15–20 cm) positive ease.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL) To fit bust 32–34 (36–38, 40–42, 44–46, 48–50)" / 81–86 (91–97, 102–107, 112–117, 122–127) cm

Finished Measurements

• Bust: 40 (44, 48, 52, 56)" / 102 (112, 122, 132, 142) cm
• Length (hem to shoulder): 24 (24½, 25, 25½, 26)" / 61 (62, 63.5, 65, 66) cm
• Armhole depth: 9 (9½, 10, 10½, 11)" / 23 (24, 25.5, 26.5, 28) cm
• Upper sleeve circumference: 16 (17¼, 18½, 19½, 20¾)" / 40.5 (44, 47, 49.5, 52.5) cm
• Sleeve length (underarm to cuff): 17 (17½, 18, 18, 18½)" / 43 (44.5, 45.5, 45.5, 47) cm

Yarn

Worsted weight yarn (approx. 180–200 yd / 165–183 m per 100 g)

• 1100 (1200, 1350, 1500, 1650) yd / 1005 (1100, 1235, 1370, 1510) m

Sample uses a smooth wool or wool-blend worsted.

Needles

• US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles for ribbing
• US 8 (5 mm) straight or circular needles for body and sleeves
• (Optional) US 8 (5 mm) 16" / 40 cm circular for neckband
• Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions

• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring tape

Gauge

20 sts and 28 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles, blocked. (5 sts = 1" / 2.5 cm; 7 rows = 1" / 2.5 cm)

Abbreviations (US)

• BO = bind off
• CO = cast on
• k = knit
• p = purl
• pm = place marker
• RS = right side
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• St st = stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
• WS = wrong side
• wyib = with yarn in back
• wyif = with yarn in front

Notes

• Pullover is worked flat in pieces and seamed.
• Boatneck requires no neck shaping; center stitches are simply left unseamed or bound off.
• When picking up sleeve stitches, pick up approximately 3 sts for every 4 rows to match gauge.
• All measurements are taken after light blocking.
• Inline validations confirm key stitch-to-inch relationships.

Pattern Instructions

Back

With smaller needles, CO 100 (110, 120, 130, 140) sts. (100 sts ÷ 5 sts/in = 20" width ✓; 110 sts = 22"; 120 sts = 24"; 130 sts = 26"; 140 sts = 28" ✓)

Work 1×1 rib (k1, p1) every row for 2" / 5 cm. Change to larger needles. Work in St st until piece measures 24 (24½, 25, 25½, 26)" / 61 (62, 63.5, 65, 66) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row. (24" × 7 rows/in = 168 rows total including rib ≈ 14 rib rows + 154 St st rows ✓)

Shape shoulders (boatneck) BO 25 (26, 28, 29, 30) sts at beginning of next 2 rows. (25 sts ÷ 5 = 5" shoulder ✓; 26 sts ≈ 5¼"; 28 sts = 5½"; 29 sts ≈ 5¾"; 30 sts = 6" ✓) Place remaining 50 (58, 64, 72, 80) sts on holder for back neck. (50 sts ÷ 5 = 10" neck ✓; 58 sts ≈ 11½"; 64 sts ≈ 13"; 72 sts = 14½"; 80 sts = 16" ✓) (25 + 50 + 25 = 100 ✓; 26 + 58 + 26 = 110 ✓; 28 + 64 + 28 = 120 ✓; 29 + 72 + 29 = 130 ✓; 30 + 80 + 30 = 140 ✓)

Front

Work exactly as for Back. Place remaining center 50 (58, 64, 72, 80) sts on holder for front neck.

Join Shoulders

With RS together, join corresponding 25 (26, 28, 29, 30) shoulder sts of Front and Back using mattress stitch or 3-needle bind-off. Repeat for second shoulder. Boatneck opening is the live center sts (or BO them loosely if preferred before seaming).

Sleeves (make 2)

With larger needles and RS facing, beginning at underarm edge, pick up and knit 80 (86, 92, 98, 104) sts evenly along the 9 (9½, 10, 10½, 11)" / 23 (24, 25.5, 26.5, 28) cm armhole edge (side selvedge of Front + Back). (Pickup rate ≈ 3 sts per 4 rows: 9" × 7 rows/in = 63 rows; 63 × 0.75 ≈ 47 per side → 94 total, adjusted to 80–104 for ease and even decreases ✓) (80 sts ÷ 5 = 16" upper arm ✓; 86 sts ≈ 17¼"; 92 sts = 18½"; 98 sts ≈ 19½"; 104 sts = 20¾" ✓)

Work in St st for 1" / 2.5 cm. Shape sleeve Decrease 1 st at each end of every 6th row 20 (22, 24, 26, 28) times: (k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1). (80 – 2×20 = 40 sts ✓; 86 – 2×22 = 42 sts ✓; 92 – 2×24 = 44 sts ✓; 98 – 2×26 = 46 sts ✓; 104 – 2×28 = 48 sts ✓)

Work even until sleeve measures 15 (15½, 16, 16, 16½)" / 38 (39.5, 40.5, 40.5, 42) cm from pickup, ending after a WS row. Change to smaller needles. Work 1×1 rib for 2" / 5 cm. BO loosely in rib. (Final cuff: 40 (42, 44, 46, 48) sts ÷ 5 = 8 (8.4, 8.8, 9.2, 9.6)" ✓)

Finishing

Block pieces to measurements. Sew side seams and sleeve underarm seams with mattress stitch. Neckband (optional but recommended) With smaller 16" circular needle and RS facing, begin at left shoulder seam, knit across 50 (58, 64, 72, 80) front neck sts, pick up 2 sts at shoulder seam, knit across 50 (58, 64, 72, 80) back neck sts, pick up 2 sts at opposite shoulder—104 (120, 132, 148, 164) sts. Join, pm for beginning of round. Work 1×1 rib in the round for 1" / 2.5 cm. BO loosely in rib. Weave in all ends. Lightly steam or wet-block finished garment, pinning to schematic measurements.

Schematic (key dimensions)

• Body width: 20 (22, 24, 26, 28)"
• Total length: 24 (24½, 25, 25½, 26)"
• Armhole (sleeve pickup): 9 (9½, 10, 10½, 11)"
• Shoulder width each: 5 (5¼, 5½, 5¾, 6)"
• Boatneck width: 10 (11½, 13, 14½, 16)"
• Sleeve length: 17 (17½, 18, 18, 18½)"

Tips for Beginners

• Use stitch markers every 20 sts while casting on to keep count accurate.
• Count rows with a row counter so Front and Back match exactly.
• When picking up sleeve sts, divide the armhole edge into 4 equal sections and pick up ¼ of the total sts in each section for even distribution.
• Mattress stitch on stockinette creates nearly invisible seams—practice on swatches first.

Enjoy your new boxy boatneck sweater!