Boxy Drop-Shoulder Boatneck Pullover

Beginner Knitting Pattern — Worsted Weight

Skill Level: Beginner
Construction: Drop-shoulder pullover worked flat in pieces. Front and back are plain rectangles (no armhole shaping). Shoulders are seamed. Sleeves are picked up from the straight armhole edge and worked down to the cuff. Boatneck requires no neck shaping.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL)
To fit bust approx 32–34 (36–38, 40–42, 44–46, 48–50)" / 81–86 (91–97, 102–107, 112–117, 122–127) cm
Finished bust circumference: 40 (44, 48, 52, 56)" / 102 (112, 122, 132, 142) cm
Intended ease: approx +6–8" / 15–20 cm (boxy, oversized)

Shown with ~7" / 18 cm positive ease. Choose size based on desired finished bust measurement.

Finished Measurements

Gauge

20 stitches and 28 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch with larger needles, after blocking.
Take time to check gauge. Adjust needle size if needed to obtain gauge.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn (approx CYC #4)
Yardage: 1100 (1250, 1400, 1550, 1700) yards / 1005 (1145, 1280, 1420, 1555) m
Sample category: 100% wool or wool-blend worsted that knits to gauge (e.g., Cascade 220, Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, Lion Brand Wool-Ease, or equivalent)

Needles:

• US 8 (5 mm) straight or circular needles for body and sleeves
• US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles for ribbing
  (or sizes needed to obtain gauge)

Notions:

• Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers
• Scrap yarn or stitch holders
• Measuring tape
• Scissors

Abbreviations (US)

• BO — bind off
• CO — cast on
• k — knit
• p — purl
• pm — place marker
• rep — repeat
• RS — right side
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• St st — stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
• WS — wrong side
• * — repeat instructions between asterisks

Pattern Notes

• Pullover is worked flat in pieces and seamed.
• Front and back are identical rectangles — no armhole indentation and no neck shaping (boatneck).
• Sleeves are picked up along the side edge of the body and worked flat down to the cuff; side and sleeve seams are sewn afterward.
• 1×1 rib is used for hems, cuffs, and neckband.
• When instructions differ by size, values are given as S (M, L, XL, 2XL). If only one number appears, it applies to all sizes.
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise (optional) for neater selvedges to seam.
• Block pieces before seaming for best results.

BACK

With smaller needles, CO 100 (110, 120, 130, 140) sts.

Ribbing:
Work in 1×1 rib as follows:
Row 1 (RS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Rep Rows 1–2 until ribbing measures 2" (5 cm) from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Switch to larger needles.

Body:
Work in St st (knit RS rows, purl WS rows) until piece measures 22 (23, 24, 25, 26)" / 56 (58.5, 61, 63.5, 66) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Bind off for shoulders and neck (RS):
BO 30 (34, 37, 40, 43) sts for right shoulder,
BO next 40 (42, 46, 50, 54) sts for boatneck,
BO remaining 30 (34, 37, 40, 43) sts for left shoulder.
(100 = 30+40+30; 110 = 34+42+34; 120 = 37+46+37; 130 = 40+50+40; 140 = 43+54+43 ✓)

Fasten off. Set Back aside.

FRONT

Work exactly as for Back.
Front and Back are identical for this boatneck style (no front neck shaping).

JOIN SHOULDERS

Block Front and Back gently to measurements.

Place Front and Back with RS together, aligning shoulder edges.
With tapestry needle and mattress stitch (or backstitch), seam each shoulder for 6 (6¾, 7½, 8, 8½)" / 15 (17, 19, 20.5, 21.5) cm from the armhole edge inward — matching the 30 (34, 37, 40, 43) bound-off shoulder sts on each side.

Leave the center 8 (8½, 9¼, 10, 10¾)" / 20.5 (21.5, 23.5, 25.5, 27.5) cm open for the boatneck.
(Optional advanced join: use 3-needle bind-off on the shoulder sts only before the final BO row, leaving center neck sts live or bound off separately.)

SLEEVES (make 2)

Mark armhole depth:
On each side edge of the body, measure down from the shoulder seam 9 (9.5, 10, 10.5, 11)" / 23 (24, 25.5, 26.5, 28) cm and place a marker. This length is the armhole / sleeve-pickup edge. The remaining lower side edge will be the side seam.

Pick up stitches:
With larger needles and RS facing, beginning at the underarm marker on one side, pick up and knit 50 (52, 56, 58, 62) sts evenly along the armhole edge to the shoulder seam, then continue evenly to the matching marker on the other piece (Front or Back as appropriate).
Pickup guide: approx 3 sts for every 4 rows along the selvedge. Adjust spacing so you end with exactly the stated stitch count.
(50 (52, 56, 58, 62) sts ✓)

Next row (WS): Purl.

Shape sleeve:
Work in St st, and at the same time decrease as follows:
Decrease row (RS): K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. (2 sts decreased)

Work Decrease row every 8th row 5 (5, 6, 6, 7) more times,
then every 10th row 0 (0, 0, 1, 1) time(s).

Total decrease rows: 6 (6, 7, 8, 9)
Sts decreased: 12 (12, 14, 16, 18)
Sts remaining: 50−12=38; 52−12=40; 56−14=42; 58−16=42; 62−18=44 ✓

Continue even in St st (if needed) until sleeve measures 14½ (15, 15, 15½, 15½)" / 37 (38, 38, 39.5, 39.5) cm from pickup edge, ending after a WS row.

Switch to smaller needles.

Cuff:
Next row (RS): Knit, decreasing 0 (0, 0, 0, 0) sts evenly if needed — you should have 38 (40, 42, 42, 44) sts.
Work in 1×1 rib (*k1, p1; rep from * to end) for 2" (5 cm).
BO loosely in rib.

Work second sleeve the same way on the opposite armhole.

NECKBAND

With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at left shoulder seam, pick up and knit sts around boatneck as follows:

• Pick up 40 (42, 46, 50, 54) sts along Front neck BO edge,
• Pick up 2 sts at shoulder seam,
• Pick up 40 (42, 46, 50, 54) sts along Back neck BO edge,
• Pick up 2 sts at opposite shoulder seam.

Total: 84 (88, 96, 104, 112) sts.
(40+2+40+2=84; 42+2+42+2=88; 46+2+46+2=96; 50+2+50+2=104; 54+2+54+2=112 ✓)

Join to work in the round if using circular needle, or work back and forth flat and seam later.

Rnd/Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Continue in 1×1 rib until neckband measures 1" (2.5 cm) (or 1½" / 4 cm if you prefer a deeper band).
BO loosely in rib.
If worked flat, seam the short neckband ends at the shoulder.

FINISHING

1. Side and sleeve seams: With RS together (or RS facing for mattress stitch), sew each side seam from hem rib to underarm marker. Continue seamlessly (or as one long seam) along the sleeve underarm from underarm to cuff. Repeat on opposite side.
2. Weave in all ends securely on WS.
3. Block finished sweater to schematic measurements: wet-block or steam lightly, pin to size, and dry completely.
4. Optional: Add a second pass of mattress stitch on any loose selvedge gaps at the dropped shoulder join for a tidy finish.

Schematic (key dimensions)

        |← 8–10¾" neck →|
    ┌───┬───────────────┬───┐  ← shoulders
    |   |               |   |
    |   |     BOAT      |   |  armhole depth
    |   |     NECK      |   |  9–11"
    |   |               |   |
    ├─ ─┴───────────────┴─ ─┤  ← underarm line (not shaped)
    |                       |
    |        BODY           |  total length 22–26"
    |     20–28" wide       |
    |                       |
    └───────────────────────┘
         ← hem rib 2" →

    Sleeve (picked up at armhole, worked down):
    [upper 10–12½" wide] ──► taper ──► [cuff 8–9½"]
         length pickup to cuff 16½–17½"

Tips for Beginners

• Count stitches after every few rows of ribbing and after pickup so counts stay exact.
• Use locking markers at the underarm points before picking up sleeves.
• Mattress stitch from the RS gives the cleanest side and shoulder seams for stockinette.
• If your row gauge differs, measure length with a tape measure rather than counting rows for body and sleeves.
• Loose bind-off on neck and cuffs prevents a tight finish — go up a needle size to BO if needed.

Yarn Substitution Guide

Any worsted (#4) yarn that achieves 20 sts = 4" is suitable. Fiber content affects drape: wool has memory and structure; cotton/linen blends drape more and may grow — consider sizing down slightly for plant fibers. Always swatch and block your swatch.

End of pattern.
Enjoy your boxy drop-shoulder boatneck pullover!