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# Boxy Striped Drop-Shoulder Sweatshirt
### A Beginner Boatneck Pullover in Grey with White Stripes

A relaxed, oversized sweatshirt-style jumper worked in simple stocking stitch with bold horizontal stripes. With straight sides, dropped shoulders and an easy boatneck, there is almost no shaping — making it a perfect first garment.

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## Sizes
| Size | S | M | L | XL | 2XL |
|------|---|---|---|----|-----|
| Finished chest | 102 cm | 112 cm | 122 cm | 132 cm | 142 cm |
| Body length | 60 cm | 62 cm | 64 cm | 66 cm | 68 cm |
| Armhole depth | 22 cm | 23 cm | 24 cm | 25 cm | 26 cm |

*Designed with 10–18 cm positive ease for a boxy fit. Choose your size based on finished chest, not body measurement.*

Figures are given as S (M, L, XL, 2XL) throughout. Where only one number appears, it applies to all sizes.

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## Materials
- **Yarn:** Worsted (aran/medium) weight wool or wool blend.
  - **Main Colour (MC) – Grey:** approx. 700 (780, 860, 950, 1040) m
  - **Contrast Colour (CC) – White:** approx. 200 (220, 240, 260, 290) m
- **Needles:**
  - 5 mm (UK 6) needles for main fabric
  - 4 mm (UK 8) needles for ribbing
  - A 5 mm circular needle (optional, useful for picking up sleeve stitches)
- **Notions:** Stitch markers, tapestry/darning needle, tape measure.

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## Tension (Gauge)
**18 sts and 24 rows = 10 cm** over stocking stitch on 5 mm needles, after blocking.
Take time to check your tension — it determines the finished size.

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## Abbreviations (UK)
- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **st st** – stocking stitch (k on RS, p on WS)
- **RS / WS** – right side / wrong side
- **CO / BO** – cast on / bind (cast) off
- **MC / CC** – main colour (grey) / contrast colour (white)
- **rep** – repeat

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## Stripe Sequence
Worked throughout the body and sleeves in stocking stitch:
- **8 rows MC (grey)**
- **4 rows CC (white)**

Repeat this 12-row sequence. Always begin counting the sequence from the first row after the ribbing.
*Tip: Carry the unused colour loosely up the left edge of the work; twist the two yarns once at the start of every other stripe row to avoid long floats.*

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## BACK

Using 4 mm needles and MC, CO **92 (100, 110, 118, 128) sts**.

**Ribbing:**
Row 1 (RS): *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Continue in k1, p1 rib until work measures **6 cm**, ending with a WS row.

**Body:**
Change to 5 mm needles. Beginning with a knit (RS) row, work in st st **following the Stripe Sequence**, starting with 8 rows MC.

Continue straight (no shaping) until Back measures **60 (62, 64, 66, 68) cm** from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

*Check: at tension, 92 sts ÷ 18 × 10 = 51.1 cm wide = half of 102 cm chest. ✓*

**Shoulders / Neck:**
Place a marker each side of the centre **36 sts** — these will be left unworked for the boatneck.
You will have **28 (32, 37, 41, 46) sts** at each shoulder.
BO all **92 (100, 110, 118, 128) sts** loosely. (28 shoulder + 36 centre + 28 shoulder = 92 ✓ for S; counts confirmed for all sizes.)

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## FRONT

Work exactly as for the Back, including the same Stripe Sequence so stripes match at the side seams.

Because this is a **boatneck**, no neck shaping is required — work straight to the same length as the Back and bind off all sts.

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## JOIN SHOULDERS

With RS together (or using mattress stitch from the RS), seam the **outer 28 (32, 37, 41, 46) sts** of each shoulder, leaving the centre **36 sts** of Front and Back open to form the boatneck.

*This gives a neck opening of approximately 40 cm — comfortable to pull over the head with no shaping.*

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## SLEEVES (make 2, worked from the top down)

Lay the joined body flat and measure **22 (23, 24, 25, 26) cm** down from the shoulder seam along each straight side edge, marking this point on both Front and Back. This span is the armhole.

With RS facing, 5 mm needles and MC, pick up and knit **80 (82, 86, 90, 94) sts** evenly along the armhole edge (between your two markers, centred on the shoulder seam).

*Check: 22 cm armhole depth × 2 sides = 44 cm edge → 44 ÷ 10 × 18 ≈ 79 → 80 sts. ✓ (pick up roughly 3 sts for every 4 rows).*

Beginning with a purl (WS) row, work in st st **following the Stripe Sequence** (start with 8 rows MC) AND shape the sleeve as follows:

**Sleeve shaping:**
Decrease Row (RS): k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. (2 sts decreased)
Work the Decrease Row on the **next RS row, then every following 6th row** a total of **14 (14, 15, 16, 17) times**.

Sts remaining: **52 (54, 56, 58, 60) sts**.

Continue straight until sleeve measures **40 (41, 42, 43, 44) cm** from pick-up edge, or 5 cm short of desired length, ending with a WS row.

**Cuff:**
Change to 4 mm needles and MC. Work in k1, p1 rib for **6 cm**.
BO loosely in rib.

Repeat for the second sleeve.

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## NECK EDGING (Boatneck)

With RS facing, 4 mm needles and MC, beginning at one shoulder seam, pick up and knit evenly around the neck opening:
- **36 sts** across the Back centre
- a few sts at each shoulder seam (about 3 sts)
- **36 sts** across the Front centre
- a few sts at the second shoulder seam (about 3 sts)

Total approx. **78 sts**. Place a marker and join to work in the round.

Work in k1, p1 rib for **3 cm**. BO loosely in rib.
*Keep the bind-off relaxed so the neck stretches over the head.*

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## FINISHING

1. **Side seams:** With MC and mattress stitch, seam each side from the cast-on hem up to the underarm (the point where the sleeve was picked up). Match the stripes carefully.
2. **Sleeve seams:** Seam each sleeve from underarm to cuff in one continuous line.
3. **Weave in all ends**, paying attention to the colour-change points so stripes stay crisp.
4. **Block** the finished jumper to the measurements given, smoothing the stripes flat and squaring the corners.

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## Schematic (approximate, S size)
```
        |<------ 51 cm ------>|
        ____________________
       |   [28]  [36]  [28]  |   shoulders + boatneck
       |                     |
       |    grey/white       |  60 cm
       |    stripes          |
       |_____________________|
       |  6 cm k1,p1 rib     |
        ---------------------
   sleeves picked up 22 cm down each side,
   tapered to 52 sts, ending in 6 cm cuff.
```

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### Designer's Notes
- **Beginner tip:** The whole jumper is just stocking stitch and rib — the only "shaping" is the gentle sleeve taper. If you prefer even simpler sleeves, you may skip the decreases and work straight, though they will be wider at the cuff.
- **Stripe alignment:** Starting every piece with the same 8-row grey block ensures the white stripes line up at all seams.
- **Customising length:** For a cropped look, work fewer body rows (e.g. 48–52 cm before shoulders); for a longline version, add rows in full 12-row stripe repeats to keep the pattern balanced.

Enjoy your cosy striped sweatshirt!