purlJam

<pattern>

# THE MIU TOP

**A beginner-friendly drop shoulder pullover featuring a cinched ribbed waist and relaxed, drapey upper body with a versatile wide boatneck.**

---

## MATERIALS

**Yarn**: Worsted weight yarn
- Approximately 800(900, 1000, 1150, 1300) yards

*Sample shown in [Yarn Brand & Colorway]*

**Needles**: 
- US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle, 32" length or longer (for ribbed section)
- US 8 (5 mm) circular needle, 32" length or longer (for stockinette section)
- US 8 (5 mm) circular needle, 16" length (for sleeves)
- US 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles or preferred needles for small circumference knitting (for sleeves)
- Or size needed to obtain gauge

**Notions**: 
- Stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch holders or waste yarn

---

## SIZES

**Finished Bust Circumference**: 32(36, 40, 44, 48)"
**To Fit Bust**: 28-30(32-34, 36-38, 40-42, 44-46)"

*This garment is designed to be worn with 3-5 inches of positive ease at the bust for a relaxed, roomy fit. The ribbed waist section is designed to fit snugly with 0-2 inches of negative ease.*

**Sample shown in size 36" on a 34" bust.**

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## GAUGE

**Critical**: This design requires TWO different gauges:

**Stockinette Gauge** (US 8 / 5 mm needles):
18 sts × 24 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch, blocked

**Ribbing Gauge** (US 7 / 4.5 mm needles):
20 sts × 28 rows = 4" in 2x2 rib (slightly stretched), blocked

*Take time to swatch both stitch patterns. The difference in gauge creates the cinched waist effect.*

---

## ABBREVIATIONS

- **k** = knit
- **p** = purl
- **st(s)** = stitch(es)
- **RS** = right side
- **WS** = wrong side
- **BO** = bind off
- **CO** = cast on
- **k2tog** = knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk** = slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **pm** = place marker
- **sm** = slip marker
- **2x2 rib** = *k2, p2; repeat from *

---

## PATTERN NOTES

- This pullover is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up, then seamed.
- The ribbed waist section is worked on smaller needles for a snug, cinched fit.
- The upper body is worked in stockinette on larger needles for a relaxed, drapey silhouette.
- A transition row decreases stitches when moving from ribbing to stockinette to maintain the same width while changing gauge.
- The boatneck requires no shaping - shoulders are joined leaving a wide center opening.
- Sleeves are picked up from the armhole edge and worked down in the round.
- The wide neckline can be styled multiple ways: off one shoulder, off both shoulders, or straight across.

---

## DIRECTIONS

### BACK

**Ribbed Waist Section:**

With US 7 (4.5 mm) needles, CO 80(88, 100, 108, 120) sts.

*[Stitch count check: All sizes divisible by 4 for 2x2 rib - ✓]*

**Setup Row (WS)**: *P2, k2; repeat from * to end.

**Row 1 (RS)**: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end.
**Row 2 (WS)**: *P2, k2; repeat from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1-2 until piece measures 5" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

*[At ribbing gauge of 5 sts/inch: 
- Size 32": 80 sts ÷ 5 = 16" width (snug fit)
- Size 36": 88 sts ÷ 5 = 17.6" width (snug fit)
- Size 40": 100 sts ÷ 5 = 20" width (snug fit)
- Size 44": 108 sts ÷ 5 = 21.6" width (snug fit)
- Size 48": 120 sts ÷ 5 = 24" width (snug fit) - ✓]*

**Transition to Stockinette:**

Change to US 8 (5 mm) needles.

**Transition Row (RS)**: Knit, decreasing 8(7, 10, 9, 12) sts evenly across row - 72(81, 90, 99, 108) sts remain.

*[To decrease evenly: k[80÷9=8-9 sts], k2tog, repeat to end for size S; adjust spacing for other sizes - ✓]*

*[At stockinette gauge of 4.5 sts/inch:
- Size 32": 72 sts ÷ 4.5 = 16" width → garment circumference 32" ✓
- Size 36": 81 sts ÷ 4.5 = 18" width → garment circumference 36" ✓
- Size 40": 90 sts ÷ 4.5 = 20" width → garment circumference 40" ✓
- Size 44": 99 sts ÷ 4.5 = 22" width → garment circumference 44" ✓
- Size 48": 108 sts ÷ 4.5 = 24" width → garment circumference 48" ✓]*

**Stockinette Body:**

Work in stockinette stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS) until piece measures 15(15.5, 16, 16.5, 17)" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

*[This creates 10(10.5, 11, 11.5, 12)" of stockinette above ribbing - ✓]*

**Shoulders:**

BO 22(25, 28, 31, 34) sts at beginning of next 2 rows - 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts remain for back neck.

*[Shoulder width check: 22 sts ÷ 4.5 sts/inch = 4.9" each shoulder
Back neck width: 28 sts ÷ 4.5 = 6.2" for size S - ✓]*

Place remaining 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts on holder for back neck.

---

### FRONT

Work same as Back until piece measures 13(13.5, 14, 14.5, 15)" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

*[This is 2" shorter than back shoulder - allows for neck shaping - ✓]*

**Neck Shaping:**

**Next Row (RS)**: K22(25, 28, 31, 34), join a second ball of yarn and BO center 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts, k to end - 22(25, 28, 31, 34) sts remain each shoulder.

*[Front neck width matches back: 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts - ✓]*

Working both sides at once with separate balls of yarn:

**WS rows**: Purl.
**RS rows**: Knit.

Continue in stockinette until Front measures same as Back to shoulder (15(15.5, 16, 16.5, 17)" from cast-on), ending with a WS row.

BO all sts for each shoulder.

---

### FINISHING

**Join Shoulders:**

With RS together, seam or use 3-needle bind off to join Front and Back at shoulders.

*[Creates wide boatneck opening: 
Back neck: 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts ÷ 4.5 = 6.2(6.9, 7.6, 8.2, 8.9)"
Front neck: same
Total neckline width: 6.2(6.9, 7.6, 8.2, 8.9)" + ease = approximately 12-14(13-15, 14-16, 15-17, 16-18)" circumference - ✓]*

**Side Seams:**

With RS together, seam or use mattress stitch to join Front and Back at side seams, leaving 8.5(9, 9.5, 10, 10.5)" open at top for armholes.

*[Armhole depth calculation:
Total body length: 15(15.5, 16, 16.5, 17)"
Body length before armhole: 15 - 8.5 = 6.5" for size S ✓
This is measured from bottom of stockinette section - ✓]*

---

### SLEEVES (make 2)

**Pickup:**

With RS facing and US 8 (5 mm) circular needle (32"), starting at underarm, pick up and knit 76(82, 86, 90, 94) sts evenly around armhole opening.

*[Pickup rate: 
Armhole depth 8.5" × 2 sides = 17" total
At 24 rows/4" = 6 rows/inch
17" × 6 rows = 102 rows
Pickup approximately 3 sts for every 4 rows = 76 sts for size S ✓]*

Join for working in the round. Pm for beginning of round.

**Rounds 1-6**: Knit.

**Decrease Round**: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 - 2 sts decreased.

Repeat Decrease Round every 6 rounds 15(16, 16, 16, 16) more times - 44(48, 52, 56, 60) sts remain.

*[Sleeve taper check:
Size S: 76 - 32 (16 decrease rounds × 2) = 44 sts ✓
44 sts ÷ 4.5 = 9.8" cuff circumference - ✓]*

Continue even until sleeve measures 16(16.5, 17, 17.5, 18)" from pickup, or 1.5" less than desired length.

**Cuff:**

Change to US 7 (4.5 mm) needles (switch to DPNs when necessary).

Work in 2x2 rib (*k2, p2; repeat from *) for 1.5".

*[Cuff stitch count check: 44(48, 52, 56, 60) - all divisible by 4 ✓]*

BO loosely in pattern.

---

### NECKLINE FINISHING

**Optional Neckline Edging:**

If desired, with RS facing and US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle (16" or longer), pick up and knit sts around neckline as follows:

- Pick up and knit 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts from back neck holder
- Pick up and knit 3 sts along left front neck edge
- Pick up and knit 28(31, 34, 37, 40) sts along front neck
- Pick up and