Pattern Release: Ellyce

Back when I started designing, I focused mainly on accessories, in part because that's what I really love to knit. Since then, though, I've really become a sweater knitter (I'm working on my fourth sweater of this year already), and I didn't feel like I could call myself a "real" designer until I'd designed a sweater. Well, that day has come. After months of knitting, doing calculations, doing recalculations, testing, tech editing, and so forth, Ellyce is finally live.

Ellyce was designed to be the sweater I always wanted to wear but could never find a pattern for -- simple lines, sleek, and cozy with just a bit of a flair. It's knit entirely seamlessly from the top down using raglan shaping. There is literally no seaming involved in this sweater -- the collar/front bands are picked up using the live yarn before the bottom of the sweater is finished, and the sleeves are knit in the round, so the only finishing you'll have to do on this sweater are weaving in a few ends.

I know it's odd to release a sweater pattern in April, but it's actually very much still sweater weather here. This was designed to be a transitional piece -- something you can wear when you need layers or when it's just slightly too warm for a coat but not warm enough to go outside in just a shirt. In the photos you see here, I was wearing a light cotton shirt underneath and was pretty cozy even in the snow.

The sleeves are long and fitted to keep out the chill, though if you don't like them that long, the length is easy to adjust (just stop knitting when you reach your target length). The rolled collar hugs the neck and hangs open on its own, but if you'd like to keep it closed, this is the place for a pretty shawl pin.

The sample you see here was knit in Knit Picks Capra, a soft, warm, fuzzy merino/cashmere blend. It's classified as a DK, but in my experience, it knits up at a worsted gauge (5 stitches per inch). (In fact, when I knit this for a second time, I used a worsted weight yarn -- Cascade 220 -- and got a perfect match for gauge.)

I'm super excited about this release because I've learned so much about the process of designing a sweater -- it's hard work! I had a bunch of great test knitters and two tech editors work on this pattern, and their help was invaluable. I really hope you enjoy it!