This sweater’s color recalls the silvery green foliage of the artemisia plant, used to make the storied spirit absinthe. Drinking absinthe became so popular in French cafés that by the mid-nineteenth century, happy hour there was called l’heure verte (“the green hour”). Deeply textured waves flow from the neckline of the sweater, expanding along with the yoke until they reach the stockinette body and disappear. The transition gives a slight A-line shape to the cropped body, while short rows shape the back neck and body for a good fit, and create the rounded hems. Simple rolled edges at the neckline, hem, and cuffs are clean and practical.
Construction: L’Heure Verte is knit seamlessly from the top down using round yoke construction, with an expanding stockinette-based wave texture on the yoke, a plain stockinette body, and rolled neck, cuffs, and hem. Stitches are cast on in the round at the neckline, the back neck is shaped with short rows, then the yoke is worked to the bottom of the armhole. Sleeve stitches are placed on hold while the lower body is worked without shaping to the rolled hem. Bracelet length sleeves are then continued to the matching rolled cuffs.
Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, backwards loop CO, seamless round yoke construction, knit/purl, short rows, increasing/decreasing. The yoke pattern repeat is both fully written and charted, and a link is included to my short rows tutorials.
Size: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)” bust; sample shown in second size worn with 5” of positive ease.
Yarn: Purl Soho Worsted Twist (100% merino wool; 164 yards/150m/100g), shown in Artemisia Green; 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) skeins, or approximately 850 (950, 1050, 1125, 1225) yards of worsted weight yarn.
Other Materials: US 7 (4.5mm) 16” and 32” circular needle or size to match gauge; Stitch markers 10 (11, 12, 12, 13); Stitch holders (2); Yarn needle.
Gauge: 18 st and 28 rounds/4” in yoke pattern, 17 st and 24 rounds/4” in stockinette stitch, after blocking.
See it on Ravelry or on Payhip, to read more or purchase the pattern.
