Time: Expect about a week on average — around 5–9 days depending on size and crocheting speed. The sample shown (Size M) took 5 days, working roughly 4 hours per day.

Skill Level: Easy

Sizes written as XS (S, M, L) [XL, 2X, 3X] (4X, 5X, 6X): Finished Bust Size 33.25 (37, 40.5, 44.25) [48, 53, 56.5] (60.25, 64, 67.5)” to fit bust 28-30 (32-34, 36-38, 40-42) [44-46, 48-50, 52-54] (56-58, 60-62, 64-66)”

0-5” positive ease recommended.

Shown in size 36”

Gauge: 13 sts and 16 rows = 4” [10 cm] in Tunisian knit st after wet blocking

Materials

Yarn: Expression Fiber Arts Sparkle DK Weight (60% Superwash Merino Wool, 26% Nylon, 10% Baby Alpaca, 4% Metallic (Polyester); 275 yards [251 meters] / 3.5 ounces [100 grams]): Pegasus (3 (3, 4, 4) [5, 5, 6] (6, 7, 7) skeins)

Hook: US size L/11 8.0 mm Tunisian hook with cable 1/3rd length of panel width or Afghan hook

US size J/10 6.0 mm Crochet hook for seaming and right leaning decrease

Notions: Removable markers, tapestry needle, one 1” button

Abbreviations

Beg – beginning

Es – Tunisian edge stitch

Ldec – left leaning Tunisian knit decrease

Pm – place marker

Rdec – right leaning Tunisian knit decrease

Rp – return pass

Sl kn – slip knot

Thru – through

Tks – Tunisian knit stitch

Special Stitches

Tunisian knit stitch (tks) – insert hook between front and back vertical bars of st, yo and pull up lp.

Edge stitch (es) – insert hook in last st as if to work tks (2 outer vertical bars will be in front of hook), yo and pull up lp.

Left Tunisian knit decrease (ldec) – insert hook behind next front vertical bar, do not pull up lp, insert hook in next st as if to work tks, yo and pull thru both sts.

Right Tunisian knit decrease (rdec) – with smaller hook, sk 1 st, insert hook behind next back vertical bar from left to right, do not pull up lp, insert hook in skipped st as if to work tks, yo, pull thru both sts and put lp on working hook.

Bind off (bo) – [insert hook behind next vertical bar, then thru centre of rp ch (2 bars in front of hook), yo and pull yarn thru both bars and lp (1 lp on hook)] to last st, insert hook as if to work tks (2 outer vertical bars in front of hook), yo and pull thru st and lp on hook.

Return pass (rp) – yo and pull thru 1 lp, [yo and pull thru 2 lps] to end.

Pattern Notes

Constructed bottom-up in two panels using the Tunisian knit stitch for a structured, textured fabric.

Decreases are worked at the beginning of the yoke for armhole shaping, with additional decreases and skipped stitches forming the round neckline on the front.

The back panel includes a keyhole opening for ease and visual interest.

Panels are seamed with mock stitch on the knit side, then flipped inside out to showcase the nubbly reverse texture. Armhole edging, fringes and button placement are worked on the nubbly side.

Fringe is cut and added along the hem for a soft finish.

The lp remaining on the hook from the rp always counts as the first stitch in Tunisian crochet, begin working the next row in the 2nd set of vertical bars.

One forward pass (tks) and one return pass (rp) equals one Tunisian row.

Read the entire pattern once before casting on.

Pattern

Back panel

Body

Ch 54 (60, 66, 72) [78, 86, 92] (98, 104, 110).
Set-up row (WS): Pull up a lp in the back bump of the 2nd ch from hook and each remaining ch across, rp. (54 (60, 66, 72) [78, 86, 92] (98, 104, 110) sts)

Rows 2-40 (40, 40, 44) [44, 44, 48] (48, 48, 48): Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp.

Pm in first and last st after last row.

Armhole shaping

In this section, the Decrease row and Non-Decrease row is defined as:

Dec row: 1 tks, 1 ldec, tks to last 4 sts, 1 rdec, 1 tks, 1 es, rp.

Non-dec row: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp.

Rows 1-6 (8, 10, 12) [15, 18, 20] (22, 25, 27): Work Dec row. (42 (44, 46, 48) [48, 50, 52] (54, 54, 56) sts)

Next 4 Rows: Work [1 non-dec row followed by 1 dec row] 2 times. (38 (40, 42, 44) [44, 46, 48] (50, 50, 52) sts)

Next 3 (3, 3, 3) [2, 1, 1] (1, 0, 0) Rows: Work non-dec row.

Ending Row count for Shaping section to this point is 13 (15, 17, 19) [21, 23, 25] (27, 29, 31) Rows.

Keyhole shaping

Mark off the sts into two equal halves with a st marker. Pm on the horizontal bar after 19 19 (20, 21, 22) [22, 23, 24] (25, 25, 26) sts.

Left shoulder

For the rp of Row 1 work only until the st marker. Continue working the left shoulder with the lps until the st marker. Lps of the right shoulder will be on cable left unworked.

Row 1: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp to marker. (19 (20, 21, 22) [22, 23, 24] (25, 25, 26) lps on either side of marker)

(Here onwards work only the left shoulder)

Rows 2-12: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp.

Ch 4, sk 4 chs, bo across tks, fasten off and cut the yarn.

Right shoulder

Move the hook to work on right shoulder.

Row 1: With new strand of yarn, rp. (19 (20, 21, 22) [22, 23, 24] (25, 25, 26) sts)

Rows 2-12: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp.

Bo across leaving a long tail to attach button.

Front panel

Body

Follow instructions for back panel.

Armhole shaping

Follow instructions for back panel.

Neck shaping

14 sts are worked on either end skipping sts in middle to bo later.

Right shoulder

Row 1: Tks 13, rp. (14 sts)

Row 2: Tks across to last 3 sts, 1 ldec, 1 es, rp. (13 sts)

Row 3: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp. (13 sts)

Row 4: Tks across to last 3 sts, 1 ldec, 1 es, rp. (12 sts)

Rows 5-12: Tks across to last st, rp. (12 sts)

Bo across leaving a long tail to sl st across neckline edge later.

Left shoulder

Row 1: With new strand of yarn beg in 14th st from left edge, tks to last st, 1 es, rp. (14 sts)

Row 2: 1 rdec, tks across to last st, 1 es, rp. (13 sts)

Row 3: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp. (13 sts)

Row 4: 1 rdec, tks across to last st, 1 es, rp. (12 sts)

Rows 5-12: Tks across to last st, 1 es, rp. (12 sts).

Bo across, fasten off.

Neckline edge

With long tail from right shoulder and 8mm hook, sl st across right shoulder, bo across skipped neckline sts, sl st across left shoulder.

Fasten off.

Seaming

Block both panels to measurement.

With knit side facing out, position front and back panels together so hem and yoke markers are aligned.

With smaller hook, place sl kn on hook.

Beg at marked st at underarm, with working yarn on RS of work, [insert hook thru front edge lp of panel on right, then thru corresponding back edge lp of panel on left, yo and pull thru both sts and lp on hook] across to hem. Fasten off.

Rep for 2^nd side seam.

Seam shoulders with mattress st. Turn fabric inside out. With smaller hook work a round of sl sts along the armhole to reinforce the fabric.

Fringes

Cut multiple strands of yarn, each measuring 12” in length. Insert smaller hook from the bottom of st toward the top in any st along the hemline. Fold two strands of yarn in half, pull folded midpoint partway through st to form a lp. Pull the loose ends through lp to create a secure knot.

Rep around each st of hemline.

For front panel, work an additional row of fringes in a slanted position, extending 4-5 inches upward from one side of hem toward the hemline for a layered, angled effect.

Finishing

Sew a button on rp side using long strand of yarn of back section. Remove all markers.  Weave in ends. Block seams and fringes.