BALLOON SWEATER

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Sizes: XS (S) M (L)
Bust circumference: 99 (109) 116 (122) cm
Gauge: 21 sts x 28 rows in stockinette st on 4 mm (US size 6) needles = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x
4 inches
Suggested needles: 3 mm (US size 2.5) / 40 and 80 cm (16 and 32 inches) circular needles, 4 mm
(US size 6) / 40, 60, 80/100 cm (16, 24, 32/40 inches) circular needles, 3 mm
double pointed needles
Materials: 250 (300) 300 (350) g of Arwetta from Filcolana (50 g = 210 m/230 yards) held
together with 125 (150) 150 (175) g of Kid Seta from Gepard (25 g = 210 m/230
yards) or Tilia from Filcolana (25 g = 210 m/230 yards)
 PATTERN
The Balloon Sweater is an oversized sweater with balloon sleeves starting far down on the
shoulder (drop shoulder) that are accentuated by a tight rib at the wrists. The Balloon
Sweater is worked top-down. At first, while shoulder increases are worked on the yoke, at
the same time short rows are used to shape the neck opening. Then, the front and back are
worked separately (back and forth in stockinette st). Front and back panels are joined under
the armhole and the rest of the body is worked in the round. Then sts are picked up for the
sleeves, which are worked in the round on circular needles and at the end on double pointed
needles (or using the magic loop technique). This means that the Balloon Sweater requires
minimal finishing - all that is left to do is to weave in the ends. For the Balloon Sweater the
tubular cast on and tubular cast off methods are used. This will create a neat edge and
provide great elasticity along the rib. It is important for the finished result (both functionally
and aesthetically) that this technique is used (it is especially important for the ribbing of the
sleeves). If you are not familiar with the technique you can search YouTube where there are
several good instruction videos.

Sizing guide
The sizes XS (S) M (L) correspond to bust measurements of about 85 (90) 95 (100) cm.
Measure yourself before you start knitting to decide which size to knit. The Balloon Sweater
is recommended to be worn with a positive ease of about 15-20 cm compared to your bust
measurements, which is already built in the pattern.

On shoulder increases
The shoulder increases are worked on each side of a shoulder st so that they lean either to
the right (m1r) or to the left (m1l). This means that there are 4 increases per row (there are
only 2 shoulder sts). In this pattern shoulder increases are worked on both RS and WS rows
while doing short rows.
The shoulder increases are worked as follows:

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M1r:
On the RS: Insert the needle under the thread between two sts below from the back and k it.
On the WS: Insert the needle under the thread between two sts below from the front and p it
tbl (through the back loop).
M1l:
On the RS: Insert the needle under the thread between two sts below from the front and k it
tbl.
On the WS: Insert the needle under the thread between two sts below from the back and p it.

Be careful not to work the increases too tightly.

On short rows and neck shaping

The neck is shaped by working short rows. The neck opening is made taller in the back by
turning on the front, which means that the middle sts of the front are not worked while
making the short rows. All the turns are done 1 st after the last turn. I recommend using the
German short row technique. If you are not familiar with the technique you can find several
good instruction videos on YouTube.

Yoke
Cast on 90 (94) 94 (98) sts on the 3 mm / 40 cm circular needles with the tubular cast on
method. Join to knit in the round, making sure that the cast on edge is not twisted. Place a
marker to indicate the beginning of the round. The round starts in the middle of the back, i.e.
the back of the neck. Work 7,5 (8) 8,5 (8,5) cm of rib (k 1, p 1) in the round. Switch to the 4
mm / 40 cm circular needles.

Divide for shoulder increases as follows:

22 (23) 23 (24) sts (right back), 1 shoulder st, 44 (46) 46 (48) sts (front), 1 shoulder st, 22 (23)
23 (24) sts (left back).

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Now work shoulder increases on each side of the shoulder sts while at the same time
working short rows as described below. Note that the shoulder increases are worked on
both the RS and WS (read the section “On shoulder increases”).

Shape the neck opening with short rows and work shoulder increases in 3 steps as follows:
Step 1 (RS): K across the sts of the right back, m1r, k the shoulder st, m1l, k1, turn (on step
1 you have increased 2 sts on the right shoulder).

Step 2 (WS): P back until right before the shoulder st of the right shoulder, m1r, p the
shoulder st, m1l, p across the right and left back, m1r, p the shoulder st, m1l, p 1, turn (on
step 2 you have increased 2 sts on both the right and left shoulder).

Step 3 (RS): K until just before the left shoulder st, m1r, k the shoulder st, m1l, k until the
beginning of the round (on step 3 you have increased 2 sts on the left shoulder).

Now you have worked 2 turns and worked a total of 8 increases.

Repeat these 3 steps a total of 15 (17) 19 (20) times but each time turn 1 st after the last
turn (i.e. 1 st further into the front). You will recognize the "turn sts" because they look like
"double sts" if you are using the German short row technique. Switch to longer circular
needles whenever you need to accommodate the increasing number of sts.

You have now worked 30 (34) 38 (40) short rows and increased 120 (136) 152 (160) sts in
total (= 210 (230) 246 (258) sts). Your sts should be now divided as follows:

52 (57) 61 (64) sts (right back), 1 shoulder st, 104 (114) 122 (128) sts (front), 1 shoulder st, 52
(57) 61 (64) sts (left back).

Tip: When counting the sts please be aware that the remaining turn sts look like two sts
because of the German short row technique.

For the rest of the yoke front and back are worked separately back and forth in stockinette

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st. Divide into front and back as follows:

K from the beginning of the round (mid back) to the right shoulder st. Place a st marker in the
shoulder st to hold it, p back across the back until the left shoulder st and place a marker in
this shoulder st to hold it as well. Place all the sts of the front onto another circular needle or
scrap yarn and let them rest while working on the back.

Back: Work back and forth in stockinette st across the 104 (114) 122 (128) sts of the back
until the armhole measures 21,5 (21,5) 23,5 (23,5) cm (measured from where you divided
front and back). K the first and last st on all rows (these sts will later be used for picking up
sts for the sleeves). Let the sts rest.

Front: Work back and forth across the 104 (114) 122 (128) sts of the front until the armhole
measures 21,5 (21,5) 23,5 (23,5) cm (measured from where you divided front and back). K
the first and last st on all rows. Count the number of rows on front and back to make sure
they have the exact same length.

Note that you will not be working the shoulder sts.

Place the live front and back sts on the same 4 mm / 80 or 100 cm circular needle (= 208
(228) 244 (256) sts). Join to continue knitting in the round, which now starts under one of the
sleeves. Work in the round in stockinette st until the sweater from the cast on edge mid front
measures 46 (48) 53 (55) cm, or to the desired length.
Switch to the 3 mm / 80 or 100 cm circular needles and work 8 cm of rib (k 1, p 1). Cast off
using the tubular cast off method (cut the working yarn leaving at least a tail of approx. 2,5 m
for this cast off).

Tip: Try on the sweater as you go to make sure you make it the perfect length for you. The
look of the Balloon Sweater can vary a lot by changing the length.

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Sleeves
The sleeves are worked in the round on 40 cm needles at first and then on double pointed
needles or using the magic loop technique for the cuff.
Left sleeve: RS facing, starting at the underarm, evenly pick up 44 (44) 49 (49) sts along the
armhole on the front with the 4 mm / 40 cm circular needles, place the shoulder st from the
marker on the needle, pick up 45 (45) 49 (49) sts along the armhole of the back. You now
have 90 (90) 99 (99) sleeve sts. Place a marker to indicate the beginning of the round (under
the sleeve where the front and back are joined).
Work in the round in stockinette st until the sleeve measures 32 (33) 34 (35) cm or to the
desired length.

Next, work decreases to create the balloon effect as follows:

Round 1: * K 8 (8) 9 (9), k2tog *. Repeat from * to * a total of 9 (9) 9 (9) times across the
round.
Round 2: K across 1 round.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 a total of 6 (6) 7 (7) times, but for every round 1 k 1 st less between
the decreases (= 36 (36) 36 (36) sts). Switch to double pointed needles or the magic loop
technique when necessary to work in a smaller circumference.
Switch to 3 mm double pointed needles and work 11 cm of rib (k 1, p 1). Cast off using the
tubular cast off method.
NOTE: This is a very tight rib to accentuate the balloon effect. That is why it is essential to
use the tubular bind off for elasticity. If you have large wrists you can work one less round of
decreases. But note that the rib will get looser with wear - it should be tight when you first
put it on.

Right sleeve: Knit the other sleeve identically, but pick up first the sts on the back and then
the front.

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Finishing
Weave in all loose ends.

To maintain the close fit of the ribbing of the neck you can sew a thin elastic thread (in the
same shade as the yarn) along the inside of the k sts at the bottom of the rib (where it
transitions to stockinette st). Adjust the length of the elastic while you are wearing it and tie a
double knot.

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Abbreviations
st/sts: stitch/stitches
cm: centimeter
k: knit
p: purl
k2tog: knit two stitches together
tbl: through the back loop
RS: right side of the work
WS: wrong side of the work

Stitch definitions
Stockinette st worked flat (during short rows): RS, k across; WS, p across
Stockinette st in the round: k across all rounds
Rib st: (k 1, p 1) repeat instructions between brackets until the end of the round; in all
rounds, work the sts as they present themselves (k the knit sts and p the purl sts)

Mette Wendelboe Okkels © COPYRIGHT 2018

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Enjoy!