The beautiful Back yoke Sweater by @noriko_ichikawa_ is now available in French!
We’re delighted to be able to offer you this design, which combines modernity, clean lines and the ingenious construction that Noriko is so good at. It’s knitted seamlessly from top to bottom, with a graphic yoke at the top of the back and deep armholes that create elegant volume and a jumper that’s particularly comfortable to wear.
CONSTRUCTION
The Back Yoke Sweater features a split yoke on the back. The deep, roomy yoke extending from the back to the sleeves, creates a casual and comfortable silhouette.
It starts with the shoulder and back sections worked sideways, then stitches are picked up for the front and back. They are joined at the underarms and worked down in the round to the hem. The length of the body is slightly cropped to complement the roomy body, but since it’s knitted top-down, you can easily adjust the length as you go (please note that this may affect the amount of yarn required). The sleeves’ and collar’s stitches are also picked up from the body and worked in the round.
You can choose between a turtleneck or a folded collar.
TECHNIQUES AND SKILL LEVEL
This pattern is at an intermediate level and skills required for this pattern include Cable cast-on method, Backward Loop Cast-On, Bind-Off with Creating a Folded Collar, Tubular Bind Off for 1×1 Rib (optional), increasing and decreasing, knitting in the round and picking up stitches, German short rows, Tubular Bind Off for 1×1 Rib.
Links to video tutorials are provided for special techniques used, including Cable Cast-On, Tubular Bind Off for 1×1 Rib, Bind-Off with Creating a Folded Collar, Backward Loop Cast-On and German Short Rows.
The unusual construction of the pattern may require more attention than a more traditional design, but it makes this project particularly interesting to knit. You’ll be guided every step of the way by schematics to help you visualise the work and progress smoothly.
« Back Yoke sweater » by Noriko Ichikawa, knitted in Bérénice “poivre et sel” and “biche” (with two strands held together), available in French and in English on our website and in English, Japanese and Korean on Ravelry
HOW TO PICK YOUR SIZE
The pattern comes in 10 sizes corresponding to the following final measurements:
Bust circumference: 113.5 (118, 122, 130.5) 139, 145.5, 151.5 (158, 164, 172.5) cm / 443⁄4 (461⁄2, 48, 511⁄2) 543⁄4, 571⁄4, 593⁄4 (621⁄4, 643⁄4, 68)”
Armhole circumference: 52.5 (56.5, 56.5, 59) 61.5, 63.5, 67 (68, 69, 71) cm / 20 3⁄4 (22 1⁄4, 22 1⁄4, 23 1⁄4) 24 1⁄4, 25, 26 1⁄4 (26 3⁄4, 27 1⁄4, 28)”
To obtain a result close to the photographed samples, the recommended positive ease is 25 to 35 cm.
GAUGE AND YARN CHOICE
Noriko chose our Ulysse carded yarn, taking advantage of its natural bulkiness to knit it with 4mm needles in a slightly oversized gauge with 19 sts x 27.5 rows = 10 x 10 cm. The result is a supple, fluffy material that flows better (and is also slightly more fragile and less regular) than if the yarn had been knitted to a tighter standard gauge. This tension makes it possible to obtain a very light jumper with just 6 balls of Ulysse, or less than 300 g, for the smallest size!
The dialogue between the natural, cosy raw look of Ulysse and the modern, elegant cut of the Back Yoke Sweater is particularly successful in this design, giving it a very special, timeless charm.
Noriko’s Ulysse-knitted versions
Turtleneck sample knitted in size 2 with 33 cm of positive ease in Ulysse «granit»
Folded collar sample knitted in size 2 with 33 cm of positive ease in Ulysse «poivre»
Yardage to knit the pattern in Ulysse (100% mérinos d’Arles and black merino from Portugal ; 250 m (202 yd)/100g)
Turtleneck version: 6 (6, 7, 7) 7, 7, 8 (8, 8, 8) skeins OR 1020 (1075, 1110, 1185) 1225, 1260, 1315 (1370, 1410, 1465) m / 1113 (1174, 1214, 1295) 1336, 1376, 1437 (1498, 1538, 1599) yds of Sport to Worsted weight yarn.
Folded collar version: 6 (6, 6, 7) 7, 7, 8 (8, 8, 8) skeins OR 1015 (1070, 1105, 1180) 1220, 1255, 1310 (1365, 1400, 1460) m / 1111 (1171, 1209, 1291) 1335, 1373, 1433 (1493, 1532, 1597) yds of Sport to Worsted weight yarn.
Our version knitted with two strands of Bérénice held together
When Noriko shared the design with us, we were keen to explore how it would look in a very different material, so we opted for a version knitted with two strands of Bérénice held together. Using the same gauge and needle size, this precious, vaporous version is a real delight to wear! The drape is greater than in the Ulysse version, so the volume of the sleeves is slightly less pronounced, with a more fluid finish.
I’m 1.63cm tall and I’m wearing the size 2 here without any change in height, with a positive ease of 25cm at the chest (and probably a few extra cm at the sleeves for my little arms…). The height is perfect for me, worn with high-waisted trousers. The ‘folded collar’ version gives a very nice finish and the neckline design falls just right 🙂
To add even more interest to the fabric, which is already animated by the presence of the little silk thread that supports Bérénice, I chose two similar but different shades of yarn (the sensual beige of “biche“ and the warm grey of “poivre et sel“) to create a very discreet mottled effect that gives the yarn extra depth. I really like this warm grey-beige, which is subtle and changes with the light, and I’ve already got a list of combinations I’m keen to try out to give you some more ideas 🙂
Yardage to knit the pattern in Bérénice (55% Super Kid Mohair, 25% silk, 20% organic Merinos d’Arles; 210 m / 25 g)
Turtleneck version: 10 (11, 11, 12) 12, 12, 13 (13, 14, 14) balls or 2040 (2150, 2220, 2370) 2450, 2520, 2630 (2740, 2820, 2930) m of similar “lace” yarn.
Folded collar version: 10 (11, 11, 12) 12, 12, 13 (13, 14, 14) balls or 2030 (2140, 2210, 2360) 2440, 2510, 2620 (2730, 2800, 2920) m of similar “lace” weight yarn.
Noriko Ichikawa’s Back Yoke sweater is available in French and English in our shop and in English, Japanese and Korean on Ravelry. I hope you like it as much as we do, and we can’t wait to see your versions!
About the designer: After establishing a modern secondhand bookshop and publishing several books, Noriko resumed knitting, a skill my grandmother taught her, after having a child. She finds joy in creating simple, comfortable, and beautiful in-shape designs. She resides in the small coastal town of Kanagawa, Japan with her husband and daughter.
You can follow her on Ravelry and Instagram:
Ravelry: Norikoichikawa
Instagram: noriko_ichikawa_
Noriko is also the designer of the Zakkuri cardigan knitted in Gilliatt and the Minna no sweater knitted in Ulysse, both available in French and English on our website:
Photo credits for the Ulysse versions: Noriko Ichikawa
Our sample in Bérénice was knitted by the expert hands of Déborah @georah, thank you to her!