Pale Ocean

Pale Ocean Knit Sweater by Morgana Knits

What Is Being Made

The Pale Ocean is a knitted sweater designed by Alexandra Giarmadourou for Morgana Knits. This is a top-down, seamless pullover sweater available in four sizes: Small/Medium, Medium, Large, and Extra Large. The finished bust measurements range from 90 cm (35.5 inches) for the smallest size to 120 cm (47.5 inches) for the largest size, with corresponding waist measurements from 85 cm (33.5 inches) to 116 cm (45.5 inches). The sweater features a sophisticated color-blocking design using two complementary yarns: a light sea green paired with medium grey.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This sweater is constructed using the top-down method, meaning knitting begins at the neckline and progresses downward toward the hem. The garment is knitted entirely in the round on circular needles, creating a seamless construction that eliminates the need for seaming. For smaller circumferences during the initial stages of the pattern, the magic loop method can be employed as an alternative to circular needles of very small diameter. The sweater uses two different needle sizes to achieve distinct stitch patterns and appropriate gauge throughout the design.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Pale Ocean pattern incorporates two primary stitch techniques:

• Lace Pattern: A decorative openwork stitch pattern worked on 3mm needles, creating an intricate, breathable fabric with a delicate appearance. This stitch pattern achieves a gauge of 24 stitches by 32 rows over a 10 by 10 centimeter swatch.
• Stockinette Stitch: The fundamental knit stitch pattern worked on 3.5mm needles, creating a smooth, classic fabric surface. This stitch pattern achieves a gauge of 22 stitches by 32 rows over a 10 by 10 centimeter swatch.

The pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations including knit (k), purl (p), yarn over (yo) for lace increases, knit two stitches together (k2tog) for decreases, and slip-slip-knit (ssk) for left-leaning decreases. The cast-on uses 112 or 124 stitches depending on size, worked on 3mm circular needles in the light sea green yarn.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Pale Ocean pattern is designed to be worked in sport weight yarn. The recommended yarn is Garnstudio Drops BabyAlpaca Silk, a luxurious blend composed of 70 percent alpaca and 30 percent silk. Each 50-gram ball yields approximately 167 meters of yarn. The color palette consists of two shades: Light Sea Green (colorway 7402) and Medium Grey (colorway 8465). Yardage requirements vary by size, with the smallest sizes requiring 2 balls of Light Sea Green and 5 balls of Medium Grey, while the largest size requires 3 balls of Light Sea Green and 7 balls of Medium Grey.

The pattern calls for two sizes of circular needles: 3mm and 3.5mm needles in appropriate lengths for the circumferences being worked. Circular needle lengths should be selected based on the number of stitches in each section; alternatively, the magic loop method allows the use of shorter needles for smaller circumferences. Needle size selection should be adjusted as needed to achieve the specified gauge before beginning the project.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle more complex stitch patterns and construction techniques. The combination of lace work, color changes, and seamless top-down construction requires comfort with reading pattern abbreviations and maintaining consistent gauge across different stitch patterns and needle sizes.