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The Marie Sweater is a contiguous shoulder sweater worked top-down, both flat and in the round. The name is inspired by the 12th-century writer Marie de France, best known for the composition of Breton Lais popular in the Anglo-Norman court. The design is inspired by traditional Breton marinières and features a button detail on the left shoulder. Depending on the fibres you choose to use, the pattern can also be modified into a T-shirt suited to warmer weather with shorter sleeves. The pattern contains several suggestions for stripe placement.

You will initially work the yoke back and forth in rows, shaping the shoulders, neckline, and sleeves in turn. When the neckline shaping is complete, you will join in the round and continue to shape the sleeves before finishing the yoke with raglan increases. At the end of the yoke, you will leave the sleeve stitches to rest and work the length of the body. You will then work each sleeve in turn. For the Sweater option, you will work the full length of your arm but, for the T-shirt option, I recommend that you cast off after about 7.5 cm 3 in of work from the underarm cast-on. Reference images of each sample can be found on page 21 of this file.

This pattern has been tech edited and test knitted. Should you require any pattern support, please contact me by email where possible or use the contact form on this website.

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Materials & Fit


Notions: You will need 3 mm / US 2.5 (40- and 80-cm / 16- and 32-in cord) and 4 mm / US 6 (40-, 60-, and 80-cm / 16-, 24- and 32-in cord circular needles. You will also need at least 8 stitch markers, a darning needle, and either scrap yarn, spare circular needles, or stitch holders for the resting sleeve stitches. You will also need 3 buttons, measuring approximately 15 mm / 0.5 in in diameter.


Tension: 21 stitches x 30 rows/rounds in Stockinette stitch on 4 mm / US 6 = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 in.


Sizing and ease: The Marie Sweater has a recommended positive ease of 7.5–12.5 cm / 3–5 in for Sizes A-H and 7.5-18 cm / 3-7 in for Sizes I-L around the chest (or the widest part of your torso). However, if you wanted less ease, you would be welcome to choose a smaller size relative to you chest measurement and vice versa.


Size: A (B) C (D), E (F) G (H), I (J) K (L)


Chest measurement (cm): 75-80 (80-85) 85-90 (90-95), 95-100 (100-105) 105-110 (110-115), 115-125 (125-135) 135-145 (145-155)
Chest measurement (in): 29.5-31.5 (31.5-33.5) 33.5-35.5 (35.5-37.5), 37.5-39.25 (39.25-41.25) 41.25-43.25 (43.25-45.25), 45.25-49.25 (49.25-53.25) 53.25-57 (57-61)


Actual circumference of garment at chest (cm): 87.5 (93.5) 97 (103), 107.5 (112.5) 117 (123), 132.5 (143) 152.5 (163)
Actual circumference of garment at chest (in): 34.5 (36.75) 38.25 (40.5), 42.25 (44.25) 46 (48.25), 52 (56.25) 60 (64)


Armhole depth (cm): 16 (17) 18 (19), 19.5 (20) 21 (21.5), 21.5 (23.5) 23.5 (25)
Armhole depth (in): 6.5 (6.75) 7.25 (7.5), 7.75 (8) 8.25 (8.5), 8.5 (9.25) 9.25 (9.75)


Body length from cast-on edge to hem at centre back (cm): 55 (57) 58 (60), 61.5 (63) 64.5 (66), 67 (68) 69 (70)
Body length from cast-on edge to hem at centre back (in): 21.5 (22.5) 22.75 (23.5), 24.25 (24.75) 25.25 (26), 26.25 (26.75) 27.25 (27.5)

Please note that my Size C samples are about 8 cm 3.25 in shorter than this.

Sleeve circumference at bicep (cm): 27.5 (28.5) 30.5 (31.5), 33 (34.5) 36.5 (38.5), 40.5 (44) 47.5 (50)
Sleeve circumference at bicep (in): 10.75 (11.25) 12 (12.25), 13 (13.5) 14.5 (15.25), 16 (17.25) 18.75 (19.75)

Sleeve length (cm): 45
Sleeve length (in): 17.75

Yarn: For Sample 1 (sweater with long sleeves and stripes after the yoke only), I used RiverKnits Nene 4ply (100% Bluefaced Leicester wool; 100 g = 400 m / 438 yds in the shade Unterwasserwelt held with Along Avec Anna Silk Mohair (72% mohair, 28% mulberry silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds in the shade Royal for my main colour. I used RiverKnits Nene 4ply in the shade Baa held with Filcolana Tilia (70% mohair, 30% silk; 25 g = 210 m / 230 yds) in the shade Snow White 100 for my contrast colour. I worked the yoke entirely in the main colour, and then introduced the contrast colour 2 rounds after separating the body and sleeve sections.

For Sample 2 (t-shirt with short sleeves and all-over stripes), I used Isager Palet (100% cotton; 50 g = 160 m / 175 yds) in the shade Linen held with Isager Trio 1 (50% linen, 30% cotton, 20% Lyocell; 50 g = 350 m / 383 yds) also in the shade Linen for my main colour, and in the shades Ink and Navy respectively for my contrast colour. I worked 4 rows/rounds in the main colour and then 2 rows/rounds in the contrast colour throughout.

For Sample 3 (sweater with long sleeves and no stripes), I used Along Avec Anna Merino (100% superwash merino wool; 50 g = 200 m / 219 yds) held with Along Avec Anna Silk Mohair (as above) in the shade Muscade.


To try to aid clarity whilst giving as much information as possible on the different sleeve and stripe options, I have broken the meterage/yardage up quite a lot for this pattern. There are first three options for the long sleeved version of the pattern, and then the same options for the short sleeved version of the pattern. The qualities of yarn are first given in metres / yds, and I then offer quantities in the yarns I used for my samples.


These are estimates based on my sample garments. For Sample 1 and 2, I worked 4 rows/rounds in main colour and then 2 rows/rounds in contrast colour, and I have used those same proportions to estimate the quantities of yarn needed for each stripe option. If you use different stripe placement, this will affect the amount of yarn needed.

The yardage varies a lot for this project, depending on if you’re working it with long or short sleeves and your choice of stripe placements (or lack thereof). The yarn qualities are given in tables within the pattern on pages 5 and 6. You can see screenshots of these in the photos as part of this listing. 

If you want to use the same yarn as any of my samples, the options are as follows:

Long sleeves, 1 colour
In hanks of RiverKnits Nene: 3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3-4 (4), 4 (4) 5 (5)
In balls Along Avec Anna Merino: 5 (5) 5 (5-6), 6 (6) 6-7 (7), 7 (8) 9 (9)
In balls of mohair: 4 (5) 5 (5), 6 (6) 6 (6-7), 7 (7-8) 8 (9)
In balls of Isager Palet: 6 (6) 6 (7), 7 (7) 8 (8), 9 (10) 11 (11)
In balls of Isager Trio 1: 3 (3) 3 (3), 4 (4) 4 (4), 4 (5) 5 (5)


Long sleeves, stripes in body and sleeve only
In hanks of RiverKnits Nene: 2 (2) 2 (2-3), 3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (3-4) 4 (4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1) in contrast colour
In balls Along Avec Anna Merino: 4 (4) 4 (4-5), 5 (5) 5 (5-6), 6 (6) 7 (7) in main colour; 1 (1-2) 1-2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2-3) in contrast colour
In balls of mohair: 3-4 (4) 4 (4), 4-5 (5) 5 (5), 6 (6) 6-7 (7) in main colour; 1 (1) 1-2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Palet: 4 (5) 5 (5), 6 (6) 6 (7), 7 (8) 8 (9) in main colour; 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (3) 3 (3) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Trio 1: 2 (2) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3), 4 (4) 4 (4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 2 (2) in contrast colour


Long sleeves, all over stripes
In hanks of RiverKnits Nene: 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2-3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3-4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1-2) 1-2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2) in contrast colour
In balls Along Avec Anna Merino: 3 (3-4) 4 (4), 4 (4) 4-5 (5), 5 (5-6) 6 (6) in main colour; 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2-3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3) in contrast colour
In balls of mohair: 3 (3) 3-4 (4), 4 (4) 4 (4-5), 5 (5) 6 (6) in main colour; 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2-3 (2-3), 3 (3) 3 (3) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Palet: 4 (4) 4 (5), 5 (5) 5-6 (6), 6 (7) 7 (8) in main colour; 2 (2) 2-3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (4) 4 (4) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Trio 1: 2 (2) 2 (2-3), 2-3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 4 (4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1-2 (1-2), 1-2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2) in contrast colour


Short sleeves, 1 colour
In hanks of RiverKnits Nene: 2 (2) 2 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3), 3-4 (4) 4 (4)
In balls Along Avec Anna Merino: 4 (4) 4 (5), 5 (5) 6 (6), 6 (7) 7-8 (8)
In balls of mohair: 4 (4) 4 (4-5), 5 (5) 5 (6), 6 (7) 7 (8)
In balls of Isager Palet: 5 (5) 5 (6), 6 (6-7) 7 (7), 7 (8-9) 9 (10)
In balls of Isager Trio 1: 2-3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3-4 (4), 4 (4) 4-5 (5)

Short sleeves, stripes in body and sleeve only
In hanks of RiverKnits Nene: 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2-3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3-4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1) in contrast colour
In balls Along Avec Anna Merino: 3 (3) 3-4 (4), 4 (4) 4-5 (5), 5 (5-6) 6 (6) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1-2), 1-2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2) in contrast colour
In balls of mohair: 3 (3) 3-4 (4), 4 (4) 4 (5), 5 (5) 6 (6) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1-2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Palet: 4 (4) 4 (4-5), 5 (5) 5-6 (6), 6 (7) 7 (8) in main colour; 1-2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2-3 (3) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Trio 1: 2 (2) 2 (2), 2-3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (3-4) 4 (4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1-2 (1-2) in contrast colour

Short sleeves, all over stripes
In hanks of RiverKnits Nene: 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2-3), 3 (3) 3 (3) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1-2) 2 (2) in contrast colour
In balls Along Avec Anna Merino: 3 (3) 3 (3-4), 4 (4) 4 (4), 4 (5) 5-6 (6) in main colour; 1-2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2-3) 3 (3) in contrast colour
In balls of mohair: 3 (3) 3 (3), 3-4 (4) 4 (4), 4-5 (5) 5 (5-6) in main colour; 1-2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2-3 (2-3) 3 (3) in contrast colour
In balls of Isager Palet: 3-4 (4) 4 (4), 4-5 (5) 5 (5), 6 (6) 7 (7) in main colour; 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2) 2 (2-3), 3 (3) 3 (3) in contrast colour
In ball of Isager Trio 1: 2 (2) 2 (2), 2 (2-3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (4) in main colour; 1 (1) 1 (1), 1 (1) 1-2 (1-2), 1-2 (2) 2 (2) in contrast colour

Please note that all figures given above have been rounded up to the nearest 10 m/10 yards, and that I originally worked in metres and then converted into yards. Where you may need an extra ball, I’ve suggested that you might want an extra just in case (i.e., 1.95 balls of yarn becomes 2-3 balls in the list above).


Many thanks to Beth (@telling_yarns) for helping with the formatting of the yardage information.

This is a relatively easy pattern and, whilst it may not be suitable for absolute beginners, I think confident newer knitters will get on well with this as a first sweater, especially if made without stripes. Techniques include leaning increases and decreases, picking up stitches along horizontal and