Spencer is the perfect everyday sweater, indispensable in any wardrobe, and just right for slipping over a delicate tea dress or teamed with a collared shirt and trousers depending on your mood.
Spencer features an eye-catching knitted ‘smock’ panel at centre front which is replicated immediately above the cuffs on the elegant long sleeves. It is echoed again as a delightful shoulder detail for that refined couture touch.

Spencer is knitted from the bottom up in the round as far as the underarms. The front and back are then split and knitted back and forth separately before being joined by the decorative shoulder detail. Sleeve stitches are picked up around the armhole and then worked downwards for perfect length adjustment.

Spencer is knitted using Susan Crawford Byre, a fingering weight 100% British wool, with excellent stitch definition – perfect for showing off the exquisite mock-smock stitch. The blend of fibres used ensure this is also a hard-wearing yarn too, ensuring Spencer will become a beloved wardrobe staple for many years to come.

Spencer is shown here in two colour ways.
Colourway One uses shade: Room Of My Own.

Colourway two uses shade: Ragwort.

The garments shown in the photographs are the third size to fit 92–97cm (36–38in) chest knitted in shade Room of My Own and the fifth size to fit 112–117cm (44–46in) chest in shade Ragwort. Spencer is designed to be worn with between 5–10cm (2–4in) of positive ease.

The pattern is available in nine adult sizes to fit from 71–157cm (28–62in) chest circumference. The pattern includes written instructions, an easy-to-follow chart, which should be read from right to left when working in the round or when working flat, RS rows should be read right to left and WS rows from left to right. The pattern also includes a helpful schematic.

Yarn kits are available at Susan Crawford Vintage.

Yarn
Susan Crawford Byre, 100% British wool, a unique blend of Jacob, white Shetland and black Shetland fleeces, Fingering weight (400m / 436yds per 100g skein approx)
Colourway One
3 (3, 3, 4, 4) (4, 5, 5, 6) skeins, shade Room Of My Own

Colourway two
3 (3, 3, 4, 4) (4, 5, 5, 6) skeins, shade Ragwort

Suggested needles
Small Needles: 2.75 mm (US 2) circular needle (80-100 cm / 30-40 in)
2.75 mm (US 2) circular needle (40 cm / 16 in) or set of DPNs
Large Needles: 3.25 mm (US 3) circular needle (80-100 cm / 30-40 in)
3.25 mm (US 3) circular needle (40 cm / 16 in) or set of DPNs

Gauge
30 sts and 32 rounds = 10 cm / 4 in over stocking stitch knitted in the round and flat, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3.25 mm needles.

Notions
Stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors.

Techniques
Knitting in the round
Increasing and decreasing