Release Week Special! Get Tea Time for 20% off through July 23, 2025! Use code “TeaTime20” at checkout!

Inspired by the soothing afternoon ritual, Tea Time is a versatile lace-y pullover made with two sleeve options — long sleeve and tee shirt — for your climate and comfort preference. This little sweater began as a deep dive into my favorite new wool/cotton blend, Candide by De Rerum Natura. The soft, slightly tweedy, always elegant Candide created fabric ideal for those of us who love a breathable layer for mild days on the coast.

This modified-drop-shoulder top is worked flat from the bottom up, using German Short Row shaping at the shoulder and joined using a three-needle bind off. Depending on which version you’re making, the long sleeves are either seamed to the armhole and the sides and underarm seamed, or the 2x2 tee shirt sleeve rib is picked up at the armhole and worked down in the round.

Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Finished Sizes
1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9); 37.5 (40.5, 46.5, 50.5, 53.5, 56.5, 60.5, 66.5, 69.5)” / 94 (101.5, 116.5, 126.5, 134, 141.5, 151.5, 166.5, 174) cm finished chest circumference. Long Sleeve Version shown measures 53.5” / 134 cm, worn with 4” / 10 cm positive ease. Tee Shirt Version shown measures 50.5” / 126.5 cm. Recommended ease: 2-8” / 5-20 cm positive ease.

Yarn
De Rerum Natura Candide (70% French mérinos d’Arles, 30% recycled cotton; 202 yards / 185 m; 1.76 oz. / 50 g):
Long Sleeve Version: nougat (gray-beige), 6 (7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 11) skeins.
Tee Shirt Version: muscari (blue-purple), 5 (5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9) skeins.
OR
any sport weight yarn;
Long Sleeve Version: 1210 (1310, 1430, 1520, 1620, 1690, 1800, 1970, 2060) yds / 1110 (1200, 1310, 1390, 1490, 1550, 1650, 1810, 1890) m.
Tee Shirt Version: 840 (930, 1060, 1150, 1230, 1300, 1400, 1570, 1670) yds / 770 (860, 970, 1060, 1130, 1190, 1290, 1440, 1530) m.

Needles
Size A (for body and long sleeves): 2 - US 5 / 3.75 mm: 32” / 80 cm circ.
Size B (for ribbing and I-cord): US 2.5 / 3.00 mm: 32” / 80 cm circ, 16” / 40 cm circ, and 2 DPNs.
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions
Tapestry needle; stitch markers (m); waste yarn.

Gauge
1 Chart B Rep = 3.25” / 8.25 cm wide and 1.5” / 4 cm long on Size A needle, after blocking.
22 sts and 24 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Lace Patt on Size A needle, after blocking.

Skills Required
Cabling with/or without a cable needle; increasing and decreasing in pattern; picking up stitches; seaming; German Short Rows; optional, Italian Tubular Bind Off.

Design Notes

• Pullover is made from the bottom up in pieces and seamed.
• Pullover is based on ASTM for Women, meaning the measurements used for this design are based on the standardized measurements for womenswear.
• German Short Rows are worked to create shoulder slope. Pieces are wet-blocked to schematic measurements before seaming.
• Shoulders are joined with a three-needle bind off after blocking.
• TWO sleeve options provided — long sleeve or tee shirt.
• Tee shirt sleeve rib is worked from the armhole down.
• All sts are slipped purlwise unless otherwise specified.
• Printing Note: If you’re printing out this pattern, select only the chart pages that correspond to your size to save on ink and paper!

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