The Traveler Turtle Sweater, Free Pattern

The Inspiration

The hunt for the perfect basic piece continues!

This time, I worked on the Traveler sweater in a finer version because I wanted to create an elegant sweater that could almost double as a layering piece.

I didn’t want to make it too simple, so I added a little extra detail: a shoulder flap to give the pattern a slightly more sophisticated touch.

While working on the other versions, I noticed that the shoulder seam fell too far forward, near the front of the collarbone. The shoulder flap helped me fix that, along with some tweaks to the neckline.

To continue with the idea of sophistication, I also focused on the material by crafting it with super baby alpaca!

With all the groundwork laid for this new version, all that was left was to bring it to life!

The Pattern

The pattern is worked in the round from the bottom up for the lower body and flat for the rest. The sleeves and neckline are picked up and worked in the round from the body stitches. The neckline is rolled.

Material: 1290 meters or 1410 yards of light-quality baby alpaca yarn. For substitution, I recommend choosing a main material with good structure, such as merino.

Needles: Circular and double-pointed needles, 2.5mm/US1 and 3mm/US2, or equivalent to achieve the correct gauge.

Gauge (10x10 cm or 4x4 in):30 stitches x 42 rows worked in stockinette stitch.

Finished size: see pdf

The Instructions For The Model

DECREASES:

Right decrease: 2 stitches before the marker, knit 2 stitches together.
Left decrease: After the marker, slip one stitch knitwise, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch.

INCREASES:

Left increase: Stop 1 stitch before the marker, pick up the strand between the worked stitch and the next from front to back, and knit it through the back loop.
Right increase: Knit 1 stitch after the marker, pick up the strand between the worked stitch and the next from back to front, and knit it through the front loop.

THE BODY:

Cast on 296 stitches using 2.5mm/US1 circular needles and join to work in the round.
Place a beginning-of-round marker and a different marker at the halfway point : 148 stitches on each side).
Work 25 rounds or 6cm/2.4in in 2x2 ribbing, starting and ending each round with a purl stitch.
Switch to 3mm/US2 needles and continue in plain stockinette stitch.
Work until the sweater measures 29cm/11.5in in height or 95 rounds.
Separate the front and back by binding off 4 stitches before and after each marker : 140 stitches on each side.

THE BACK:

Work back and forth for 68 rows or 20cm/8in.
On the next right-side row, bind off the 32 center stitches = 54 stitches for each shoulder.
Place each shoulder separately on hold using waste yarn, stitch holders, or a double-pointed needle.

THE FRONT:

Continue back and forth for 68 rows or 20cm/8in.
On the next row, on the right side, bind off the 26 center stitches : 57 stitches for each shoulder.
Work each shoulder separately, starting with the left shoulder (when looking at the sweater from the front).
*On the next row (wrong side), knit the stitches as they appear.
On the next row (right side), knit 1 stitch, slip 1 stitch, knit the next 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over, then knit the rest of the row normally: -2 stitches, leaving 55 stitches.*
Repeat the sequence from * to * 2 times in total: 53 stitches per shoulder.
*On the next row (wrong side), knit the stitches as they appear.
On the next row (right side), knit 1 stitch, make a left decrease, then knit the rest of the row normally: -1 stitch, leaving 52 stitches.*
Repeat the sequence from * to * 5 times in total: 48 stitches.
Work 6 rows in stockinette stitch or 2cm/0.8in.
Place the stitches on hold.
Move to the right shoulder.
*On the next row (wrong side), knit the stitches as they appear.
On the next row (right side), knit all the stitches until 4 stitches before the end, knit 3 stitches together, then knit 1 stitch: -2 stitches, leaving 55 stitches.*
Repeat the sequence from * to * 2 times in total: 53 stitches per shoulder.
On the next row (wrong side), knit the stitches as they appear.
*On the next row (right side), knit all the stitches until 4 stitches before the end, knit 2 stitches together, then knit 1 stitch: -1 stitch, leaving 52 stitches.
Repeat the sequence from * to * 5 times in total: 48 stitches.*
Work 6 rows in stockinette stitch or 2cm/0.8in.
Place the stitches on hold.

THE SLEEVES:

Begin by casting on the shoulder tab flat: cast on 18 stitches.
On the next row (right side), pick up the first held stitch from the center of the right back and knit it together with the first cast-on stitch. Knit the next 4 stitches and turn: 5 stitches.
On the next row (wrong side), purl to the last stitch and purl it together with the second held stitch from the center of the right back: 5 stitches.
On the next row (right side), pick up the next held stitch from the center of the right back and knit it together with the first cast-on stitch. Knit the next 5 stitches and turn: 6 stitches.
On the next row (wrong side), purl to the last stitch and purl it together with the next held stitch from the center of the right back: 6 stitches.
On the next row (right side), pick up the next held stitch from the center of the right back and knit it together with the first cast-on stitch. Knit the next 6 stitches and turn: 7 stitches.
On the next row (wrong side), purl to the last stitch and purl it together with the next held stitch from the center of the right back: 7 stitches.
On the next row (right side), pick up the next held stitch from the center of the right back and knit it together with the first cast-on stitch. Knit all the stitches to the end of the row: 18 stitches.
*On the next row (wrong side), pick up the first held stitch from the center of the left front and purl it together with the first stitch, purl to the last stitch, and purl it together with the next held stitch from the center of the right back: 18 stitches.
On the next row (right side), pick up the first held stitch from the center of the right back and knit it together with the first stitch, knit to the last stitch, and knit it together with the next held stitch from the center of the left front: 18 stitches.*
Repeat from * to * until all held stitches on both sides have been worked: 18 stitches.
On the next round (right side), knit the 18 tab stitches, pick up 64 stitches along the front (approximately 1 stitch for every 2 out of 3 rows), place a marker (underarm), pick up 48 stitches along the back, and place a marker (beginning of the round): 130 stitches.
Continue working in the round in stockinette stitch.
After 10 rounds, begin the underarm decreases.
*Every 5 rounds, decrease 1 stitch after the underarm marker (right decrease) and 1 stitch before the underarm marker (left decrease): -2 stitches per round, leaving 128 stitches.*
Repeat these decreases a total of 23 times: 84 stitches after 120 rounds.
After 160 rounds or 41cm/16.1in, switch to 3mm/US2 needles and work in 2x2 ribbing for 6cm/2.4in or 25 rounds.
Bind off on the 26th round using 3.5mm/US4 needles for a looser bind-off.
Knit the second sleeve in the same way.

THE NECKLINE:

Using 3mm/US2 needles, pick up 140 stitches evenly around the neckline as follows:
- Back: 34 stitches
- Shoulder tabs: 18 stitches on each side
- Front sides: 20 stitches on each side
- Front center: 30 stitches
Work in 2x2 ribbing for 12cm/4.7in or 50 rounds.
Bind off on the 51st round using 3.5mm/US4 needles for a looser bind-off.

FINISHING:

Weave in the ends and block

And there you have it, a beautiful homemade basic turtleneck sweater!
Perfect to complement all your outfits!

Don't forget to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok with the hashtags #terrifiknits and #TravelerTurtleSweater or # PullTravelerTurtle once you're done, or add this project to your Ravelry list! I can't wait to see your version!