Knit your own Marinière, based on my popular made-to-order model!

Instructions in pdf format to make the sweater and cardigan versions for sizes 2, 4, 6 , 8 and 10 years.

A patchwork of stripes and small peerie Fair Isle motifs is simple but striking and looks great in any mix of leftover yarns from your yarn basket, so you don’t have to think too much about it! The striped body and sleeves are knitted in the round from the bottom up, in stocking stitch. After putting a few stitches on hold at the underarm, the sleeves and body are then joined to work the yoke in one piece. As well as being a nice detail, a side button band makes it easy and comfortable to get on and off.

Level of difficulty and skills required

Adventurous beginner/Intermediate. Chart-reading skills and knowledge of how to do the Fair Isle (stranded knitting) technique. You’ll also need to know how to cast on, knit ribbing and garter stitch, cast off, and do a little grafting under the armholes.

The sweater is knit on circular needles and a steek is included in the yoke for the neck opening that will need to be cut at the end, so you’ll need to research ways of securing your steek, if you have never done it before.

Materials

1 x size 2.25 mm circular needle (US 1, UK 13)

1 x size 2.75 mm circular needle (US 2, UK 12) (60-80 cm long)

or needles to get gauge

Set of 2.25 mm (US 1, UK 13) dpns for working sleeve cuffs

Set of 2.75 mm (US 2, UK 12) dpns for working sleeves

or straight needles in the same size if you wish to work the sleeves flat

8 x stitch holders or waste yarn

2 x stitch markers

4 x 15 mm buttons

Yarn

Any super fine (1), baby or fingering-weight yarn that knits to 26 stitches in 10 cm (4 in) on 2.75 mm-3 mm needles. Suggested brands: Jamiesons Spindrift; Rauma Finull PT2. I prefer non-superwash yarns for Fair Isle as the separate colours bloom and blend together so beautifully when washed.

Metrage / Yardage

300 (300, 325, 375, 425) metres / 328 (328, 355, 410, 464) yards of MC

250 (250, 300, 325, 375) metres / 270 (270, 328, 355, 410) yards of CC

Note on yoke yarn

Use oddments of any similar-weight yarn: this includes sock, fingering and baby yarns in 15 colours (see yoke charts).

Gauge

On 2.75 mm, in stocking stitch and after washing and blocking: 26 stitches and 36 rounds to 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches). Or use any needles to get gauge, then use two sizes down for the ribbing. On the same needles: 26 stitches and 28 rounds to 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches) in yoke pattern. Some knitters find their tension varies between the 2 techniques. Therefore, you may wish to changes needles once you start the yoke. It’s always best to do a test-swatch.