Knit in one piece with a fun lace top, this sweater is great for practicing lace knitting for a stylish, easy make! This post is sponsored by Blue Faithful jeans. They provided the jeans for this photo shoot. All opinions are my own.

Design Story and Inspiration for the Irish Mesh Lace Sweater

I always loved the look of a knit sweater with a lace top. I wanted to design a sweater like this that was easy to knit, required minimal seaming, and didn’t take forever. Thus, the Irish Mesh Lace Sweater was born!

This sweater is knit in one piece from the hem of the back to the hem of the front. Then, it is seamed at the underarms and side seams using the mattress stitch. Finally, the sleeve hems and collar are picked up and knit.

The lace pattern is an easy lace mesh that uses knit stitches, yarn overs and passing stitches over. If you know how to do these, then you can knit this easy sweater!

Yarn Options for this Easy Lace Sweater

I chose Mary Maxim Mellowspun DK in Denim for this project, and it is SO soft! I wanted a DK yarn as it is light enough for a great lace but thick enough so that it doesn’t take forever to knit.

You can use any yarn that gets gauge, even holding a couple of fingering weight yarn strands together. Feel free to experiment and use up that stash – but be sure to check your gauge!

Pattern Notes

This sweater is a tunic-length sweater, and it is LONG! If you want it shorter, feel free to adjust the length of the body before you cast on the sleeves and after you bind them off.

Personally, I love long sweaters, so I wanted a long oversized sweater and I love the way it turned out!

My New Go-To Denim: Falling in Love with Blue Faithful Jeans!

I love finding pieces that blend comfort, style, and quality, right? Well, let me tell you, I’ve found my new denim obsession, and I have to share it with you! The incredible team at Blue Faithful was kind enough to send me a pair of their jeans to try out, and let me tell you, I’m absolutely smitten.

From the moment I slipped them on, I understood why Blue Faithful is quickly becoming a must-have for so many women. Their mission is all about empowering women through comfortable, stylish, and truly high-quality denim, and they deliver on that promise in a big way.

I chose the Slim Fit Pull-On High Rise Jeans and the first thing that struck me was the butter-soft feel of the fabric. Seriously, it’s a dream! Crafted from premium cotton with a fantastic 4-way stretch, these jeans move with you, not against you. There’s no pinching, no digging – just pure, unadulterated comfort that lasts all day long.

And let’s talk about the fit! Blue Faithful really excels at creating flattering silhouettes that make you feel amazing. I often struggle to find jeans that fit just right with my hip to waist ratio, but these have that perfect blend of hold and give. They offer fantastic tummy control and a waistband that stays put without being restrictive (plus they are pull on jeans – does it get any better??). It’s clear they’ve put a lot of thought into designing jeans that not only look good but make you feel good too.

Check out this fit:

If you’re anything like me and are tired of sacrificing comfort for style (or vice versa!), then you absolutely need to check out Blue Faithful. They offer a variety of styles, from classic straight leg jeans to trendy ankle options, ensuring there’s a perfect pair for everyone.

You can find their entire collection and learn more about their commitment to quality and comfort by visiting their official website: https://bluefaithful.com/

Trust me on this one – your denim drawer will thank you!

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Irish Mesh Lace Sweater

What You’ll Need

Yarn: Mary Maxim Mellowspun DK (100% acrylic, 284yds/100g), Denim – 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8) skeins

Knitting Needles: US Size 6 (4.00mm) circular and dpn’s

Notions: Yarn needle, scissors

Gauge: 22 sts and 28 rows = 4” (10cm) in Stockinette stitch

Finished Sizes: 30.5 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62) inch bust to fit XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL).  Finished length 26 (26, 27, 27, 27, 27, 27, 27, 27) inches.

Designed for an oversized fit. Model is 5’8″ with a 40″ bust wearing the XL (46″ bust).

Notes

It is recommended to use circular needles when working the body, even though it is knit flat, due to the number of stitches on the needles once the sleeves are cast on.

Stitch Abbreviations

Knit (k)
Purl (p)

Yarn Over (yo)

Lace Pattern Stitch: (Irish Mesh Stitch, Multiple of 3)

Row 1 (RS): K2, *yo, slip one st knitwise, k2, pass slipped st over last 2 sts, repeat from * to last st, k1.

Rows 2 and 4 (WS): Purl

Row 3: K1, *slip one st knitwise, k2, pass slipped st over last 2 sts, yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.

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Irish Mesh Lace Sweater Pattern

Back

With circular needles, cast on 84 (94, 104, 116, 126, 138, 148, 160, 170) sts.  Do not join, work back and forth in rows.

Work in k1p1 rib for 2.5”.

Change to St st and work until piece measures 20 (19.5, 20, 19.5, 19, 18.5, 18, 17.5, 17)” from beginning, ending with a WS row.

Sleeves

Cast on 90 (94, 92, 95, 96, 99, 100, 100, 98) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 264 (282, 288, 306, 318, 336, 348, 360, 366) sts

Begin working Lace Pattern Stitch until piece is 6 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10)” from beginning of first cast on edge of sleeve (lace pattern st should begin on a RS row). End with a WS row.

Neckline

Row 1: Working on a RS row, work Lace Pattern St for 96 (105, 105, 114, 120, 129, 135, 139, 141) sts, bind off 72 (72, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 82, 84) sts, work lace pattern st for 96 (105, 105, 114, 120, 129, 135, 139, 141) sts.

Row 2: Work Lace Pattern St for 96 (105, 105, 114, 120, 129, 135, 139, 141) sts, cast on 72 (72, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 82, 84) sts, work lace pattern st for 96 (105, 105, 114, 120, 129, 135, 139, 141) sts.

Front

Work Lace Pattern St for 6 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10)” from neckline edge.

Shape Sleeves

Bind off 90 (94, 92, 95, 96, 99, 100, 100, 98) sts at beg of next 2 rows, working remaining sts in St st – 84 (94, 104, 116, 126, 138, 148, 160, 170) sts.

Work in St st until piece measures 17.5 (17, 17.5, 17, 16.5, 16, 15.5, 15, 14.5)” from bound off sleeve edges.

Work in k1p1 rib for 2.5”.  Bind off in rib.

Finishing

Block sweater flat to open up lace.  Sew side seams and underarms.

Neckband

Using circular needle, pick up and knit 110 (110, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 126, 130) sts around neck edge.  Join to work in round.

Work in k1p1 rib for 1”.  Bind off loosely in rib.

Sleeve Hems

Using dpn’s, pick up and knit 62 (68, 72, 78, 82, 88, 90, 98, 102) sts around one sleeve edge.  Join in the round being careful not to twist.

Work in k1p1 rib for 1”.

Bind off loosely in rib.

Repeat for other sleeve.

Weave in all ends.

Final Thoughts on the Irish Mesh Lace Sweater

Wow, I hope you’ve enjoyed this sweater pattern as much as I enjoyed designing it! I also hope you’ll head on over and check out Blue Faithful Jeans – you won’t regret it.

Happy Knitting!
Amanda