I love this yarn. I know I say that a lot, but I do. This yarn comes from Greenwood Hill Farm and is 100% Merino Wool. These gorgeous colors are the natural colors of the sheep. The colors here are Slate and Silver.




This pattern uses a 4 mm hook and took 3 skeins of the slate and 2 skeins of the silver. Each skein is 180 yards.
Stitches:
ch - chain
sk st - skip stitch
sl st - slip stitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tc - triple crochet

The cast on for this is in multiples of 16 + 2. On the back side I did 66 stitches. I wasn't sure if the shirt was going to be big enough so on the front side I did 80 stitches. Some of you might be thinking - how does that work the front and the back being different number of stitches? When you sew it together you just leave the extra stitches in the neck. It does mean that the shirt has an obvious front side. You can decide to do what I did or have two exactly the same size.

It's also worth noting that all of the even rows are sc all the way across.




Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain from the hook, * ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch, sk st, dc, ch, sk st, tc, ch, sk st, tc, ch, sk st, dc, ch, sk st, hdc, ch, sk st, sc, ch, sk st, sc. Repeat from * ending on a sc
Row 2: sc in each chain across
Row 3: ch 4, tc, *ch 1, sk st, dc, ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch 1, sk st, sc, ch 1, sk st, sc, ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch 1, sk st, dc, ch 1, sk st, tr, ch 1, sk st, tr. Repeat from * ending on a tc
Row 4: Repeat row 2
Row 5: ch 2, sk 2, sc, * ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch, sk st, dc, ch, sk st, tc, ch, sk st, tc, ch, sk st, dc, ch, sk st, hdc, ch, sk st, sc, ch, sk st, sc. Repeat from * ending on a sc
Repeat Rows 2-5 for pattern always ending on an even row.
Row 43: change colors and continue rows 43-52 in the second color.
Make your second panel deciding whether you're going to make it the same width or 16 stitches wider.

Line up the two panels on the outside and pin. If you've made the front panel larger then pay attention to the back panel. You want a neck opening that is about 10 inches wide. Measure the middle and then go 5 inches in either direction. Line up the front panel starting with the shoulder - you will have extra material in the neck in the front panel.

Sew up the sides. I almost always start my sides 1.5 to 2 inches from the bottom. Leave an arm hole that is 8 inches wide at the top.




For the sleeves use the same color as the top. I always start my sleeves in the armpit so I wasn't too concerned at getting exactly 66 stitches. Start your yarn and sc around. I picked up 62 stitches ending on a hdc. Sl st to join.
Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain from the hook, * ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch, sk st, dc, ch, sk st, tc, ch, sk st, tc, ch, sk st, dc, ch, sk st, hdc, ch, sk st, sc, ch, sk st, sc. Repeat from *. Depending on how many stitches you picked up your ending might be different. With 62 I ended on a hdc. Sl st to join
Row 2: sc in each chain across
Row 3: ch 4, tc, *ch 1, sk st, dc, ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch 1, sk st, sc, ch 1, sk st, sc, ch 1, sk st, hdc, ch 1, sk st, dc, ch 1, sk st, tr, ch 1, sk st, tr. Repeat from *. Sl st to join
Row 4: Repeat row 2
Row 5: repeat row 1
Row 6: repeat row 2
Row 7: repeat row 3
Row 8: repeat row 2
Row 9: repeat row 1. You're going to start tapering in so end on a dc instead of the hdc
Row 10: repeat row 2
Row 11: repeat row 3. Taper again end on a sc
Row 12: repeat row 2
Row 13 repeat row 1. Taper again end on a tc
Row 14: repeat row 2
Row 15: repeat row 3. Last taper end on a hdc
Row 16: repeat row 2.

Weave in all of your ends and you're done!