Every year, I find myself asking:
“What should I knit for summer?”
Cotton and linen are great—but sometimes I want something a little different.
That’s how I ended up making this mesh back-slit pullover using DARUMA’s Ladder Tape yarn.
About the pattern and yarn
I purchased this as a kit from DARUMA’s official online store.
(The kit is no longer available as of April 2026.)
The pattern is also included in a Japanese knitting book.
Note: It’s chart-based (no full English written pattern).
The yarn, Ladder Tape Yarn, has a unique structure—like a flat tape with ladder-like strands.
Color options include:
- White
- White × Mint
- Pastel Pink
- Purple × Green
- Black
My first impression?
“These colors are… tricky.”
White and black felt a bit plain.
Pastel pink didn’t seem like me.
And purple × green felt a bit intimidating.
I ended up choosing White × Mint, mostly because I liked it on the model.
But when it arrived—the yarn itself was surprisingly cute.
It also came in a project bag-style pouch, which was a nice bonus.
Knitting experience: not the easiest yarn
I’ll be honest:
This yarn is tricky to work with.
Because of the ladder structure, my needle kept catching the horizontal strands.
Even when I tried to be careful… it still happened.
And if you make a mistake and need to unravel, the yarn loses its shape and becomes limp.
That airy ladder structure is what makes it beautiful, so I tried to avoid redoing sections as much as possible.
I ended up knitting slowly and carefully.
Finished piece: how it looks and feels
So… how did it turn out?
“It actually doesn’t look bad on me!”
Better than I expected.
The length works well, and it feels surprisingly cool to wear.
At first, I wasn’t sure about the color.
But with the right makeup and hair color, it became much more wearable.
For reference, my personal color profile is:
- 1st: Spring (Warm)
- 2nd: Summer (Cool)
Now I’m even thinking…
maybe I could pull off the purple × green too.
The texture is unique, and the breathability is excellent.
While knitting, I thought,
“I’m never using this yarn again.”
And now?
I kind of want to make another one.
Final thoughts: is it worth it?
If you’re wondering what to knit for summer:
⇒This is a great option.
- Open mesh = quick to knit
- Easy to adapt
- A unique look you won’t get from typical yarns
Is it easy?
⇒Not really.
But it has a strange charm that makes you want to try again.
Can international knitters make this sweater?
If you’re an English-speaking knitter, you might be wondering:
“Can I make this too?”
The short answer is: yes — with a small caveat.
This pattern is available as a chart-only (no full English written pattern), so it may take some patience if you’re not used to Japanese charts.
If you’re comfortable working with a Japanese chart-based pattern book, the downloadable version is available here:
But if you are, it’s absolutely doable.
The yarn is available internationally
The yarn used here is DARUMA Ladder Tape Yarn.
You can purchase it from the DARUMA Online Store, which offers international shipping to many countries (with some regional exceptions).
So even if the pattern isn’t fully translated, you can still recreate a similar piece using the same yarn.
You can find more information about international shipping here.
You don’t have to make it exactly the same
Even if you can’t follow the original pattern perfectly, this design is quite forgiving.
- Simple mesh structure
- Relaxed fit
- Easy to adjust length or sleeves
Instead of aiming for a perfect replica, you can treat this as inspiration for your own summer knit.
Why it’s worth trying
This yarn may feel challenging at first—I struggled with it too.
But once finished, it completely changed my impression.
- Light and breathable
- Unique texture
- Great for hot weather
If you want to try something different for summer knitting, this yarn is definitely worth exploring.
Final note for international knitters
Even without a full English pattern, this project is still within reach.
If you’re curious about Ladder Tape Yarn, I’d highly recommend giving it a try.
