Botanical Yoke Pullover
There are some very compelling reasons to embark on our Botanical Yoke Pullover: the challenge of trying something new, the joy of wearing something lovely and handmade, and the satisfaction of working with beautiful yarn in your hands.
Our first reason for starting was our soft and sumptuous Cashmere Merino Bloom, a perfect blend of extra fine merino wool and cashmere. Its tidy spin gives wonderful stitch definition to all the twining cables of this sweater, while its downy halo of cashmere softens the edges.
Next, we turned to a simple, bottom-up yoke construction. After a good portion of easy-going 2 x 2 rib, the excitement really begins with an engaging and intuitive cabled yoke. Our Botanical Yoke Pullover Pattern details this section in both written and chart form, and it’s truly a lot less complicated than it may look!
After all this, reason number one to knit our Botanical Yoke Pullover: it’s absolutely beautiful! Please enjoy this knitting experience, as well as the incredible reward for having finished! -Kristy
Update: New Colors
October 8, 2021
The occasion for casting on for a new version of this old classic is the arrival of nine gorgeous new colors, starting with this pretty-as-can-be Rosebud Pink. Explore the whole palette, which is now 31 colors strong, and pick the one that will be the seed for your own Botanical Yoke Pullover!
Update: Now For Dogs
November 14, 2021
What better way to show love for our canine friends than with a sweater fit for a human? Sole Salvo has done just that with her inspired Botanical Yoke Sweater For Dogs! Choose from one of 30 gorgeous shades of natural or dyed Good Wool and you and your pet will be stepping out in matching pullovers in no time!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Kristina McGowan. Click here to see even more of Kristina’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoBotanicalYokePullover, and #PurlSohoCashmereMerinoBloom. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 7 (8, 9, 10) (10, 11, 12) (13, 13, 14) skeins of Purl Soho’s Cashmere Merino Bloom, 75% extra fine merino wool, 25% cashmere; approximately 1495 (1655, 1850, 1985) (2145, 2310, 2480) (2655, 2810, 2960) yards required. We used Honey Pink.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 32 or 40-inch circular needles, depending on sweater size
- US 5, 24-inch circular needles
- US 5, 16-inch circular needles
- A set of US 5 double pointed needles
- A cable stitch holder
- Stitch markers, including one unique
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- A Botanical Yoke Pullover Pattern
NOTE: Looking to knit your sleeves in double-time? Swap the double pointed needles for 32-inch or longer circular needles, and check out our Magic Loop: Two At A Time Tutorial!
Gauge
28 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in 2 x 2 ribbing, relaxed after blocking
Sizes
NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!
34¼ (37¾, 41¼, 44½) (48, 51½, 54¾) (58¼, 61¾, 65¼)
To fit actual chest circumference of 29¼–31¼ (32¾–34¾, 36¼–38¼, 39½–41½) (43–45, 46½–48½, 49¾–51¾) (53¼–55¼, 56¾–58¾, 60¼–62¼) inches with 3–5 inches of positive ease
- Finished Chest Circumference: 34¼ (37¾, 41¼, 44½) (48, 51½, 54¾) (58¼, 61¾, 65¼) inches
- Finished Length from Shoulder to Bottom Edge: 24 (24½, 25, 25¼) (25½, 25¾, 26) (26½, 27, 27½) inches
- Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 15 (15, 15, 14¾) (14¾, 14¾, 14¾) (15, 15¼, 15½) inches
- Finished Length from Underarm to Cuff: 17½ (18, 18, 18½) (18½, 18½, 19) (19, 19½, 19½) inches
SAMPLE: The sweater shown here is size 37¾ with 5¼ inches of ease.
Pattern
Our Botanical Yoke Pullover Pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download.
Update: More Sizes
January 2020
We’ve expanded the size range for our Botanical Yoke Pullover Pattern! Since last spring, all of our new sweaters fit at least a 60-inch chest. If you downloaded this pattern in the past, please update your pattern for free, either in My Pattern PDFs on your My Account page at purlsoho.com or in your Ravelry library.
I made this sweater twice now, ones in a very fine wool and ones in the wool as described in the pattern. Both times I run into the same trouble. The pattern has a real problem in the shoulders. It just doesn’t work out. The sweater pulls as soon as you lift your arms and it doesn’t feel comfortable.
I’m really bummed out by it because it looked so good 🙁
Hello Iris,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with this sweater! Your feedback is much appreciated. The first thing I think of is if your gauge matches ours. If your gauge is off it can change not only the size of the sweater but also the proportions. I know you have finished your sweaters so that might be the most helpful thin to you right now. What I would suggest you do at this point is to block your sweater- if you haven’t already- which gives you an opportunity to do some slight reshaping.
I hope this is helpful and good luck!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Before Buying the pattern I would like to know if the pattern is a drawing with the normal symbols ora text explanation. As I don’t understand the English terms and Inches as we use cm in Switzerland, but can understand the drawing and point.
Kind regards.
Hi Sabine,
Thanks for writing in! This pattern is partially charted – we include a chart for the cabled yoke, but the rest of the instructions for the body and sleeves are only available as written instructions.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I’m really confused with the gauge. The gauge on the cashmere merino bloom yarn is listed as 20-22 stitches = 4 inches with US needles 5-7. That’s what I’m getting with a size 5 needle. The gauge for the pattern is 28 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches, which is quite a bit smaller/tighter. Why is it so different?
Hello Lea,
Thank you for reaching out! Are you getting a this gauge in stockinette or in a ribbed stitch? If you are getting 22 stitches per inch with a US5 in a rib stitch I would recommend going down to a size US4 needle or even US3 needle to obtain gauge.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
Best,
Marilla
Hi, I have the same problem as Iris Frowein… i finished my work and it doesn’t feel as confortable as I thought. It is thight at the sholders and underarm. is there anything i can do about it? Maybe add something for the underarm?
I’m really sorry for it took me forever to finish it =(
Thanks, J
Hi Juliana,
I am so sorry to hear that the yoke doesn’t fit perfectly! Have you tried blocking it aggressively to stretch out the yoke section as much as possible? If that doesn’t work, I’m afraid that the best way to fix this issue will be to re-knit the yoke using a larger needle. I would, however, try blocking the sweater first!
Best,
Julianna
I had been dreaming of this sweater for years and today I finished it, after a month on the needles. I am very happy with how it came out, despite the rib making my arms look gigantic. The sweater looks much more difficult to make than it is, the instructions are very well written, they are clear and detailed.
Hello,
I just started this sweater with the sleeve. I’m using the Cashmere Merino Bloom. I cast on the 60 stitches for size 34 and have knit 8 rounds. I find the cuff far too big for my liking. I think I need to decrease by about 20 stitches. If I do that, could you tell me how I should proceed with the sleeve after that?
Thank you!
Hello Vivian,
Thank you for reaching out! If you are just interested in decreasing the cuff, and not the upper arm, this will be fairly simple. You will just need add 10 extra increase rounds placed evenly throughout your sleeve. You will need to have the same number as the pattern in the end in order to proceed with your yoke.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
I’m looking with longing at this pattern, which is currently “mellowing” in my project library. The stumbling block, in this as in many patterns: my upper arms are quite heavy and don’t “match” the otherwise-correct measurements based on my bust size. How can I increase the upper arm size without throwing off the other measurements? I’m not sure changing needle sizes is going to do it; I think I’m going to need to add stitches somewhere. But where? Thanks for any advice you may offer.
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for reaching out! This could be a bit tricky, but because this is a bottom up sweater, I think it’s possible! I would first check the schematic to decide which size will fit your bust and which will fit your arms, and then knit the sleeves and body in the two different sizes. After you join the sleeves to the body, you will have to work a few extra decreases on the sleeves to get to the correct number of stitches for the yoke so that the chart repeat works out, but since there are already quite a few decreases before beginning the chart, you should be able to work in a few extra decrease rows as necessary. Once you are at the correct number of stitches for your size, you can go ahead and follow the cable chart and finish the rest of the sweater as written!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
In the sleeve section and the math doesn’t work for the increases. I’m working on size 48(XL) starting with 68 stitches, working up to the 12th instruction, it says to repeat from increase round 1 two(x, x, x)(2…) more times. At which point I should have 92 stitches. With only 6 increases that’s only 12 additional stitches not 24. Please confirm where the error is.
Thanks.
Hello Jean,
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you might be missing an increase row. There are four increases rows that each increase by 2 stitches, totally 8 stitches for the whole section. You will then repeat from increase round 1 giving you 16 more stitches, totally 24 stitches. There should be two “increase round 1” and two “increase round 2”.
I hope this helps and let us know if you continue to have any issues!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I do not have a website url. Does that matter? Anyway, I am a intermediate knitter who has never knitted a sweater. I guess you could consider me a beginner. Would that Kristy’s Twist be too difficult for me? I mean the ad states that it is not as difficult as it seems. Just so you know, I have knitted cable patterns just recently.
Hi Gloria,
Thanks for reaching out! The website information is optional! It is true that this pattern is easier than it looks…if you have already tried cables, I’m sure you found that they are surprisingly easy to knit! For this pattern, in addition to the cables, you will also have to knit in the round, increase, decrease, work short rows, and graft stitches. We also provide the cabled yoke instructions in both written and chart form, so you can follow whichever set of instructions works better for you. You can find tutorials for everything you need on our Tutorials page, and we are always here to help if you have any questions!
Best,
Julianna
I wonder if this beautiful pattern would work for a man? I note previous comments re shoulder fit.
Thank you.
Hi Grant,
Great question! The cables in the yoke do create a slightly less elastic yoke than usual, so some knitters have found the sweater to be a bit tight in the shoulders. Since men generally have broader shoulders than women, the fit may be even tighter; however, usually men’s sweaters fit with a bit more positive ease than women’s sweaters, so you may be able to solve this by selecting a size with 5-7″ of positive ease instead of the 3-5″ recommended in the pattern. No matter what size you choose, I would recommend trying on the sweater once or twice as you are knitting the yoke to see how it is turning out. If the rest of the sweater fits well but the yoke is too small, you might try knitting just the yoke on larger needles to loosen things up!
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
Hello,
I’m gauging this right now, and am having issues (I’m using the Cashmere Merino). On fives, the stitch gauge was accurate but very loose when stretched, and the row gauge was an inch over, giving me five inches. On fours, the stitch gauge is giving me 30 stitches to four inches (and feels much tighter and more structured which I like), but the row gauge is right on the money at four inches. I’m not sure which way to go – I’m leaning towards the fours, with the slightly higher gauge. I need the size 41 1/4 sweater, which should give me about 3 1/4 inches of ease. Thanks!
Hello Kate,
Thank you for reaching out! It sounds like you will be better off with the fours. I will say that our gauge is taken after blocking so you might find that after blocking you might be right on gauge.
I hope this is helpful and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello !
This design is beautiful, I fell in love immediately ! Now I’m stuck at the start of the yoke. After the decreases, I have 440 stitches as expected (size 41 1/4), but when I follow the chart of 48 stitches, I have 8 stitches left to finish the row … If I knit them as they appear, I will have 2 straight lines. What should I do ? Thank you for your help.
Hello Céline,
Thank you for reaching out! After the decrease section there is another decrease section that is specific to size 41 1/4. This section will get you to 432 total stitches, 9 sections of 48 stitches each.
This is at the bottom of page 6 under “Size 411⁄4 Only”.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi Marilla,
I have the same issue. I’m making a size 37 3/4 and I decrease fine to 400 stiches.
In the Second decrease round, I end up only having 47 stiches in each section (because of the p2tog in the first decrease round) So I also end up with 8 stiches.
I simply don’t understand how I get started with the yoke.
Hi Susanne,
Thanks for reaching out. If you’ve successfully decreased to 400 stitches, then you’re already on the right track! I find that sometimes it helps me to divide complicated lines of a pattern into sections, so I can check exactly how many stitches I should be knitting at each point. This is how I would divide the Decrease Round under the “Size 37 3/4 Only” section in the pattern:
[k2, p2] 4 times: 16 stitches
[k2tog, p2tog] twice: 4 stitches (from 8 stitches)
[k2, p2] 7 times: 28 stitches
MARKER
[k2, p2] 12 times: 48 stitches
MARKER
Repeat all of this 3 more times: 384 stitches total (from 400 stitches)
If you look at the first three lines of what I wrote out and add up all the stitches (16 + 4 + 28), it comes to 48! I hope that this helps you better visualize how to approach this decrease round and continue on with your sweater!
All the best,
Lili
Do you have this pattern available in smaller sizes? I’m fairly petite and the smallest size here would be too large for me.
Hi May,
Great question! I am sorry to say that the smallest size that this pattern comes in at present is 34 1/4 inches. Would you be willing to share with us what size would work for you? We are always happy to know sizes that would be helpful for our customers so that we can consider them for the future!
You could also try making the sweater as written but at a smaller gauge. You would certainly need to keep all measurements in mind so that the arms and neck were not too tight. However, if you needed a size just a little smaller, going down very slightly in gauge (adding a stitch or 2 over 4 inches) could be an option without needing to further modify the pattern.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Love the look of this sweater and have been wanting to knit it for awhile. Would Linen quill work for this pattern without altering stitch count? Thank you!
Hi Cindy,
Thank you so much for the kind words! Unfortunately, Linen Quill is too light weight for this pattern. You could use Flax Down, which is a DK weight yarn and has a similar look to Linen Quill!
Best,
Julianna
I am confused with the section “BODY” “Separate front and back” the two underarm sections that you put on a stitch holder are so close to one another. What am I missing?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for reaching out! The two sets of stitches placed on holders for the underarms should be on opposite sides of the body. When working this row, keep in mind that you will be repeating all four stitches in the brackets – [p2, k2] – the indicated number of times for your size. For instance, this means that, for the smallest size, you will be repeating [p2, k2] 30 times for a total of 120 stitches between the two underarms.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Well this is my first attempt at a pullover and so far I am enjoying it, the rib breaks up the monotony of straight stockinette!
I am just about finished on my first sleeve, and I am just a bit confused about the last line for the SLEEVE pattern (page 5), what does it mean ‘place previous x stitches’? Does it include the ‘K1 [p2, k2]’ stitches? I know these stitches will be the underarm join to the body, but I just can’t get my head around which exact stitches I should be holding separately!
Thanks in advance
The line in particular –> Next Round: K1, [p2, k2] 1 (1, 1, 2) time(s), place previous 14 (14, 14, 18) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Right Underarm, removing end-of-round marker, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2. [78 (86, 94, 98) stitches remain]
Hi Tara,
Thanks for writing in, and I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying knitting your sweater! Yes, the stitches you place on hold will include the stitches you just knitted at the beginning of the round, as well as some stitches from the end of the previous round. You will need to remove the end-of-round marker, as the on-hold stitches will cross over the end-of-round marker.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
I’m going to make this sweater but would like it to be cropped. Any way you can help account for this modification so that I do not over order on yarn?
Excited!
Annie
Hi Annie,
Thank you for writing in! It’s hard to say without knowing the specific size you desire to knit, but I’ll do my best to help! A general rule of thumb is that the front, back, and sleeves of a sweater each account for 1/3 of the total yardage for the project. However, cables use up considerably more yarn than other stitches, so the ratio for this project may be more like 3/4 for the body and 1/4 for the sleeves. When you decide on a length for your pullover, you’ll want to figure out what percentage of the total length you will be losing, and reduce the torso yardage by that much.
All that being said, I highly recommend erring on the side of caution with this project and buying the total number of suggested skeins for your size- it’s much better to wind up with extra yarn than not enough to finish. You can always return any unused skeins in their original condition for store credit within 6 months!
I hope that makes sense and is helpful!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Hi – I see you have made some corrections on the Errata page. Could you confirm if the downloadable pattern has been updated? In general, do you update the patterns in PDFs or on the websites if you find mistakes?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Kate,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, all of our errata have been incorporated into our PDF pattern, and we always do so in all of our patterns as soon as we find an error! If you have already downloaded an older version of the pattern that doesn’t include the corrections, you can always log in to your account here or Ravelry to download the latest version.
Best,
Julianna
I’m have an issue after shaping the yoke, and achieving the 360 stitches as the instructions say. Moving on to the section for size 34 1/2 only, the decrease rounds don’t seem to take into account the decreased single stitches obtained in the yoke shaping. Help! I planned on making 2 of these sweaters for Christmas gifts, so I need any assistance you can give.
Thanks.
Hi Gail
Thanks so much for writing in! After you join the body to the sleeves you will have a total of 368 stitches. I think what may seem confusing here is the number of purl stitches on each side of the markers. After the joining round the Left sleeve will begin with p2 (k2, p2)19x then place a marker, the front stitches will begin with a p2 (k2, p2)26x place marker, right sleeve p2 (k2, p2)19x place marker, and back p2 (k2, p2)26x place end of round marker. There will be 2 purl stitches a marker and another 2 purl stitches 4 times around the sweater. The following Shape Yoke decrease round has p2tog, work in rib to 2 stitches before the marker and ptog, decreasing 2 stitches in each section for a total of 8 stitches. The 4 consecutive purl stitches will have been decreased to 2, and re-established a rib. I hope this helps clear it up for you!
Happy knitting
Jessica
Hi,
I need assistance. I have just completed the first decrease round after joining arms to torso on size 41 1/4. Unfortunately I have ended up with the correct 9 sections but two of them have 52 stitches instead of 48. The incorrect sections are those with the decreases. Each has an extra 4 stitches. May I just repeat the decrease round to get to the correct number of stitches?
Thank you,
Cathy
Hi Cathy
Thanks for writing in! Assuming you had the correct number of stitches when you joined the sleeves to the body, I think maybe you forgot to work the “Shape Yoke” round. This decrease round would remove 8 stitches leaving you with 440 stitches. Another 21 rounds follow, then you jump to the “Size 41 1/2 Only” directions where you are placing the extra markers for the 9 sections. I hope this is the right answer!
Happy knitting
Jessica
Hello!
I’m SO excited to make this sweater and I have a question: I’d like to make in cropped, stopping the body of the sweater at around my waist. Given that, how much yarn should I buy (I know I will need less)?
Thank you!
Hi Annie,
Thanks for writing in! It’s very hard to say how much less you will need, as it will depend on what size you are making and how much length you plan to omit. You can probably safely order one skein less than your size calls for, and any yarn that you don’t need that hasn’t been wound can be returned for store credit. You can view our full return policy here!
Best,
Julianna
I finished knitting this yesterday but my sweater has a round neck not high like the pattern. I followed the short rows but after row 6 it said you would have one wrapped stitch but I had 2, the one after row 5 and the one after row 6. What did I do wrong? I’m now knitting this sweater for my mother so I want it to be perfect. I made the 61 size for me. For my mother I’m making the second size.
Hi Jo,
Thanks for writing in! It’s hard to say what exactly went wrong without seeing your sweater, but it sounds like you might have forgotten to knit two inches of ribbing after finishing the short rows to create the high collar. The instructions for knitting this are a single line right at the top of page 8, so it could be easy to miss!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hello again and thank you for your previous response.
I have another question. I have just completed the short row section, however, they are not properly positioned across the nape. My end of row marker sits at the middle of the shoulder. With size 41.75, right side, k1, K2P2 3 times, w&t, Wrong side: P1, K2P2, 13 times but that does not take you past the center of the other shoulder. So my short rows are skewed to the left. Where am I going wrong?
And thanks for noting that there is a final comment on the neck section at the top of page 8. Poor format issue.
Thanks!
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for reaching out again! Double-check that the beginning of round marker is at the back(or beginning) of the left shoulder, and should be the only marker remaining at this point. Assuming you have the 96 stitch count correct, on Short Row 1: [K2, p2] 2 (2, 3, 3) (3, 4, 4) (4, 5, 5) times, k1, wrp-t. This will be a total of 13 stitches and a wrp-t. On Short Row 2 (wrong side): P1, [k2, p2] 11 (12, 13, 13) (15, 18, 18) (20, 22, 22) times, k1, wrp-t. for a total of 54 stitches and a wrp-t. This should get you over to the right shoulder area. Hoping this makes sense!
Best
Jessica
I thank you for your previous help regarding the botanical sweater. Unfortunately I have hit a problem with the collar shaping. I can follow the wrap on the short rows but hit a snag when I reach the round after short rows 5 and 6 . It says working remaining wrapped stitch. I have two wrapped stitches rather than one. Could you suggest what I have done wrong.
Hi Barbara
Thanks for the question! It may be that you have missed a short row round, but it may be more likely you forgot to pick up and work your wrap on a previous row. If it looks like the wrap is 1 row below your needle, instead of directly under your needle, this would be the issue. You should be knitting on the wrong side of your work, on all odd rows, and even rows the right side should be facing you. I like to do all wrap and turn rows in one sitting, just so I can stay on track, and complete them without stopping. I hope this helps you!
Best
Jessica
Hola: Mi pregunta es que si compro el patrón ¿ contiene una información suficientemente clara como para entender cómo se debe hacer el punto ?
Y como es lógico tengo que convertir las pulgadas a centímetros no ?
Muchas gracias.
Hi Pedro,
Thanks for writing in! We do our very best to make sure our patterns are as clear and easy to follow as possible! The pattern for this pullover includes full instructions for all parts of the sweater, and the yoke portion is shown in both written and charted form. You will, however, have to convert all the measurements from imperial to metric. We have had many knitters successfully knit this sweater from our pattern, but if you run into any questions while knitting the sweater, we are always here to help!
Best,
Julianna
Hi, at the end of the section ‘Shape Neck’, I used the regular Bind off method, but even though I binded off “loosely”, it is too strong.
I saw your tutorial, the ribbed sewn Bind Off method, to hold the elasticity, explained for a 1×1 ribbing. How can I use this method for the 2×2 ribbing?
Thank you!
Hi Leentje,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately the sewn bind off method we use cannot be modified for 2×2 rib – I’m so sorry about that! Instead, I would recommend looking up a “Kitchener Double Rib Bind Off” using your preferred search engine. That should turn out nice and stretchy!
Best,
Julianna
Hi Purl Soho. Do you think alpaca would suit this sweater pattern?
Thanks!
Hi Jean,
Thanks for reaching out! As long as it is the correct weight, yes, I think an alpaca yarn would be a lovely choice! Our Cashmere Merino Bloom is a DK weight yarn, so just about any DK weight alpaca should work as a substitute. I’m afraid we don’t carry any alpaca yarns matching this description, but you might be interested in our Flax Down, which is an alpaca blend!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
This is such a stunning pattern! I’d love to modify it to have a more fitted waist. Do you have any recommendations on the best way to do that? Thank you so much!!
Hi Laura,
Great question! Adding waist shaping to sweaters takes a bit of planning, but it’s certainly possible and allows for a more customized fit! I would start by measuring how far below your armpit your natural waist is so you have an idea of where to begin and end the decreases and increases. Next, you will need to measure around your natural waist and compare it to your bust measurement to decide how much smaller you would like to make the waist and, using the gauge, decide how many stitches you will have to decrease to get there. You can then sketch the new waist onto our schematic to use a guideline.
For the actual decreases, I would suggest placing a second marker in the body halfway through the stitches to act as a side seam marker. The waist decreases and increases will then be worked on either side of these markers so you are either adding or removing four stitches per row, spacing out the decrease rows so you arrive at your target number of stitches for the waist about an inch before your natural waist, and will then do the same with the increases so you are back at the correct number of stitches before you get to the armholes. Since you are working in ribbing, you will have to work the increases and decreases into the ribbing pattern, just as you did on the sleeves.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
HI,
I am making this sweater. I cast on 68 stitches for the sleeve. I am on row 47 and have 78 stitches on the needle. I’m having trouble reading the pattern. What am I supposed to do next. Row 48 is a row I am supposed to increase on which is what I am facing right now. That would bring me to 80 stitches. What increase row am I supposed to do and how many times? Thank you!!
Hi Stacy,
Thanks for reaching out! I am happy to help, you will be repeating the Increase Round every 8 (8, 8, 6, 6)th round 15 (14, 14, 20, 12) more times, then every 4th round 0 (5, 5, 3, 15) times, 92 (100, 108, 116, 124) stitches. You then work even in rib pattern until piece measures 171⁄2 (18, 18, 181⁄2, 181⁄2) inches from cast-on edge. Finally, the next round you will be K1, [p2, k2] 1 (1, 1, 2, 2) time(s), then place previous 14 (14, 14, 18, 18) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn. Removing the end-of-round marker, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2. [78 (86, 94, 98, 106) stitches remain] you then place the remaining stitches on stitch holders or scrap yarn and set aside. and the follow instructions for the following sleeve!
Please reach out if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hi there – I have just finished my first sleeve but don’t understand the second-to-last instruction:
Next Round: K1 [p2, k2] 1 time, place previous 14 stitches on stitch holder, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last p2.
If I K1, then put 14 stitches on a stitch holder, then continue knitting in rib, I’ll have to close the circle again with the remaining 78 stiches? I don’t understand what to do at all. Please can I have some help? Thank you!
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for writing in! For the last round you K1, [p2, k2] 1 time, place previous 14 stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Right Underarm, removing end-of-round marker, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2. [78 (86, 94, 98) (106, 114, 118) (126, 126, 130) stitches remain]
Cut yarn. Place remaining stitches on stitch holders or scrap yarn and set aside. So there should be two sets of stitches that you place on stitch holders, you aren’t closing the circle!
I hope this clarifies things!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi,
I am knitting this model and I am encoutering an issue on the last row of the right sleeve. I have 92 stitches but when I try to put on hold the 14 stitches, the last 2 stitches I have are k1, p1. Could you please help me ?
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for reaching out! For the final round of the RIGHT SLEEVE section you should K1, [p2, k2] 1 (1, 1, 2) (2, 2, 3) (3, 3, 4) time(s), place previous 14 (14, 14, 18) (18, 18, 22) (22, 22, 26) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Right Underarm. You then take out the end-of-round marker, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2. You should then have 78 (86, 94, 98) (106, 114, 118) (126, 126, 130) stitches remaining.
I Hope this clarifies things!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi, me again,
Thanks for your reply to my previous request it helped me a lot. I am encountering a new problem with the shape collar. I am not familiar with the Wrap-t , I watched the tutorial but I’m still lost. Could you please explain me where the short rows are placed on the work? If I follow the instructions (for size 34 1/4) they are after knitting [k2,p2] x2, k1, wrp-t so they should be at the beginning of the round, correct ? I thought that it would be on the back of the collar. If the short rows are made at the beginning of the round, isn’t that going to create an imbalance? Could you please clarify ? Many thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for reaching out! for the first Short Row 1 (right side) you will be starting at the beginning of the row, [K2, p2] 2 (2, 3, 3) (3, 4, 4) (4, 5, 5) times, k1, wrp-t and then after you turn your work you move directly on to Short Row 2. There wont be an imbalance since wrap and turns are specifically placed within the collar to create shaping!
I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any more questions.
All the best,
Gianna
I am knitting size 37 3/4. I am about to join body and sleeves. I have triple checked the spacing and stitches for the body but lost the markers for the sleeves . Consequently I am unsure what type of stiches the first 6 should be as I join in each sleeve. The body end with two p2 st for the left sleeve. What should the next 6 stitches be as I pick up the left sleeve (no decreases done yet)? The same question for the right sleeve. I am a very slow knitter and the thought of not ending up with a correct 2×2 rib when I start the chart is most concerning. It would have been really helpful if there was a second chart for the decrease rounds.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! When joining the sleeves to the body you will *holding Sleeve and Body’s Left Underarms parallel to each other, use working yarn from Body to work across Left Sleeve stitches as follows: p2, [k2, p2] 21 times, pm; then work across Front stitches as follows: p2, [k2, p2] 29 times,* pm; transfer Right Sleeve stitches to 16-inch circular needles and repeat from * to * for Right Sleeve and Back, ending at end-of-round marker. 408 total stitches: 118 stitches each for Front and Back, 86 stitches for each Sleeve!
I hope this clarifies things, happy knitting!
Gianna
I have purcahsed this pattern and having a difficult time figuring out your sizing. Why are # shown as 60(60, 68, 68) or (78,78, 78)
I wear a medium ladies bust is 39″ arm length 21″ wrist 6 1/2 “. What should I be knitting size wise?
Hi Donna,
Thanks for reaching out! The sizes for this pattern are 34¼ (37¾, 41¼, 44½) (48, 51½, 54¾) (58¼, 61¾, 65¼), 34¼ being the smallest size and 65¼ being the largest. For a 39″ bust I would suggest making the 44½ size! I also recommend checking out our amazing Understanding Ease + Selecting Your Size tutorial, it is an excellent resource to use and will explain in more depth the sizing process! Once you select your size, you will follow the instructions for whichever number within the parentheses. If you decide to go with the 44½ size you would follow all instructions for the 3rd number in the 1st parentheses (For example in the Sleeve section where it says Cast on 60 (60, 68, 68) (68, 68, 76) (76, 76, 76) stitches you would cast on 68 stitches.)
I hope this helps but please feel free to reach out with any more question!
Warmly,
Gianna
I just finished it and it just looks spectacular !
Hi Cécile,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so glad to hear the pullover turn out so well! We would love to see your work, you can email us some photos or tag us on instagram using the #purlsohobusyhands hashtag!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Hello,
I am trying to understand which size would be appropriate for me in this unbelievably beautiful sweater ( congratulations to the artist!)
I have read through the comments and seen this same question asked, but am afraid I still didn’t understand the answer.
I have a 37 inch chest, ( and square shoulders)- I definitely want to avoid this sweater being too tight around the cabling ( as I have read in other comments – have already taken notes about the larger needle size to fix this)….
long question is really a short one: which size should I knit: 37.5 inch or 41.5 inch?
Thankyou so much!! Will cast on as soon as I figure this out.
Hi Anna,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I would recommend checking out our wonderful new tutorial Understanding Ease + Selecting Your Size! It will walk you through the process so that you can select the perfect size for your measurements and the fit you desire!
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Gianna,
Thanks for your reply, it must be so annoying answering these questions when you have already prepared so much information! I realise my question is born from my own ignorance, but I still am not clear on the answer.
I had actually read through the guide, and this pattern states things differently than the guide; just enough to cause me to have doubts.
The pattern states the SIZE and FINISHED CIRCUMFERENCE, it does not state which actual chest circumference that refers to.
My doubts come from the fact that the pattern says the garment is designed with 2 -4 inches ease, but is that ease built into the pattern already ? (and therefore size 37 is for a 37 chest because the ease is already incorporated?)
This doubt is emphasised my the rib stitch which has a lot of stretch!
Basically, I think my question is this: is the ease incorporated into the pattern ( ie, for my 37 chest I choose size 37) or do I have to add on the ease in choosing size (ie, choose size 41 for my 37 chest.)
Again, sorry for these annoying questions, surely they will become second nature after I have been knitting for a lot longer than now!
Thankyou, Anna
Oh dear, I realise I also have another debutants question about for obtaining gauge: I have blocked my gauge swatch, do I need to stretch it in the process? What does “relaxed” mean in this case? Thankyou
Hi Anna,
No worries- I am happy to help! You should select the size with the ease in mind. So for example the sizes for the pattern are: 34 1⁄4 (37 3⁄4, 41 1⁄4, 44 1⁄2) (48, 51 1⁄2, 54 3⁄4) (58 1⁄4, 61 3⁄4, 65 1⁄4) and the are To fit actual chest circumference of 29 1⁄4–31 1⁄4 (32 3⁄4–34 3⁄4, 36 1⁄4–38 1⁄4, 39 1⁄2–41 1⁄2) (43–45,
46 1⁄2–48 1⁄2, 49 3⁄4–51 3⁄4) (53 1⁄4–55 1⁄4, 56 3⁄4–58 3⁄4, 60 1⁄4–62 1⁄4) inches, with 3–5 inches of ease. So If your chest is 37″ I would recommend making the 41 1⁄4 size since it will fit an actual chest size of 36 1⁄4–38 1⁄4!
As for your second question, once you knit your swatch and have wet it you will want to stretch it a bit in each direction and then lay it out flat, shaping it a bit and then let it dry! For a gauge swatch you want to let it dry relaxed and not pinned into place! I recommend checking out our Blocking and All About Gauge tutorial if you haven’t already for some great tips!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
THANKYOU, you are the best. Ok , off to confuse myself with the cabling!
Hello!
I’m making this for the first time and am far into the yoke section. It looks like the twists and turns are not exactly aligning. It’s almost like they are staggered. I’m not sure if this will just work itself out and perhaps it is correct. Can someone assist?
Hi Annie,
Thanks for reaching out! You could send our team some photos of your work to customerservice@purlsoho.com and they can troubleshoot further from there!
All the best,
Gianna
I’m so excited about this pattern and am knitting up my gauge swatch right now in Flax Down. I’m having a little trouble reading the gauge instructions. Is it 28 stitches vertically or horizontally over 4 inches? And 32 rounds? I’m knitting a flat swatch, so that confuses me as well.
This is my second sweater (1st with this pattern) to knit & my first one I did not gauge first and regret it, so I want to get it right this time.
Thanks so much!
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for reaching out! The gauge is 28 stitches = 4″ (this is measured horizontally and depends on how many stitches you cast on) and 32 rows = 4″ (this is measured vertically and depends on how many rows you work) in 2 x 2 ribbing. Also, keep in mind that this gauge is measured after blocking! You do not need to swatch in the round since this is just a basic 2 x 2 rib pattern, swatching flat is just fine. Swatching in the round is only necessary for more complex stitch patterns or colorwork when the wrong side rows are not provided in the pattern instructions!
For more information about gauge and swatching I suggest checking out our tutorial All About Guage.
I hope this clears things up, happy knitting!
Gianna
I’m planning to knit this sweater, but I am trying to avoid an issue I’ve had with other bottom-up yoked sweaters. I think I’m a little shorter than average from underarms to neck. As a result, when I finish the yoke, the underarms droop down so far that the sweater is really uncomfortable. Do you have any suggestions on how to avoid this? I’ll be making the 41 1/4″ size. I really love this pattern. Thank you.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out. The best way to shorten the yoke would be to modify or omit the “Repeat last round 10 (14, 19, 23) (25, 27, 29) (31, 33, 35) more times” instruction in the SHAPE YOKE section. In this portion of the pattern, you’re just knitting in 2 x 2 ribbing for a bit, which adds length to the yoke, but since you want to avoid that, you can do this for fewer rounds!
I hope this helps you knit a sweater that fits you well!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you very much. I will certainly try that!
Hi – Thank you so much for your help on how to decrease the rib pattern on the sleeves. It worked out beautifully! I’m loving working with this gorgeous yarn and pattern which is a little bit of a challenge for me.
I wanted to check in with you before I decrease 24 stitches (for size 34.25 in the “Shape Yoke” section (after the decrease round that gets one to 360 stitches from 368 and the subsequent 9 rows). My shoulders are a little broad and I’m worried the sweater will be too tight. I’m curious why so many decreases at a point in the sweater where my body doesn’t get smaller. Am I reading the pattern incorrectly? I’ve haven’t seen this in a pattern before but am usually knitting raglan sleeves. Would you say this pattern is closer to a set-in sleeve?
Thanks again! Cathy
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for reaching out, and I’m glad to hear that this pattern has been an exciting challenge for you! You bring up a great point, and I first want to assure you that the sweater will end up fitting great as written. The reason that there are so many stitches decreased on that one round is to set up for the cabled yoke. The pattern gets super intricate at this point, so there needs to be a specific stitch count for all the details to work out.
In terms of the size, it’s not that the sweater gets too tight here, it’s actually that everything previously has been slightly on the looser side of things! And with the constant 2 x 2 ribbing, the knit fabric at any point has tons of stretch, so it will conform to the shape of your body throughout the entire sweater.
And in answer to your question about the construction style of this pattern, it is closest to a circular yoke! That’s because the yoke decreases are spread out relatively evenly around the entire yoke, rather than being separated into 4 “seams,” like in a raglan yoke construction.
I hope this helps clarify things, but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
Hi – I finished the sweater and it looks fantastic. Thank you for all your help (I wrote to you twice!). What blocking method do you recommend to protect both the ribbing and the cabling?
Thank you, Cathy
Hi Catherine,
Congrats, and you’re very welcome! I’d recommend wet blocking the pullover and laying it flat to dry. It’s important not to stretch your project out too much while it’s soaking though, so a good tip for a large project like a sweater is to put it in a pillowcase before placing it in the water to soak so that the entire project can be removed from the water without stretching, and the excess water can be gently pressed out before laying it flat to dry. This will help maintain the definition of the cables and ribbing!
All the best,
Lili