In the less-is-more department: Our very pretty, pared-down, delightfully soft Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover. When a bulky sweater is heftier than you can handle and a gossamer one is too light, this medium weight beauty is just right.

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

Its beauty is, in part, in the simply executed details: its delicate neckline and subtle yoke, whose textural increases are an excellent example of the elegance of form following function. Our favorite rolled edge cuffs and hem give this sweater that “Oh, I just threw this on” air.

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

Knit as simply as possible in the round from the top down, with some basic short row shaping at the back of the neck, the Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover Pattern is an excellent place to start for new sweater knitters. But long-time knitters will also find satisfaction in this pullover’s classic engineering.

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

This pattern works with two of our very favorite yarns: our Cashmere Merino Bloom and our Flax Down, a baby alpaca, extra fine merino and linen blend. Worked at the same gauge with the same size needles, choose either one! Here we used Heirloom White in Cashmere Merino Bloom and Rose Granite in Flax Down. Both are timeless, never tiresome.

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

UPDATE: NOW IN MORNING

MARCH 2022
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A new day has dawned for this classic Purl Soho pattern! Now also in cotton-yak Morning yarn, this version has a satisfying weight, a very soft feel, and an incredibly lovely hand… and it’s machine washable, too. Cast on with this Dungarees Blue, or any of Morning’s fresh-as-a-new-day colors!

UPDATE: NOW IN NEW COLORS AND STYLES

MAY 2024

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

Our pretty, pared-down Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover is a sweater for all knitters… And now it’s a sweater for all seasons, in a variety of new yarns and styles! Cast on with Plein Air, Morning, or Cashmere Merino Bloom, choose your sleeve length, and decide whether you want ribbed or rolled edges for the neckline and hems… And just like that, you’re underway!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoTopDownCircularYokePullover, #PurlSohoCashmereMerinoBloom, and #PurlSohoFlaxDown. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

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Choose from three different Purl Soho yarns. Each works perfectly for this pattern!

  • 5 (5, 6, 6) (7, 7, 8) (8, 9, 9, 10) skeins of Purl Soho’s Cashmere Merino Bloom, 75% extra fine merino wool and 25% cashmere. Each skein of this light worsted/DK yarn is 218 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1010 (1085, 1190, 1305) (1395, 1525, 1625, 1725) (1860, 1940, 2035, 2130) yards required. We used Heirloom White.

Or

  • 5 (5, 6, 6) (7, 7, 7, 8) (8, 9, 9, 10) skeins of Purl Soho’s Flax Down, 43% baby alpaca, 42% extra fine merino wool, 15% linen. Each skein is 218 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1010 (1085, 1190, 1305) (1395, 1525, 1625, 1725) (1860, 1940, 2035, 2130) yards required.We used Rose Granite.

You will also need…

Gauge

21 stitches and 29 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Sizes

NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!

34 (37, 40, 43) (46, 49¼, 52¼, 54¾) (58, 61, 64, 67)

To fit actual chest circumference of 28–30 (31–33, 34–36, 37–39) (40–42, 43¼–45¼, 46¼–48¼, 48¾–50¾) (52–54, 55–57, 58–60, 61–63) inches, with 4–6 inches of ease

  • Finished Chest Circumference: 34 (37, 40, 43) (46, 49¼, 52¼, 54¾) (58, 61, 64, 67) inches
  • Finished Length from Back Neck to Bottom Edge: 21¼ (21½, 22, 23) (23½, 24½, 24¾, 25) (25¾, 26, 26¼, 26½) inches
  • Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 14 (14, 14, 14½) (14½, 15, 15, 15) (15½, 15½, 15½, 15½) inches
  • Finished Length from Cuff to Underarm:
    18 (18, 18, 18½) (18½, 19, 19, 19) (19½, 19½, 19½, 19½) inches

SAMPLE: The sweater pictured here is size 40 inches modeled with 4 inches of ease.

Pattern

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

The Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover Pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download.

Update: More Sizes

January 2020

We’ve expanded the size range for our Top-Down Circular 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.

Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho
Top-Down Circular Yoke Pullover | Purl Soho

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!