When a sweater does not conform to our expectations, we have no choice but to call it a “popover.” Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Center Point Popover defies convention and is “sweater” in a whole new language!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

Roomy and cropped with an extreme drop-shoulder construction, the Center Point Popover is a marvelous meld of math and design. Inspired by shapes she made with folded paper and by her love for geometry, Ainur put her best mind to work on this one!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

To make the Center Point Popover, you knit the front and back separately, from the center point out, then join them and shape for the hips and shoulders. You pick up for the sleeves and work them in the round, stopping soon after for short sleeves or continuing in 2×2 rib for long ones. Next, work the neckband and be done, or keep going with a big, cozy hood!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

So many ways to make it your own! We love that freedom and creativity, not only in the making, but in the wearing, too. The Center Point Popover brings personality to every outfit and shape shifts to fit any mood. That’s our kind of popover!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

Ainur chose our Linen Quill Worsted for her design, citing how it is “so woolly and drapey at the same time.” It is! It’s also a beautiful blend of fine highland wool, alpaca, and linen that comes in 30 super inspiring colors. Choose your favorite and discover a whole new kind of sweater!

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

Designed for Purl Soho by Ainur Berkimbayeva.

UPDATE: NOW IN TULIP COTTON

MAY 2022

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

Our beautiful Tulip Cotton makes a cooler, year-round Center Point Popover. The tidy spin of the yarn adds crisp definition to the lines that reverberate from the center of the piece, and its plant-fiber drape lends an easy elegance. Made in Italy of 100% organically grown, GOTS certified cotton, Tulip Cotton is a gorgeous choice for an extraordinary knit!

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

Materials

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho
  • Purl Soho’s Linen Quill Worsted, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each skein is 164 yards/100 grams. We used the colors Pale Oats and Turmeric Yellow. (NOTE: We no longer offer Linen Quill Worsted, but choose from one of our other worsted weight yarns.)
    • Short Sleeve Without Hood
      4 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8) skeins; approximately 650 (755, 880, 990, 1110, 1255) yards required
    • Short Sleeve With Hood
      7 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) skeins; approximately 1015 (1125, 1260, 1380, 1510, 1665) yards required
    • Long Sleeve Without Hood
      6 (7, 7, 8, 9, 10) skeins; approximately 905 (1015, 1150, 1270, 1400, 1555) yards required
    • Long Sleeve With Hood
      8 (9, 9, 10, 11, 12) skeins; approximately 1220 (1330, 1465, 1585, 1715, 1870) yards required
  • US 4 (3.5 mm), 16-inch circular needles
  • US 5 (3.75 mm), 16-inch circular needles
  • US 5, 32-inch circular needles
  • A set of US 5 double pointed needles
  • Stitch markers, including one unique
  • A Center Point Popover pattern

Gauge

18 stitches and 36 rounds = 4 inches in pattern stitch (knit 2 rows, purl 2 rows) on larger needles, after blocking

Sizes

NOTE Please visit our Understanding Ease + Selecting A Size tutorial for tips! Also note, this design is very roomy through the bust, so in this case, choose size based on hip measurement.

40½ (45¾, 51, 56½, 61¾, 67)

To fit actual hip circumference of approximately 31–36 (37–42, 43–47, 48–52, 53–57, 58–63) inches with approximately 4–9 inches of positive ease

  • Finished Hip Circumference: 40½ (45¾, 51, 56½, 61¾, 67) inches
  • Finished Length From Back Neck To Bottom Edge: 15¼ (16½, 18, 19¼, 20½, 22) inches
  • Finished Short Sleeve Length From Underarm: 2¼ inches
  • Finished Long Sleeve Length From Underarm: 13½ inches (adjustable)

Sample: The sweaters shown here are size 40½, worn with 4½ inches of ease.

Pattern

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho

The Center Point Popover is available for purchase as a PDF download only.

Ainur Berkimbayeva For Purl Soho: Center Point Popover | Purl Soho