Botanical Yoke Pullover In New Colors
Our Botanical Yoke Pullover is knitting gold: a jaw-dropper that is much simpler to make than it looks! Despite its complex beauty, this triumph of intertwining ribs is really nothing more than simple cables with some every-now-and-then decreases thrown into the mix.

But the effect is pretty magnificent! Climbing vines around the yoke ripple and weave, crisscross and diverge, like the walls of the Secret Garden itself. For a very soft and dreamy edge, we knit up the Botanical Yoke Pullover in our Cashmere Merino Bloom, a mix of 75% extra fine merino wool and 25% cashmere.

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!
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!

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 + 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 and 25% cashmere. Each skein of this light worsted/DK yarn is 218 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1495 (1655, 1850, 1985) (2145, 2310, 2480) (2655, 2810, 2960) yards required. We used the color Rosebud 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 rounds = 4 inches in 2 x 2 rib, 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 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, worn with 3¾ inches of ease.
Pattern

Our Botanical Yoke Pullover Pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download only.


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!
Wow, that looks like a fun knit! I have two questions (and hope someone will reply to me privately so I’m sure to see it!).
First, is this knitted top- down or bottom-up?
And second, cashmere is SO warm for me to wear! What other Purl Soho yarns will work well with this pattern? (And do you list substitutes with the instructions?) Thank you.
Hi Lucille,
Thanks for reaching out! To answer your questions about the construction of the sweater, you will start with the Sleeves, working them in the round from bottom up. Next, you will work the Body from bottom up in 2×2 rib, create the Underarms, join Sleeves to Body, and work the cabled Yoke, decreasing up to Collar.
In terms of yarns to choose from, we don’t specifically list alternatives to our Cashmere Merino Bloom, but most DK weight yarns that match the gauge called for in the pattern would be suitable for this sweater! If you’re looking for something less warm than the cashmere, I’d recommend our Flax Down, which will still be warm, but the linen content will give it a bit more breathability, our Morning, which is made of a blend of cotton and yak and will be much more lightweight, or Koigu’s Kersti which is 100% merino wool and knits up beautifully!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Would love this in a toddler size , any way to downsize ?
Hi Di,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m afraid this pattern is currently only designed for adult sizes, and given the intricacy of the cabling and shaping it would take some doing to adapt the pattern for a toddler’s size. We’ll definitely make note of your interest in a kid’s size version, and in the meantime I’d recommend taking a look at our kids-sized sweater patterns here!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi! I was wondering if you could tell me the size in the photo. That’s how I want the sweater to fit. I looked at some of the finished projects on Ravelry and some of the Xsmall (my size) looked too tight rather than fitted.
Hi Chantal,
Thanks so much for reaching out to us! The size that the model in the photo is wearing is size 37¾, worn with 3¾ inches of ease. I hope this was helpful! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Catherine
Hello! Question about the first shape yolk decrease applied to the 34 1/4 size from 368 sts to 360 sts. Should it be the following:
1. P2tog first 2 sts of left sleeve
2. P2tog last 2 sts of left sleeve
3. P2tog first 2 sts of front
4. P2tog last 2 sts of front
5. P2tog first 2 sts of right sleeve
6. P2tog last 2 sts of right sleeve
7. P2tog first 2 sts of back
8. P2tog last 2 sts of back
Thanks so much,
Stacy
Hi Stacy,
Thanks for reaching out. That looks correct! It’s definitely very helpful to write out the decrease round like that, since it’s easier to visualize that way. Thanks so much for doing it!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you so much Lili!
Hello! Question about start/end-of-round marker prior to starting to work the yoke pattern. Should the end-of-round marker be in the same position established from the first shape yolk decrease and carried thru for the size specific (e.g. 34 1/4) second shape yolk decrease?
I am surprised that the C24F cabelling begins basically at the back of the Left sleeve. Thanks in advance for your guidance.
Warmest Regards,
Stacy
Hi Stacy,
Thanks for writing in. Yes, the end-of-round marker should remain in the same place that it’s established in the SHAPE YOKE section! The only time you’ll need to change the place of the marker is if the pattern states “remove marker” and later, “replace marker.” And you’re right, the cabling does technically begin at the back of the left sleeve. Because you just joined both sleeves to the body, the cabling will appear all around the yoke of the sweater! Hope this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili!
Hello,
Is it possible to knit this in Linen Quill Worsted? I love this pattern but am much more enamored with the heathered linen quill colors. However, the gauge is slightly off and I wouldn’t to throw off the pattern.
Thank you!
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! I agree with you that Linen Quill Worsted would be a little bit too thick for this project and would probably effect the overall measurements of your finished garment. However, holding Linen Quill (the fingering weight version) doubled might actually be a similar weight to our Cashmere Merino Bloom!
I would recommend doing a few gauge swatches before casting on for this project to be sure that using the correct needle size. This is especially important when substituting yarns for a project. Here’s a link to our All About Gauge tutorial for more tips on knitting gauge swatches.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Carly
I’m knitting size 41 1/4 instructions. just started on right sleeve with 68 cast on stitches. when I get to the “Repeat from Increase Round 1 two more times” the stitch count for my size says 92 stitches. I have counted all the increases and always come on with 80. What am I doing wrong??
I think there are only 6 increase rows for a total of 12 stitch increase.
68 + 12 = 80.????
I should read more carefully! Just realized I need to repeat every instruction from “Increase Round 1” two more times for a total of +24 increase stitches.
Great pattern – sorry it took writing to you to see the error of my ways.
Not to worry, Susan! Thank you for letting us know you figured it out, and we hope the rest of your sweater goes smoothly!
Happy knitting,
Margaret
Hello,
I am kniiting this pattern and would like to ask if there any special instructions on how to cable those 24 stitches ? Simply do like any other cable? or is there something that makes it easier?
Hi Silvia,
Thank you for commenting! While this cable is worked the same way as most other cables, one thing I can suggest is experimenting with cable needles and a spare double-pointed needle to see if one works better than the other for you when cabling so many stitches! You may find that the “nook” in a cable needle holds the stitches better than a DPN, or you may find you prefer the ease of a DPN for holding so many stitches. A smaller size DPN may help too, in order to make it easier to work with the tighter tension in this section due to the cables. And finally, another trick to try is going up one needle size throughout the cable section as a whole, to offset the tighter tension. This is not necessary to do, but may help make this section easier if needed!
I hope these tips help to make the larger cables easier to knit!
All the best,
Margaret
I am so confused knitting the yoke! On row 15 , how do I keep consistently picking up purls from purls and knit stitches from knit stitches as I decrease?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for reaching out! The pattern is written so that you’ll be able to maintain the ribbing pattern even with the decreases. For example, in Round 13, you work a p1 after the initial decreases, but in Round 15, you don’t work this stitch and go straight to a k2 (since it was incorporated in the decrease stitch). In this manner, the pattern will only allow knitting the knit stitches and purling the purls throughout the decrease section. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Would your nine note bundle work with pattern? It would be so cool in ombre.
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out, and I love that idea! It would look fantastic in ombre, and the Nine Note Bundle would definitely work, since it’s also a DK weight yarn. Each bundle only comes with a total of 900 yards though, so I’d recommend looking at the required yardage for your size to determine how many bundles you’d need to purchase. Hope this helps, and please let us know how your project turns out if you try this!
All the best,
Lili
I have two questions. First, I’m making the small size and knit 60 stitches for the cuff of my sleeve and it seems much too big for my wrist at 81/2 inches. Should I just cast on fewer stitches? Is it supposed to be that loose, even at the cuff?
Second, I think/hope I finally understand the 2 x 2 ribbing increase method. On Row or Round 9 (my first inc row), I knit make one left stitch right next to my first K1 to the left of my beginning of round. As I complete that row, I M1R just to the right of the last K1 stitch? Then I proceed to knit 8 rows and only then do I reach my second increase row and I knit my next M1L , again right after the K1 stitch at the beginning of the round. Again, I M1R just to the right of my last K1 stitch. I now have three K stitches to the left of my beginning of round and three knit stitches to the right of my beginning of round. I knit 8 more rows, then add my first make 1 purl just to the left of my first K stitch. And so on. The point is I only increase two stitches every 9 rows for a total of 16 times = 32 increases (or 60 sts to 92 sts.)? Thanks – it’s a great sweater pattern and I love the feel of the yarn.
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d be happy to answer both of your questions:
1. This sweater was designed with positive ease, so yes, the 8 1/2 inch sleeve cuff is correct for the size you’re making! It’s actually less extra space than you might be imagining. For example, if your wrist circumferences measures 6 inches, then with 2.5 inches of positive ease, the fabric would actually only hang just over 3/4 of an inch away from your skin.
2. I believe you are interpreting the increase section almost correctly, but your round count might be off slightly! You will be working an increase round (either adding a knit stitch or a purl stitch) on every 8th round. There should be 7 rounds of knitting in pattern between each increase round (not 9).
I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
I will soon be ready to join the body and sleeves to start the yoke.
I am unable to find the tutorial purlsoho/com/create/joining-sleeves-to-body as mentioned in the printed pattern. Is the tutorial still available?
Hi Elizabeth,
Here’s the link to the tutorial! Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I am so lost. I’m working on Size 32½ and I’m completely stuck on the Shape Yoke section.
1) The first decrease round left me with 364 stitches following the pattern as written.
2) I do not understand what I’m missing on the remaining rounds in this section. It says P1, replace marker and then K2,P2 until end of round.
What happens with all the P1 from the first decrease rounds?
Hi Bethany,
Thank you for writing in! Could you please confirm the size you are making? I’m worried you may be referring to a stitch count of a different size and want to make sure we can get you back on track. The sizes in this pattern include 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″). If you are making the smallest size, you should have decreased by 8 stitches for the first decrease round leaving you with 360 stitches after working [P2tog, work in established rib to 2 stitches before next marker, p2tog, remove marker] 4 times. I will keep an eye out for your reply!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi!
I am stuck! I’ve joined the sleeves and body and into the first decrease round of yoke.
Do I ptog (twice) x 4 times in the same round? Or is this spread out over 4 rounds?
Thanks!
Hi Paris,
Thank you for writing in! You will repeat the instruction inside the brackets 4 times. So you will work [P2tog, work in established rib to 2 stitches before next marker, p2tog, remove
marker] 4 times total for the decrease round. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella