Berroco Ballentine Jumper Knitting Pattern

Berroco Ballentine Seamless Lace Sweater

What is Being Made

The Berroco Ballentine is an intermediate-level knitted sweater designed by Alison Green. This garment is a pullover-style jumper available in nine sizes, ranging from 38¼ inches to 73¾ inches in bust circumference. The finished length varies from 22 inches to 26 inches down the center back, offering options for different body proportions and style preferences. The sweater is shown in the 41¾-inch size and is recommended to be worn with approximately 4–8 inches of positive ease for a comfortable, slightly relaxed fit.

Construction and Techniques

The Ballentine sweater is constructed using a top-down seamless method, meaning the entire garment is knitted in one continuous piece beginning at the neckline and working downward. This approach eliminates the need for seaming, resulting in a more polished finish and simplified assembly. The yoke—the upper portion of the sweater that encompasses the shoulders and upper back—is shaped using short rows, a technique that involves turning the work before completing a full row to create gradual shaping without increasing or decreasing stitches in the traditional manner. This method allows for precise shaping of the shoulder and upper chest area.

The sweater is worked in the round using circular needles, creating seamless fabric throughout. This construction method is particularly valued for its efficiency and the elimination of side seams, which can be uncomfortable or create bulk in fitted garments.

Stitches and Lace Pattern

The primary stitch used in this sweater is Stockinette stitch (abbreviated as St st), which creates the smooth, classic knit fabric that forms the base of the garment. Stockinette stitch is created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows when working flat, or by knitting every round when working in the round.

The Ballentine features a lace pattern that is integrated into the design, adding visual interest and texture to the finished sweater. The lace pattern is worked from a chart and uses a multiple of 8 stitches, meaning the pattern repeat occurs every 8 stitches around the circumference. The lace is created using yarn overs (abbreviated as yo) and decreases, which are fundamental techniques in lace knitting. Yarn overs create the characteristic holes and openwork that define lace fabric, while strategic decreases maintain stitch count and shape the pattern. One example from the pattern instructions shows: CCD, yo, k5, yo, which combines a centered double decrease with yarn overs and knit stitches to create the lace motif. The pattern includes written instructions in addition to charted guidance, making it accessible to knitters who prefer either format.

Yarn and Needles

The Berroco Ballentine is designed to be knitted using Berroco Mistico yarn in the colorway #2524 Visionary. Berroco Mistico is a 50-gram ball weight yarn. The yardage required varies by size, with smaller sizes requiring 5 balls and larger sizes requiring up to 10 balls of yarn.

The pattern calls for circular needles in sizes 5 (3.75 mm) and 7 (4.5 mm), with both 16-inch and 32-inch lengths recommended. The smaller needles (size 5) are used for ribbed or fitted sections, while the larger needles (size 7) are used for the main body fabric. Additionally, double-pointed needles or preferred small-circumference needles in sizes 5 and 7 are needed for working the sleeves, which are knitted in the round and become too small in circumference for circular needles as they progress toward the cuff.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 18 stitches and 28 rows per 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch and charted pattern using the larger (size 7) needles. This gauge is measured after blocking, which is an important finishing step that sets the fabric and ensures accurate final measurements. Knitters are strongly encouraged to knit and measure a gauge swatch before beginning the project to ensure their tension matches the pattern designer's, as variations in individual knitting tension can significantly affect the final garment size.

The pattern includes a stitch marker for tracking the beginning of round and waste yarn for temporarily holding sleeve stitches during construction, allowing for seamless integration of the sleeves into the body of the sweater.