Blue Sky Fibers Lauderdale Pullover Jumper Knitting Pattern

Blue Sky Fibers Lauderdale Pullover

What Is Being Made

The Lauderdale Pullover is a women's openwork knit sweater designed by Bobbi Intveld for Blue Sky Fibers. This pullover is versatile enough to be worn layered over a beautiful blouse or paired with a casual tank top. The garment is available in eight sizes ranging from Women's XS to 5XL, with finished chest circumferences from 31½ inches to 60 inches, making it suitable for a wide range of body types.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Lauderdale Pullover is knit flat and then seamed together, rather than being worked in the round. This construction method allows for precise shaping and seaming at the sides and sleeves. The pattern begins with casting on stitches using the smaller needle size, followed by three garter stitch rows to create a finished edge. The knitter then transitions to the larger needle size to work the main body in the featured openwork stitch pattern.

The sweater features structured armhole shaping that is worked over multiple rows with strategic bind-offs to create proper sleeve cap ease and fit. The pattern provides detailed row-by-row instructions for different size ranges, with some shaping steps applying only to larger sizes. This graduated approach ensures that each size is properly proportioned.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern featured in this pullover is the Open Stitch, which creates the characteristic openwork appearance of the garment. This decorative stitch pattern is worked throughout the main body and sleeves of the sweater. The pattern also incorporates garter stitch for the initial edge rows, and Three-Needle Bind-Off is used for finishing seams, as indicated in the materials list.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Lauderdale Pullover is designed for use with Blue Sky Fibers Extra yarn in Aran weight. This yarn is a premium blend of 55% baby alpaca and 45% fine merino, offering softness and breathability. The yardage requirement is 150 grams and 218 yards per hank, with the total yardage needed ranging from 4 hanks for smaller sizes to 7 hanks for the largest sizes (5XL).

The pattern shown features Color No. 3525 Mist, though knitters are encouraged to select their favorite color from the Blue Sky Fibers Extra yarn range.

Needles and Tools Required

The pattern calls for circular needles in two sizes:

• Size 6 (4mm) needles: 16-inch and 24-inch circular needles for the ribbing and initial cast-on
• Size 7 (4.5mm) needles: 24-inch circular needle for working the main body in the larger gauge

Additional tools needed include a spare needle for the Three-Needle Bind-Off, stitch holders or waste yarn for holding stitches, a stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 19 stitches and 22 rows over 4 inches in the Open Stitch pattern using the larger (Size 7) needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit, as the finished measurements range from 31½ inches in the chest for XS to 60 inches for 5XL. Sleeve length to the underarm measures between 19 and 21½ inches depending on size, and the total length ranges from 19 to 21 inches.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as Intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience. The combination of working flat, managing multiple sizes with varied shaping instructions, executing the openwork stitch pattern consistently, and finishing with seaming requires solid foundational knitting skills and pattern-reading ability.