Blue Sky Fibers Solway Sweater Jumper Knitting Pattern

Blue Sky Fibers Solway Sweater by Kirsten Nyboe

What is Being Made

The Solway Sweater is a modern cable sweater designed for advanced knitters. This women's pullover sweater features beautiful textured panels and is available in six sizes ranging from XS to XXL, with finished bust circumferences from 38¼ inches to 53 inches and a finished length of 22½ inches.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Solway Sweater is worked from the bottom up using a combination of circular and flat knitting techniques. The garment begins by working in the round to the armholes using circular needles, then the front and back are divided and worked back and forth in flat rows. A distinctive design feature involves the use of tuck panels that create beautiful texture on both the front and back of the sweater. These tuck panels are angled with increases on one side and compensating decreases on the opposite side, maintaining the total stitch count throughout the garment. At the armholes, one selvage stitch is cast on at the sides of both front and back pieces and worked in stockinette stitch.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

The primary stitches used in this sweater include:

• Stockinette stitch – used for the main body fabric and selvage stitches
• Tuck Cable panels – charted stitch patterns that create the textured design elements on the front and back

The pattern provides separate charts and instructions for Tuck Panels A and B, with different versions for the lower section of the garment and sleeves (worked in the round) and the upper section (worked flat). Cable needles are required to manipulate the stitches for the cable and tuck panel effects.

Gauge and Sizing

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this advanced project. In stockinette stitch, the gauge is 19 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches using size 8 (5mm) needles. In the Tuck Cable panel, the gauge is 19 stitches over 3¾ inches and 35 rows over 5½ inches. The pattern is written for the smallest size (XS) with larger sizes provided in parentheses throughout the instructions.

Materials and Yarn

The Solway Sweater is designed to be knit with Blue Sky Fibers Sweater (Worsted) yarn, a blend of 55% Superwash Wool and 45% Certified Organic Cotton. Each 100-gram skein yields 160 yards. The color shown in the pattern is No. 7534 Grape Stomp. Yardage requirements range from 8 hanks for the smallest sizes (XS and S) to 11 hanks for the largest sizes (XL and XXL).

Needles and Tools

This pattern requires the following needles and notions:

• Size 8 (5mm) double-pointed needles for working the sleeves in the round
• Size 8 (5mm) circular needle in 16-inch length for sleeve transitions
• Size 8 (5mm) circular needle in 24-inch length for the body
• Stitch markers for marking pattern repeats and construction points
• Cable needles for working the cable and tuck panel stitches

Knitters should use needles in the size needed to obtain the specified gauge. The pattern notes that when stitches no longer fit comfortably on double-pointed needles during sleeve construction, knitters should transition to the 16-inch circular needle to continue working in the round.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as Advanced and is suitable for experienced knitters. The combination of working in the round and flat, the angled tuck panels with compensating increases and decreases, and the cable techniques required make this an intermediate-to-advanced project that demands careful attention to stitch manipulation and pattern reading.