Classic Elite Yarns Moroka Jumper Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Moroka Pullover Sweater

What Is Being Made

The Moroka is a pullover sweater designed by Susan Mills, originally published in Adelaide 1607. This garment features a distinctive construction method where cable-covered mitered squares form both the back and front panels. The sweater is designed with a high V-neck and finished bust measurements of 35, 38, 43, and 49 inches, accommodating sizes S, M, L, and XL.

Construction and Techniques

The Moroka employs an innovative mitered square construction technique, where geometric squares are worked from the center outward to create the primary garment panels. This approach combines both circular knitting and flat knitting methods within a single garment.

The center squares of both the front and back pieces are initiated by casting on 8 stitches onto a double-pointed needle, then increased through yarn forward stitches to create the foundation. These center sections are worked in the round using double-pointed needles, with stitches divided evenly across four needles. After the center square is completed, the remaining stitches are worked in flat rows to shape the shoulders and create the V-neck opening on the front piece. The sides and lower body are constructed by working the remaining three sides of the mitered square back and forth in rows.

The garment is seamed during finishing, and the pattern requires careful stitch manipulation, including strategic stitch slipping and rearrangement during specific rounds to maintain proper pattern alignment as the piece expands.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary decorative element is the Celtic Knot chart, which is worked across the mitered squares. The pattern begins with basic increases using the kfb (knit front and back) technique to expand from the initial cast-on. The Celtic Knot motif is repeated four times per round during the circular knitting phase, creating an intricate cable-covered design that spans rounds 1 through 63 of the charted pattern.

The stitch pattern includes:

• Knit and purl stitches as foundational elements
• Cable stitches integrated within the Celtic Knot chart to create the textured, interlocking pattern
• Yarn forward increases for shaping the mitered squares
• Slip stitches used strategically during rounds 15–16, 19–20, 25–26, and 45–46 to redistribute stitches and maintain pattern continuity

Materials and Tools

This knitting pattern is worked with double-pointed needles for the initial center square construction and the circular knitting phase, followed by circular needles in multiple sizes. The pattern specifies transitioning to 16-inch circular needles and then 24-inch circular needles as the piece expands, accommodating the increasing stitch count from 24 stitches at the start of the center square to 280 total stitches by the end of the charted rounds.

The yarn weight and fiber content are not specified in the provided pattern excerpt, though the project is associated with Classic Elite Yarns, a yarn manufacturer known for quality knitting yarns.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated for experienced knitters. The mitered square construction method, combined with the need to manage stitch distribution across multiple needles and execute complex cable patterns from a chart, requires advanced knitting knowledge and comfort with both circular and flat knitting techniques.