Elsebeth Lavold Charlie Pullover Jumper Knitting Pattern

Elsebeth Lavold Charlie Pullover

What is Being Made

The Charlie Pullover is a classic crewneck sweater designed by Sandi Prosser and available in nine sizes ranging from X-Small to 5X. This garment features a fitted silhouette with bust measurements from 38 to 64 inches (96 to 162 centimeters) and a finished length between 24 and 26.5 inches (61 to 67.5 centimeters). The pullover is constructed with set-in sleeves and includes stranded colorwork patterning worked from a chart, making it an ideal project for knitters looking to incorporate multiple colors into a sophisticated design.

Techniques Used

The Charlie Pullover employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its finished structure:

• Bottom-up construction: The sweater is knitted from the lower edge upward, allowing for straightforward length adjustments and intuitive shaping
• Worked flat: Pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring seaming to join the components
• Seamed assembly: Individual pieces (front, back, and sleeves) are sewn together after completion, creating clean, professional seams
• Stranded colorwork: Multiple yarn colors are carried across rows to create the patterned design shown in Chart #1, a traditional Fair Isle or jacquard-style technique
• Worked in the round for ribbing: Certain sections may utilize circular needle techniques for seamless ribbed edges
• Shoulder shaping: Strategic bind-offs are used to create sloped shoulders for a tailored fit, with the neckline formed through center front binding off and graduated edge decreases

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with charted colorwork:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary fabric stitch, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, providing a smooth, classic appearance
• Garter stitch: Likely used for ribbed edgings and cuffs to create elasticity and structure
• Selvage stitches: Single stitches at the edges of rows (noted as k1 selvage st in the pattern) that facilitate seaming and create neat finished edges
• Charted stitch patterns: Chart #1 contains a 16-stitch repeat that is worked across the piece multiple times depending on size, with specific stitch counts at the beginning and end of rows to ensure proper pattern alignment

Materials

The Charlie Pullover is designed to be knitted with Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, a premium yarn that combines silk and wool fibers for a luxurious drape and subtle sheen. The pattern requires four distinct colorway shades:

• Shade 191 Graphite (A): The primary color, requiring 4 to 7 hanks of 50 grams depending on size
• Shade 109 Medium Gray (B): A secondary color, requiring 2 to 3 hanks of 50 grams depending on size
• Shade 04 Charcoal (C): An accent color, requiring 1 to 2 hanks of 50 grams depending on size
• Shade 182 Larkspur (D): An accent color, requiring 1 to 2 hanks of 50 grams depending on size

The pattern specifies one pair of size US 6/4mm needles (or the size required to obtain the specified gauge) for working the flat pieces. The combination of these needle sizes with the Silky Wool yarn creates a fabric with appropriate drape and structure suitable for a fitted pullover with colorwork patterning.

Pattern Details and Construction Notes

The back and front pieces are worked separately from the bottom up in stockinette stitch until the appropriate length is reached, at which point Chart #1 is introduced to add the stranded colorwork design. The chart features a 16-stitch repeat that is worked across the width of the piece, with the number of repeats varying by size to accommodate different bust measurements. The pattern includes detailed instructions for shoulder shaping through graduated bind-offs, creating a professional sloped shoulder line. The neckline is formed