Juniper Moon Farm Jumper Knitting Pattern

Taylor Sweater by Melissa Leapman

What Is Being Made

The Taylor is a pullover sweater from the Aspen Collection by Juniper Moon Farm, designed by Melissa Leapman. This garment is available in nine sizes ranging from Small through 5X, with finished chest measurements from 40 inches (101.5 cm) to 70½ inches (179 cm) and lengths between 26 and 28 inches (66 to 71 cm). The sweater features a classic pullover construction with set-in sleeves and a crew neckline.

Techniques Used

The Taylor sweater employs several advanced knitting techniques to create its structured fit and decorative patterning:

• Bottom-up construction: The body is worked in the round from the bottom edge upward, creating a seamless torso
• Steek technique: Steeks are used to bridge the armhole and neck openings, allowing the knitter to work in the round while creating openings for sleeves and neckline. The steeks are later secured and cut to open these sections
• Worked in the round: Both the body and sleeves are worked circularly using circular needles and double-pointed needles, minimizing seaming
• Seamed construction: After steeks are secured and cut, the sleeves are sewn into the body at the armholes using traditional seaming methods
• Stranded colorwork: The pattern incorporates stranded knitting, a technique where multiple colors are carried across the row to create intricate Fair Isle–style patterns
• Striped elements: The design includes stripe patterns worked in alternating colors throughout the garment
• Shaping with mirrored increases: The sleeve shaping uses mirrored M1 (make one) increases worked within the established pattern, creating balanced, symmetrical sleeve caps

Stitches Used

The Taylor sweater uses fundamental knitting stitches combined with shaping techniques:

• Knit stitch: The primary stitch forming the fabric base
• M1 (Make One) increase: Used for sleeve shaping, this increase is worked by picking up the strand between stitches on the left-hand needle and knitting through the front loop to create a new stitch
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) decrease: A left-leaning decrease used for shaping, worked by slipping two stitches individually knitwise, transferring them back to the left needle in their new orientation, then knitting them together through their back loops
• E-wrap cast-on: Also known as backward loop or half-hitch cast-on, this method is used specifically for the steek stitches, cast on with alternating colors to prepare for the steek technique

Materials

The Taylor sweater is knitted using Juniper Moon Farm Patagonia yarn in five coordinating colorways:

• Color 104 Mahogany: 2 × 100g skeins
• Color 132 Moss: 2 × 100g skeins
• Color 133 Acorn: 1 × 100g skein
• Color 113 Cinnamon: 1 × 100g skein
• Color 134 Rust: 1 × 100g skein

The pattern is worked on multiple needle sizes, all US 4 (3.5 mm) in various configurations:

• 16-inch (40 cm) circular needle for smaller circumference sections
• 32-inch (80 cm) circular needle for the body
• Set of 5 double-pointed needles for sleeve work
• US 6 (4 mm) circular needle for ribbing or other sections requiring a larger gauge

Pattern Features and Design Notes

The Taylor sweater offers design flexibility through interchangeable color patterns. The pattern recommends alternating between patterns with dark backgrounds and those with lighter backgrounds for visual interest, and similarly varying patterns with different numbers of rounds to create dynamic color blocking throughout the garment. This modular approach allows knitters to customize their finished sweater while maintaining the structured, classic silhouette of the design.