Marisol Top Jumper Knitting Pattern

Marisol Top in Berroco Summer Sesame

What is Being Made

The Marisol Top is a knitted garment designed by Amy Christoffers, offered in multiple sizes ranging from 38" to 70" bust measurement. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a finished top with a length varying from approximately 21" to 24½" depending on the size selected. The garment is shown in a size 42" bust and features a modern construction method that builds the piece in modular sections rather than traditional seamless or fully seamed approaches.

Construction Technique and Pattern Method

The Marisol Top employs a distinctive modular construction approach. The body is worked in separate sections, beginning with a Back panel and Front center panel worked flat in stockinette stitch. Rather than working continuously in the round, the pattern uses a pickup method where stitches for each side are picked up from the edges of these center panels and worked toward the sleeves. This technique allows for precise shaping and control over the garment's proportions.

Once the side panels are complete, side seam stitches are joined using the three-needle bind-off technique, a professional method that creates a strong, neat seam closure. Following this, the sleeves are worked in the round using circular needles. The hem is then picked up and worked downward in the round, completing the garment with a finished edge.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The primary stitch used throughout the Marisol Top is stockinette stitch (St st), which creates a smooth, classic fabric with a flat appearance on the right side and bumpy texture on the wrong side. This fundamental knitting stitch is achieved by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side when working flat, or by knitting every round when working in the round.

Additional techniques employed in this pattern include:

• Stitch holders – Used to temporarily hold stitches during construction, particularly for neck shaping and modular assembly
• Three-needle bind-off – A joining technique that securely binds two sets of live stitches together while creating a finished seam
• Stitch markers – Used to mark pattern repeats and construction points during circular knitting
• Picking up stitches – A technique used to create new stitches from the edges of completed sections, essential to the modular construction method

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The Marisol Top is designed to be knitted with Berroco Summer Sesame, a yarn that comes in 100-gram balls. The pattern calls for (3, 3, 4) to (6) balls depending on size, with the example garment shown using color #5235 Marigold. Berroco Summer Sesame is the recommended yarn for this pattern to ensure proper gauge and finished garment characteristics.

Needles and Notions: The pattern requires two sizes of circular needles. A 32" circular needle in size 5 (3.75 mm) and size 7 (4.5 mm) is used for the main body construction, with the larger needle used for stockinette stitch sections and the smaller needle for ribbing or other detailed work. A 16" circular needle in size 5 (3.75 mm) is used for working the hem in the round. The pattern also calls for 4 stitch holders and 1 stitch marker.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on the larger needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for obtaining accurate finished measurements. The pattern offers nine different size options with bust measurements of 38", 42", 46", 50", 54", 58", 62", 66", and 70", with corresponding length adjustments. The recommended ease is approximately 4–6 inches of positive ease, meaning the finished garment will be slightly larger than the wearer's actual measurements for comfortable fit.

Skill Level and Pattern Notes

Rated as an intermediate skill level, the Marisol Top requires knitters to be comfortable with fundamental techniques including casting on, stockinette stitch, increases and decreases for shaping, picking up stitches, and working in the round with circular needles. The modular construction method, while not overly complex, requires careful attention to the sequence of assembly and understanding how sections connect to one another.