Plymouth Yarn Women's Cable Detail Pullover Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn Women's Cable Detail Pullover

What is Being Made

This is a women's pullover sweater featuring decorative cable detailing, designed by Plymouth Yarn using their DK Merino Superwash yarn. The pullover is available in five sizes ranging from Small to X-Large, with finished bust measurements from 36 inches to 52 inches and lengths between 25.5 and 27 inches. The garment combines classic cable work with a modern silhouette, making it suitable for everyday wear.

Techniques Used

The Plymouth Yarn Women's Cable Detail Pullover is worked flat on straight needles for the body and sleeves, then seamed together to create the finished garment. The collar is worked in the round using circular needles. The construction method allows knitters to work at a comfortable pace on straight needles before assembling the pieces.

Cable work is the primary decorative technique featured throughout this design. The sweater incorporates two distinct cable patterns: one for the sleeves and another for the collar. Both patterns utilize the classic cable technique of slipping stitches onto a cable needle, holding them to either the front or back of the work, and then knitting stitches before returning to the held stitches. This creates the characteristic twisted rope effect that defines cable knit garments.

The pattern also includes strategic shaping through decreases and increases. Armhole shaping is accomplished through bind-offs at the beginning of rows, followed by gradual decreases worked over multiple rows to create a fitted sleeve cap. Sleeve increases are incorporated every fourth row to achieve proper sleeve width and cap shaping.

Stitches Used

The foundation of this pullover is stockinette stitch (St St), which provides a smooth, classic fabric base. Stockinette stitch is created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side when working flat.

The cable patterns utilize several key stitches:

• Cable crosses: Created by slipping three stitches to a cable needle and holding to the back or front of work, then knitting three stitches before knitting the held stitches. This creates the characteristic 6-stitch cable twist.
• Yarn overs (yo): These create decorative openings and are paired with decreases to maintain stitch count while adding visual interest to the cable patterns.
• Decreases: Both single decreases (ssk for left-leaning and k2tog for right-leaning) and double decreases (p2tog) are used throughout the patterns to shape the garment and create balanced cable motifs.
• Knit front and back (kfb): Used for increases when shaping the sleeves.
• Purl stitches: Used as reverse stockinette stitch elements within the cable patterns to highlight the cable work and create textural contrast.

The Sleeve Cable Pattern works over a multiple of 14 stitches plus 1, repeating an 8-row sequence. The Collar Cable Pattern is worked in the round over a multiple of 14 stitches, creating a seamless collar with integrated cable design.

Materials

This pullover is knit using Plymouth Yarn DK Merino Superwash, a durable and practical yarn choice for everyday garments. The pattern calls for 11 to 15 skeins depending on size, with each skein weighing 50 grams. The yarn shown in the pattern is color #1101.

The recommended needle sizes are US size 6 and US size 5 for the body and sleeves, with 16-inch circular needles used for the collar. The pattern is worked to a gauge of 22 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US size 6 needles, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Additional materials required include a cable needle for executing the cable crosses, stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping points, and a tapestry needle for seaming the body and sleeve pieces together and weaving in yarn ends.