Tahki Yarns Alder Pullover Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Alder Pullover

What is Being Made

The Alder Pullover is an intermediate-level knitted sweater designed by Susan Mills. This pullover is available in six sizes ranging from extra-small to 2X, with finished bust measurements from 36 inches (91.5 cm) to 55½ inches (141 cm) and lengths from 22¾ inches (58 cm) to 26¼ inches (66.5 cm). The sweater features a classic pullover construction with a fitted yoke and is worked primarily in stockinette stitch with decorative cable panels.

Techniques Used

The Alder Pullover employs several key knitting techniques that define its construction and visual interest:

• Seamless construction: The sweater is worked in the round using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a continuous fabric from body to sleeves.
• Bottom-up construction: The garment is built starting from the lower body and working upward toward the neckline, allowing for easy adjustments to length before completing the yoke.
• Cable work: Decorative cable panels are incorporated into the design, requiring the use of a cable needle to create twisted stitch patterns that add texture and visual depth.
• Raglan shaping: The yoke features raglan-style decreases that create sloped shoulders and a comfortable fit across the upper body.
• Increase and decrease techniques: Strategic increases are worked into the body and sleeves at regular intervals to achieve proper fit and shaping, while decreases are used to shape the yoke.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with specialty cable stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch throughout most of the sweater, creating a smooth, classic fabric with a flat knit side and textured purl side.
• Knit 1, Purl 1 Rib (K1, P1 Rib): Used for ribbed sections that provide elasticity and structure, particularly at cuffs and edges where gauge is established at 14 stitches and 20 rounds over 4 inches (10 cm).
• Cable 6 Back (C6B): A cable cross stitch worked by slipping 3 stitches to a cable needle and holding them in back, knitting the next 3 stitches, then knitting the 3 held stitches. This creates a rightward-leaning cable.
• Twist 4 Left (T4L): A cable twist worked by slipping 3 stitches to a cable needle and holding them in front, purling 1 stitch, then knitting the 3 held stitches, creating a decorative twisted effect.
• Twist 4 Right (T4R): A cable twist worked by slipping 1 stitch to a cable needle and holding it in back, knitting 3 stitches, then purling the held stitch, creating a rightward twisted effect.
• Knit Front and Back (K1-f/b): An increase technique used to add stitches for shaping, creating two stitches from one by working into both the front and back of a single stitch.

Materials

The Alder Pullover is designed to be worked in Tahki Yarns Arlington, a premium blend yarn composed of 50% fine merino wool, 25% alpaca, and 25% acrylic. This fiber combination provides softness, warmth, and durability. The yarn is supplied in balls of 1.75 ounces (50 grams) with 82 yards (75 meters) per ball. Yardage requirements range from 10 balls for the smallest size (approximately 820 yards) to 15 balls for the largest size (approximately 1,230 yards), with the example shown worked in color #12 indigo.

The pattern requires size 9 (5.5 mm) circular needles in two lengths—a 16-inch (40 cm) needle for working smaller circumferences and a 32-inch (80 cm) needle for the body and yoke. Additionally, a set of size 9 (5.5 mm) double-pointed needles is needed for working sleeves in the round. A cable needle is essential for executing the cable and twist stitches. Standard notions include stitch markers to denote pattern sections and increases, stitch holders or waste yarn for securing stitches between sections,