Tahki Yarns Ocean Grove Top Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Ocean Grove Top

Garment Overview

The Ocean Grove Top is a knitted pullover sweater designed by Irina Poludnenko, featuring a sophisticated color-blocking design created through intarsia technique. This versatile piece is available in six sizes ranging from Small to 3X, with finished bust measurements from 37½ inches to 56½ inches and a length between 23½ and 26 inches, making it suitable for various body types and fit preferences.

Construction Method

This sweater is worked flat on straight needles and constructed using the bottom-up approach, meaning pieces are knitted from the hem upward. The garment is then seamed together, creating clean, structured seams that define the garment's silhouette. This construction method allows for precise shaping and the seamless integration of the intarsia color work throughout the design.

Intarsia Technique and Color Work

The Ocean Grove Top showcases intarsia as its primary decorative technique. Intarsia is an advanced knitting method where different colored yarns are used to create distinct blocks of color within the fabric, similar to a tapestry. Rather than carrying yarn across the back of the work, each color section uses its own yarn supply, resulting in a flat, reversible fabric without the bulk of stranded colorwork. The pattern employs three coordinated colors from Tahki Yarns COTTON CLASSIC: almond (A) as the primary color, light milk chocolate (B), and titanium (C), which are strategically positioned to create visual interest and depth in the finished garment.

Stitches Used

The Ocean Grove Top utilizes two primary stitch patterns:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st) – The main stitch throughout the body of the garment, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. This produces a smooth, classic fabric with a V-shaped texture on the right side, providing an elegant canvas for the intarsia color blocks.
• Rib Pattern – A textured pattern worked on a multiple of 5 stitches plus 2, alternating between knit and purl stitches (K1, *K1, P4; repeat from * to last stitch, K1 on wrong-side rows, with knit rows on right-side rows). This elastic pattern is typically used for edgings and cuffs to provide stretch and a finished appearance.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Ocean Grove Top is crafted using Tahki Yarns COTTON CLASSIC, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn that offers breathability and a refined drape ideal for warm-weather garments. Each skein contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) of yarn with 108 yards (100 meters) of yardage. Yarn requirements vary by size: the primary color (almond) requires 6 to 8 skeins depending on size, while the secondary colors (light milk chocolate and titanium) each require 2 to 3 skeins. The mercerized cotton construction provides a subtle sheen and excellent stitch definition, enhancing the visual impact of the intarsia color work.

Needles and Tools

The pattern calls for size 5 (3.75mm) needles worked to a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Knitters should use one pair of straight needles for the main garment pieces and one 24-inch circular needle of the same size for the neck edging. Additional tools include stitch markers to track pattern repeats and color changes, and a yarn needle for seaming the finished pieces together and weaving in ends.

Gauge and Fit

Achieving the correct gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch is essential for proper fit and finished measurements. The pattern emphasizes the importance of checking gauge before beginning, as variations can significantly affect the final dimensions of the garment. Proper gauge ensures that the intarsia color blocks align correctly and that the finished sweater matches the intended measurements.