Valley Yarns Lakeside Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Lakeside Knit Sweater

What Is Being Made

The Lakeside is a seamless, top-down knit tee designed by Julie Turjoman for Valley Yarns. This intermediate-level garment features a sophisticated lace panel flowing down the front center, creating an elegant focal point. The sweater is offered in sizes XS through 5XL with finished bust measurements ranging from 31¾" to 59¾". The design includes a clean-lined boat neck and cap sleeves as standard, with optional ¾-length sleeve instructions included in the pattern. The tee is designed to skim the figure with 1–2" of positive ease and falls to the high hip, making it versatile for both casual wear and dressier occasions.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several advanced knitting techniques that contribute to its intermediate difficulty rating:

• Top-down construction: The sweater is worked from the neckline downward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the garment as it develops.
• Seamless, worked in the round: Using circular needles, the entire piece is knit in continuous rounds, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Lace panel work: An elaborate lace motif is centered on the front, requiring careful attention to yarn overs, decreases, and stitch counts to maintain pattern integrity.
• Raglan shoulder shaping: Strategic increases are worked at designated raglan lines to shape the yoke and create the cap sleeves, providing a tailored fit through the shoulders.
• Waist shaping: Decreases and increases are incorporated to define the waist and create the figure-skimming silhouette.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch structure is stockinette stitch, which provides a smooth, classic canvas for the lace panel. The lace panel itself incorporates yarn overs and decreases to create the open, decorative pattern. Ribbing is used at the neckline and sleeve edges to provide structure and prevent curling. The combination of stockinette and lace creates beautiful stitch definition, particularly in the yarn specified for this pattern.

Materials and Yarn

The Lakeside pattern calls for Valley Yarns Granville, a premium yarn blend composed of 90% Pima Cotton and 10% Merino Wool. Each hank weighs 50 grams and provides 167 yards of yardage. The yarn is shown in Color 08 – Pacific, a versatile shade suitable for warm-weather wear. Yarn requirements vary by size, ranging from 4 hanks for the smallest size (XS) to 12 hanks for the largest size (5XL). The optional ¾-length sleeve version requires an additional 1–2 hanks of yarn beyond the base requirement.

The Pima Cotton and Merino Wool blend offers crisp stitch definition essential for showcasing the lace panel, combined with next-to-the-skin softness ideal for a summer tee. This fiber content makes the garment breathable and comfortable for warm-weather wear.

Needles and Notions

The pattern requires US size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles in both 24" and 32"–40" lengths for the main fabric, worked at a gauge of 24 stitches and 32 rows over 4" in stockinette stitch when blocked. US size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles in the same lengths are used for ribbed edgings to create a refined finish.

Additional notions include 8 stitch markers of one color for tracking raglan increases, 2 stitch markers of a contrasting color for the lace panel, locking stitch markers for securing stitches, stitch holders or waste yarn for holding stitches during construction, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Pattern Features and Customization

The Lakeside pattern is designed with flexibility in mind. While the standard version features cap sleeves, knitters can easily extend the sleeves to ¾ length by following alternative instructions provided in the pattern. The body length can also be customized; knitters desiring additional length can work extra rows and repeat the lace pattern to the hem, though this will increase yarn requirements by approximately 1 hank or more depending on the length added. This adaptability makes the pattern suitable for various preferences and body types while maintaining the integrity of the design.