Valley Yarns Shoal Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Shoal Henley Pullover Sweater

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Shoal is a classic henley pullover sweater designed by Susan Baron. This men's sweater combines the timeless appeal of a henley neckline with a textured rib body that adds visual interest and dimension to the garment. The design is worked in pieces and seamed together, making it an accessible project for knitters looking to build their construction skills. The sweater features a button placket at the neckline and is available in eight sizes ranging from XS to 4XL, with finished chest measurements from 36¼ inches to 65¼ inches.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level sweater employs several key knitting techniques that enhance both its construction and fit:

• Worked Flat: The sweater is constructed by knitting individual pieces (back, front, and sleeves) on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for easier stitch manipulation and shaping.
• Seamed Construction: All pieces are joined together using seaming techniques, with selvage stitches (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side) worked at the beginning and end of every row to create clean seam edges.
• Short-Row Shaping: The shoulders incorporate short-row shaping to provide a better fit and more professional appearance at the shoulder line.
• Three-Needle Bind-Off: Shoulders are joined using this technique, which creates a strong, flexible seam ideal for garment construction.
• Buttonhole and Button Details: The henley placket features four ¾-inch buttonholes worked into the ribbed neckband, with four matching buttons for closure.
• Picked-Up Stitches: The placket and neckband are created by picking up stitches from the finished sweater body and working them in ribbing, a technique that adds a professional finish.

Stitches Used

The Valley Yarns Shoal features two primary stitch patterns that work together to create visual texture and structure:

• Textured Rib: The body of the sweater is worked in a textured rib pattern that alternates knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence. Row 1 (right side) is worked as K1, *K2, P1; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, K2. Row 2 (wrong side) is worked as P2, *K2, P1; repeat from * to last stitch, P1. This pattern is repeated throughout the body section, creating vertical lines that flatter the wearer and provide excellent stitch definition.
• Stockinette Stitch: The upper body and sleeves are worked in stockinette stitch (knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows), creating a smooth, classic fabric that contrasts with the textured rib below.
• Garter Ridge: A single garter ridge row (knit on the wrong side) transitions between the textured rib body and the stockinette upper body, creating a subtle visual line and helping to anchor the stitch pattern change.
• Ribbing: The neckband and placket are worked in ribbing, which provides stretch and recovery at the neckline for comfortable wear.

Materials and Yarn

The Valley Yarns Shoal is designed to showcase the beautiful qualities of Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool yarn that provides excellent stitch definition. The yarn comes in 100-gram skeins with 247 yards per skein. Yardage requirements range from 5 skeins for the smallest size (XS) to 11 skeins for the largest size (4XL), with the sample shown in Size S requiring 6 skeins in the colorway 49-Brown Heather. The pure wool fiber ensures durability, warmth, and the crisp stitch definition necessary to fully appreciate the textured rib pattern.

Needles and Notions

This project requires two sizes of circular needles to accommodate the different gauges of the two stitch patterns. US size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles measuring 24 to 32 inches are used for the textured rib sections, while US size 8 (5.0 mm) circular needles of the same length are used for the stockinette sections. Circular needles are recommended even though the sweater is worked flat, as they accommodate the larger stitch counts more comfortably. Additional notions include stitch holders for temporarily holding stitches, four l