Valley Yarns 1355 Braeburn Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns 1355 Braeburn Knit Sweater

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns 1355 Braeburn is an elegant knit topper designed by Julie Turjoman. This waist-length sweater features a luxurious cashmere fiber blend that creates a sophisticated garment suitable for layering over dresses or casual wear. The design offers a boat neckline that gracefully frames the shoulders and provides an ideal showcase for statement jewelry. Available in sizes XS through 5XL with finished bust measurements ranging from 36 inches to 68 inches, this sweater is constructed to fit with 6 to 8 inches of positive ease for comfortable wearing.

Techniques Used

The Braeburn sweater employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its refined aesthetic and comfortable fit. The garment is worked flat in two separate pieces (front and back) using a bottom-up construction method, which allows for easier fitting adjustments during the knitting process. Seaming joins the completed pieces together for a polished finish.

I-Cord edgings frame the sweater and provide neat, professional-looking borders. The hem begins with an I-Cord cast-on, while the neckline is finished with an I-Cord bind-off. Optional knitted-on I-Cord edgings can be added to the sleeve openings for additional refinement.

Short-row shaping is incorporated at the shoulders to enhance the overall fit and create a more tailored silhouette. The dolman sleeves are created through strategic cast-on increments worked just above the hip, allowing stitches to be added in shortening increments to build the flowing sleeve structure. This technique creates the characteristic drape and ease associated with dolman-style sleeves.

Three-Needle bind-off is used for joining specific seams, providing a strong and flexible closure that maintains the sweater's stretch and comfort.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Braeburn is the Garter Stripe stitch pattern, which creates distinctive horizontal textured ridges across the body of the sweater. This pattern combines knit and purl stitches in a rhythmic sequence to produce visual interest and subtle texture. The Garter Stripe pattern is worked at a gauge of 20 stitches and 40 rows per 4 inches when blocked.

Selvage stitches are worked by knitting the first and last stitch of each row, creating clean, finished edges that are easier to seam and provide a professional appearance to the completed garment.

Materials and Yarn

The Braeburn is designed to be knitted with Valley Yarns Brodie, a premium yarn blend composed of 95% cashmere and 5% extrafine merino wool. This luxurious fiber combination provides exceptional softness, warmth, and drape. Each ball of Brodie contains 50 grams and yields 154 yards of yarn.

Yarn requirements vary by size, ranging from 9 balls for the smallest size (XS) to 19 balls for the largest size (5XL). The pattern shown is knitted in color 214, Blue Lagoon, a sophisticated blue shade that complements the sweater's elegant design.

Needles and Tools

Construction of the Braeburn requires the following needles and tools:

• US size 6 (4.00 mm) circular needles: Both 16-inch and 32–40 inch lengths are needed for working the main body pieces and larger circumferences
• US size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles: 16-inch length and double-pointed needles (dpn) are used specifically for the I-Cord cast-on and bind-off
• Extra needle: Required for the Three-Needle bind-off technique
• Additional materials: Stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, stitch holders or waste yarn for holding stitches temporarily, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and seaming

Difficulty Level and Construction Notes

The Valley Yarns 1355 Braeburn is rated as an intermediate-level knitting project. While the basic stitch pattern is straightforward, the sweater incorporates several techniques that require knitting experience, including short-row shaping, I-Cord construction, and working with multiple needle sizes. The intermediate skill level reflects the complexity of garment shaping and finishing rather than complicated stitch patterns.

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