Valley Yarns Marigold Pullover Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Marigold Pullover

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Marigold Pullover is a classic knitted sweater designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This pullover is available in five finished sizes: 36, 40, 44, 48, and 52 inches, making it suitable for a range of body measurements. The design features a crew neckline and is constructed as a traditional pullover garment with set-in sleeves.

Construction Method and Techniques

This sweater is worked using the bottom-up construction method, meaning the body and sleeves are knitted starting from the lower edges and working upward toward the shoulders. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, and pieces are later seamed together to create the finished pullover. This flat construction approach allows for easier stitch manipulation and pattern work.

The Marigold Pullover features cable stitch as a primary design element, incorporated into the front and back body pieces. The cables add visual interest and texture to the garment while requiring intermediate knitting skills to execute properly.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

Two primary stitch patterns are used throughout this design:

• Cable Stitch: Used on the front and back body pieces, this stitch creates the signature textured cables that define the sweater's appearance. The cable stitch requires careful attention to stitch placement and crossing to achieve the proper dimensional effect.
• Texture Stitch: A repeating pattern worked over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2, used for the sleeves and portions of the body. This stitch combines knit and purl stitches with slip stitches to create visual texture. The Texture Stitch pattern includes slipped stitches worked with yarn in front (wyif), purl stitches, and knit stitches arranged in a 12-row repeat. The pattern alternates between rows of knit, combinations of knit with slipped stitches, and combinations of purl with knit stitches to build the textured fabric.

Materials and Gauge

The Marigold Pullover is designed to be worked with Valley Yarns Berkshire, a blend of 85% wool and 15% alpaca. This fiber content provides warmth, elasticity, and a soft feel. The yarn is available in the colorway Pumpkin, a warm, autumnal hue. Yardage requirements range from 8 skeins for the smallest size to 13 skeins for the largest size, with each skein containing 100 grams and 141 yards.

The pattern is worked on US size 8 (5.0 mm) straight needles and a 24-inch circular needle for the neckline finishing. Achieving proper gauge is essential for this design: 16 stitches and 24 rows equal 4 inches in the Texture Stitch, while 18 stitches and 20 rows equal 4 inches in the Cable Stitch. The difference in gauge between stitch patterns is typical and should be considered when planning the sweater.

Garment Shaping and Details

The sweater features traditional fitted shaping. The armholes are created by binding off stitches and then working even until the armhole measures 4 inches. Neck shaping is accomplished by placing the center stitches on a holder and working the left and right fronts simultaneously with separate balls of yarn, decreasing 1 stitch at each neck edge on five right-side rows to create a comfortable crew neckline.

Shoulder shaping is worked by binding off stitches at the beginning of rows across the shoulder width. The sleeves are increased gradually by working increases at the beginning and end of every eighth row, with the number of increases varying by size. Sleeve cap shaping involves a series of bind-offs and decreases to create a smooth cap that fits properly into the armhole.

Finishing

After all pieces are completed, the sweater is finished by seaming the shoulder seams together, setting the sleeves into the armholes, and seaming the sleeve and side seams. The neckline is finished by picking up and knitting stitches from the back neck holder and the front neck edges using the circular needle, creating a neat, finished edge.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. Knitters should be comfortable with cable stitches, working with multiple stitch patterns, shaping techniques, and seaming before attempting