Valley Yarns Lily Pad Beaded Pullover Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Lily Pad Beaded Pullover

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Lily Pad Beaded Pullover is a seamless, top-down knit sweater designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This pullover is constructed in five size options with finished bust measurements of 35.5, 39, 42.5, 46, and 49.5 inches, making it suitable for a range of body types. The sweater features decorative beading worked into the design, adding visual interest and texture to the finished garment.

Construction Techniques

This pullover employs seamless, top-down construction worked in the round, a modern knitting approach that eliminates the need for seaming pieces together after completion. The sweater is worked from the neckline downward, with the body and sleeves created as continuous pieces using circular needles. This technique provides several advantages: it allows for easy fitting adjustments during the knitting process, creates a more comfortable garment with minimal seams, and enables the knitter to try on the piece as it progresses.

The top-down method begins with casting on stitches at the neckline and working outward and downward simultaneously. The sleeves are worked separately in the round using smaller circular needles, with strategic decreases shaping the sleeve cap. The body is then completed by picking up stitches at the underarm and continuing downward to the desired length.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Lily Pad Beaded Pullover incorporates several fundamental knitting stitches and a distinctive beading pattern:

• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch used throughout most of the sweater, creating a smooth stockinette fabric
• Purl stitch (p): Used strategically in the lower body section to create textural variation
• Bead stitch (b1): A specialized stitch that incorporates seed beads into the knit fabric, creating a decorative beaded pattern

The beading pattern is worked over four rounds in a rotating sequence on the sleeves:

• Round 1: *Bead 1, knit 3; repeat from *
• Round 2: *Knit 1, bead 1, knit 2; repeat from *
• Round 3: *Knit 2, bead 1, knit 1; repeat from *
• Round 4: *Knit 3, bead 1; repeat from *

This four-round repeat creates a staggered, diagonal beading pattern that moves around the sleeve, producing the characteristic "lily pad" visual effect. The pattern is worked on the sleeves after the initial shaping decreases are complete.

Shaping and Decreases

The sweater uses strategic decreasing to create proper sleeve fit. Sleeve cap shaping involves decreasing one stitch at the beginning and end of every sixth round until the desired sleeve circumference is achieved. The lower body features decreases at marked center points to maintain proper proportions as the sweater extends downward.

Materials and Needles

The Lily Pad Beaded Pullover calls for Valley Yarns Colrain, a blend of 50% Merino wool and 50% Tencel, which provides both warmth and breathability. The pattern requires 8 to 12 skeins (depending on size) of this yarn, with each skein containing 109 yards and weighing 50 grams.

The needles and notions required include:

• US size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles in 16-inch, 24-inch, 32-inch, and 40-inch lengths for the main body knitting
• US size 5 (3.75 mm) circular or double-pointed needles in 16-inch length for the ribbed or fitted sections
• Size 8 steel crochet hook (1.4 mm) for attaching or securing beads
• No. 6 seed beads in three tubes for the beaded pattern work
• At least 16 stitch markers to denote pattern repeats and round beginnings (these can be made from scrap yarn knotted around the needle)

The use of