Valley Yarns Stella Pullover Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Stella Pullover

Garment Overview

The Valley Yarns Stella Pullover is a top-down, seamless raglan pullover designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This beginner-friendly sweater features elegant lace eyelets throughout, creating a light and sheer layering piece perfect for warm-weather wear. The garment is worked in the round from the yoke downward, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.

Design and Sizing

The Stella Pullover is available in six finished bust measurements: 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, and 52 inches, accommodating a wide range of body sizes from petite to plus-size. The raglan construction, which features diagonal increases from the neckline to the underarm, creates a flattering silhouette with natural shoulder shaping.

Techniques Used

• Top-down construction: The sweater begins at the neckline with a small cast-on and expands outward through strategic increases, allowing for easy customization and fitting adjustments
• Seamless, worked-in-the-round: Knitting in continuous rounds eliminates seaming and creates a polished, tubular fabric
• Raglan shaping: Increases are worked on either side of four stitch markers to create the characteristic diagonal lines of a raglan sleeve
• Lace eyelets: Simple yarn-over and knit-two-together decreases create an open, decorative pattern that defines the sweater's aesthetic

Stitch Patterns

The Stella Pullover features two eyelet stitch patterns that can be used strategically or consistently throughout the garment:

• Eyelet Pattern (multiple of 4 stitches): A four-round repeat alternating between yarn-over decreases and knit rounds. Rounds 1 and 3 feature the lace motif (K2, yo, k2tog and yo, k2tog, k2 respectively), while Rounds 2 and 4 are worked in stockinette stitch
• Alternate Eyelet Pattern (multiple of 4 stitches): An eight-round repeat with more spacing between lace rows. This variation features the same yarn-over decreases on Rounds 1 and 5, with three consecutive knit rounds between each lace row, creating a more subtle texture

The yoke is initially worked in garter stitch (knit every row) for approximately half an inch before joining in the round. The pattern instructions allow for design flexibility: knitters can work the yoke with one eyelet pattern while using the alternate pattern on the sleeves and body for a subtle textural highlight, or maintain consistent patterning throughout for visual unity.

Yoke Construction

The yoke begins with 80 cast-on stitches divided into eight sections: two sleeves, two small underarm sections, and front and back panels. Increases are worked every other round using make-one left and make-one right decreases paired with yarn-overs in the lace sections. The yoke is repeated for 8 to 18 rounds depending on size, resulting in final stitch counts ranging from 37 to 77 stitches per sleeve and 61 to 101 stitches in the back and front sections.

Yarn and Materials

The Stella Pullover is designed to showcase Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk, a luxurious blend of 80% Alpaca and 20% Silk. This yarn comes in a single cone containing 1,736 yards per 8.8 ounces. The recommended colorway is Light Gray, though the yarn is available in other colors. Yardage requirements range from approximately 600 yards for the smallest size (32") to 1,100 yards for the largest size (52").

Needles and Notions

The pattern calls for US Size 9 (5.50mm) circular needles in both 32-inch and 16-inch lengths, as well as double-pointed needles of the same size for working the sleeves. Circular needles allow for working large stitch counts in the round, while the shorter needles and double-pointed needles accommodate the smaller circumference of the sleeves. Additional notions include eight stitch markers to denote pattern sections and stitch holders for temporarily securing stitches.