Valley Yarns Miller's Pond Pullover Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Miller's Pond Pullover

What is Being Made

The Miller's Pond Pullover is a trim, set-in sleeve pullover sweater designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This garment features adorable shoulder buttons and is constructed to hug the curves with a flattering silhouette. The pullover is available in six finished sizes ranging from 32 inches to 52 inches, making it suitable for a wide range of body measurements. The soft touch of the yarn makes it comfortable to wear next to the skin.

Construction Techniques

This sweater is worked using bottom-up, seamless construction, meaning the knitter begins at the lower body and works upward, with the body and sleeves knitted in the round to minimize seaming. The design incorporates strategic shaping through waist decreases and increases to create a fitted garment that follows body contours.

The lower body begins with a cast-on of 192 to 312 stitches depending on size. After working a ribbed cuff, the knitter joins to work in the round and establishes waist shaping by decreasing 2 stitches at marked positions every 8th round for a total of 6 decreases. Following a period of even work, the stitch count is restored through increases worked every 8th round over 5 rounds. The lower body is worked to a length of 16 inches from the cast-on edge.

Sleeves are worked separately in the round, beginning with 60 to 72 stitches depending on size. Sleeve shaping involves increasing 1 stitch at the beginning and end of every 4th to 8th round (depending on size) for a total of 9 to 18 increases. Sleeves are worked to 10 inches in length before being placed on holders for later finishing.

Stitches Used

The Miller's Pond Pullover employs three primary stitch patterns:

• K1, P1 Ribbing: Used for the initial cuff at the lower body and sleeve cuffs, this alternating knit and purl pattern creates elasticity and a neat, finished edge.
• Wide Ribbing: Worked over a multiple of 6 stitches, this pattern is used for waist shaping and sleeve increases. The Wide Ribbing pattern is structured as: Round 1: *K3, p1, k2; repeat from *. This ribbed texture provides structure while allowing for shaping.
• Lichen Stitch: The main fabric stitch for the body, worked over an even number of stitches. This stitch pattern alternates every 4 rows between k1, p1 and p1, k1 sequences (Rows 1-4: *K1, p1; repeat from *; Rows 5-8: *P1, k1; repeat from *). The Lichen stitch creates a textured, reversible fabric that is visually interesting and maintains good drape.

Materials and Gauge

The Miller's Pond Pullover is knitted with Valley Yarns Longmeadow, a yarn blend composed of 60% cotton and 40% microfiber. This fiber content provides breathability and softness suitable for wearing close to the skin. The yarn is available in color 26 Winter Lake. Yardage requirements range from 936 yards for the smallest size (8 skeins of 117 yards each) to 1,755 yards for the largest size (15 skeins), with intermediate sizes requiring 9 to 13 skeins.

Knitting is worked on US size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles in lengths of 32 or 40 inches depending on the finished size, allowing for seamless in-the-round construction. The specified gauge is 6 stitches and 8 rows equal 1 inch in Lichen stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Additional materials include 5 half-inch buttons for the shoulder button details that are a signature feature of this design.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. Knitters should be comfortable with circular needle techniques, working in the round, reading stitch patterns, and executing increases and decreases. The waist shaping and sleeve cap construction require attention to marker placement and stitch count management.