Valley Yarns Vetiver Lace Pullover Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Vetiver Lace Pullover

What is Being Made

The Vetiver Lace Pullover is a women's crew-neck pullover sweater designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This intermediate-level knitting project features a sophisticated blend of garter stitch and lace pattern work. The sweater is offered in six finished sizes ranging from 32 inches to 52 inches, accommodating a wide range of body measurements. The pullover shown in the pattern photographs displays the design in size 36 inches.

Construction Method

The Vetiver Pullover is constructed using a seamed, worked-flat technique rather than in-the-round knitting. The body is knitted as one continuous piece, beginning at the back, working upward over the shoulders, and continuing down the front in a single panel. This construction approach allows for easier lace pattern management and shaping. The sleeves are created separately by picking up stitches directly from the body edges and working downward toward the cuffs, which is an efficient method for achieving proper sleeve cap shaping and fit.

Stitches and Lace Pattern

The pattern employs several fundamental knitting stitches combined with a distinctive lace motif. Key stitches used throughout include:

• Knit stitch (k) – the basic foundation stitch
• Garter stitch – created by knitting every row, forming horizontal ridges and providing textural contrast
• Yarn overs (yo) – creating the openwork eyelets characteristic of lace
• Knit two together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) – a left-leaning decrease
• Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (sl1-k2tog-psso) – a centered double decrease
• Increases – created by knitting into the front and back of a single stitch

The lace pattern is a repeating four-stitch multiple plus one stitch, worked over four rows. The pattern alternates between wrong-side rows featuring decreases and yarn overs, and right-side rows of solid knit stitches. This creates the characteristic bold strokes of simple mesh lace that define the sweater's visual appeal. The lower body and yoke sections feature extended garter stitch sections for stability and structure, with the lace pattern concentrated in the main body area.

Techniques

The Vetiver Pullover incorporates lace knitting as its primary decorative technique, requiring careful attention to stitch counts and pattern repeats. The seamed construction method involves working flat on straight needles and subsequently joining pieces together, which demands precision in finishing. Gauge management is critical to this project's success, with a required gauge of 20 stitches and 40 rows equaling 4 inches in both garter stitch and lace pattern.

Materials

The Vetiver Pullover is designed to be knitted with Valley Yarns Charlemont, a premium yarn blend consisting of 60% Fine Superwash Merino, 20% Mulberry Silk, and 20% Polyamide. This fiber composition provides excellent drape, a subtle sheen from the silk content, and durability from the polyamide. Each skein provides 439 yards of yardage at 100 grams. The yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 3 skeins for the smallest size (32 inches) to 5 skeins for the largest sizes (48 and 52 inches), providing approximately 1,317 to 2,195 yards of yarn depending on the finished size selected. The pattern specifies US size 5 (3.75 mm) needles, though knitters should verify their individual gauge and adjust needle size accordingly to achieve the required 20 stitches per 4 inches. The yarn is shown in the Evergreen colorway in the pattern photographs.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle lace pattern work and garment shaping. The combination of lace and garter stitch, along with the one-piece body construction and set-in sleeves, requires attention to detail and pattern reading ability, but the straightforward stitch vocabulary and clear shaping instructions make it accessible to experienced beginners advancing their skills.