Valley Yarns Beebalm Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Beebalm Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Beebalm is an intermediate-level cardigan designed by Julie Turjoman, crafted as a versatile 3-season layering piece. Available in sizes XS through 4XL with finished bust measurements ranging from 34½" to 61½", this cardigan is designed to fit with 2 to 4 inches of positive ease for comfortable wear over other garments. The design features a contemporary silhouette with full-length sleeves, a wide neckband detail, and a classic cardigan construction.

Techniques Used

The Beebalm employs several key knitting techniques that contribute to both its visual appeal and structural integrity. The garment is worked flat on circular needles, meaning it is constructed in flat rows rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward shaping and seaming. The cardigan features a striped pattern design with varying stripe widths, showcasing the full color palette available in Valley Yarns Northampton yarn. The construction utilizes seaming to join the body and sleeve pieces together, creating clean, finished seams. A hemmed single finish is incorporated into the design, providing a refined edge detail. The wide neckband is worked as a separate component, adding a stylish and contemporary touch to the finished garment.

Stitches Used

The Beebalm is primarily constructed using fundamental knitting stitches accessible to intermediate knitters. Stockinette stitch forms the main fabric throughout the body and sleeves, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side to produce a smooth, classic knit texture. Ribbing is used for the neckband detail, created by alternating knit and purl stitches in a 1x1 pattern (K1, P1 repeat). Shaping is accomplished using standard decrease stitches including K2tog (knit 2 together) and SSK (slip, slip, knit), which reduce stitch counts for armhole and sleeve cap shaping. The cardigan is finished with a 3-needle bind-off, a technique that simultaneously binds off and seams two pieces of live stitches together, commonly used for shoulder seams to create a strong, flexible join.

Materials and Yarn

The Beebalm pattern calls for Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool yarn with a yardage of 247 yards per 100-gram skein. The color palette consists of three colors: Light Gray (color 05) serves as the main color with 4 to 8 skeins required depending on size; Fawn (color 03) is a contrast color requiring 1 to 2 skeins; and Garnet (color 41) is the second contrast color, also requiring 1 to 2 skeins. The striped pattern is achieved by alternating between these three colors in varying widths throughout the body and sleeves.

Needles and Gauge

The Beebalm is knitted primarily on US size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles, available in both 16-inch and 32 to 40-inch lengths to accommodate different sections of the garment. A US size 6 (4 mm) circular needle in 16-inch length is used for the ribbed neckband, creating a slightly tighter gauge for a more structured edge. An extra US size 7 needle is required for the 3-needle bind-off technique used to finish the shoulders. The pattern is designed to achieve a gauge of 20 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch when worked on size 7 needles and blocked, ensuring proper fit and drape of the finished cardigan.

Additional Materials

Beyond yarn and needles, the Beebalm pattern requires standard knitting notions including stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, stitch holders or waste yarn for temporarily securing live stitches, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and seaming the garment pieces together.