534 French Vanilla Pullover - Jumper Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Longmeadow

534 French Vanilla Pullover – Knitting Pattern Summary

The 534 French Vanilla Pullover, designed by Kirsten Hipsky and published under the Valley Yarns brand, is a relaxed, nautical-inspired women's pullover worked seamlessly from the top down in the round. With its quiet, neutral stripe palette and beginner-friendly construction, this pattern is an ideal project for knitters who are ready to tackle their first seamless sweater without the intimidation of seaming or complex stitch patterns.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a women's pullover jumper with a classic raglan sleeve construction. The finished garment is available in six sizes: 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, and 52 inches of finished bust circumference, with the sample shown in size 36 inches. The design features a k2, p2 ribbed neckline, a striped yoke and body worked in alternating neutral tones, and sleeves that are set aside on scrap yarn during body construction and finished separately — a hallmark of the top-down seamless method.

Design Details and Aesthetic

The pullover takes its name and mood from its two understated colorways: 21 Linen (Color A) and 02 Natural (Color B), both from Valley Yarns Longmeadow. The pattern description evokes a cool New England beach setting, and the nautical stripe repeat reinforces that coastal, casual aesthetic. The stripes are bold enough to add visual interest yet neutral enough to pair with virtually any wardrobe.

Techniques Used

• Top-down construction: The sweater begins at the neckline and grows downward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as they go and adjust length easily before binding off.
• Seamless, worked in the round: Both the yoke and the lower body are worked entirely in the round on circular needles, eliminating the need for any seaming at the end. This makes finishing much simpler and is especially welcoming for beginner knitters.
• Raglan shaping: Increases are worked every other round using the m1 (make one) method — specifically, knitting into the back of the running strand between stitches. Four raglan lines are established with stitch markers, adding 8 stitches every increase round across the back, front, and two sleeve sections simultaneously.
• Stripe pattern: A simple two-color stripe repeat of 8 rounds Color B, 8 rounds Color A is worked throughout the yoke and body. Because the work is in the round, stripes are clean and require no purling on wrong-side rows.
• Sleeve separation and underarm pickup: Once the yoke is complete, sleeve stitches are slipped to scrap yarn and held while the body is worked. Sleeves are later rejoined and worked in the round using double pointed needles, with stitches picked up at the underarm to close the gap seamlessly.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch – the primary stitch used throughout the body, yoke, and sleeves; worked entirely as knit rounds since the garment is constructed in the round.
• k2, p2 rib – used for the neckline over 8 rounds to create a neat, slightly stretchy collar finish.
• m1 increase – the single shaping technique used to grow the raglan yoke; executed by knitting into the back of the strand running between two needles.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Longmeadow, a DK weight yarn with a fiber composition of 60% Cotton and 40% Microfiber, sold in 50g/117-yard skeins. The cotton-microfiber blend gives the finished fabric a soft, breathable hand that is well suited to the beach-inspired, warm-weather or transitional-season wearability of this design. Knitters will need 5 to 9 skeins each of Color A (21 Linen) and Color B (02 Natural), depending on size.

Needles and Notions

• US size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles