975 Tanager - Jumper Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Goshen

Pattern #975 Tanager – Striped Lace-Hem Women's Pullover Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The Valley Yarns #975 Tanager is a women's casual striped spring pullover designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a lightweight, relaxed-fit jumper ideal for layering during warmer months. The design is distinguished by its cheerful multi-color stripe body and a decorative single-color lace border at the hem, lending the piece an elegant finishing touch that elevates it beyond a standard casual pullover.

What Is Being Made

Knitters following this pattern will construct a women's pullover sweater — also known as a jumper — worked in a striped colorwork arrangement across the body, with a refined lace edging at the hem. The garment is designed with a relaxed silhouette and offers 1–2 inches of positive ease at the bust, making it comfortable and easy-wearing. It is available in a wide range of sizes, from XS through 4XL, with finished bust measurements spanning 32 inches to 63 inches. The body length from underarm measures 17 to 18 inches depending on size. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in Size S.

Construction Techniques

The Tanager pullover uses a combination of construction methods that make it well-suited to an intermediate knitter looking to develop their skills across multiple techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is begun at the lower hem and worked upward toward the shoulders, a traditional approach that allows easy length adjustments early in the project.
• Worked flat and in the round: Sections of the pullover are worked flat — back and forth in rows — while other sections are worked in the round, giving knitters experience with both methods within a single project.
• Seamed finishing: The completed flat-knitted pieces are joined using seams, producing a structured, garment-quality finish. Seaming techniques such as mattress stitch are typically used in patterns of this type to create neat, professional joins at the shoulders and sides.
• Stripes: The body features a multi-color stripe pattern worked across the main body of the pullover. Stripe knitting involves carrying or cutting yarn at regular intervals and is an accessible way to introduce color without the complexity of intarsia or stranded colorwork.
• Lace: A single-color decorative lace border is worked at the hem. Lace knitting typically involves a combination of yarn-over increases and corresponding decreases to create an open, patterned fabric. Here, the lace is used as a border detail rather than an all-over pattern, making it approachable for knitters who are newer to lace techniques.

Stitches and Skills Used

As an intermediate pattern, the Tanager calls upon a range of standard and decorative knitting stitches and skills. Knitters should be comfortable with:

• Basic knit and purl stitches for the stockinette or structured body fabric
• Yarn-overs and decreases (such as k2tog or ssk) for the lace hem border
• Stripe color changes, including managing multiple yarn colors and weaving in ends
• Working both flat and in the round, requiring familiarity with circular needles or double-pointed needles as well as straight needles
• Seaming finished knitted pieces together for a polished final garment

Materials – Yarn and Needles

This pattern is specifically designed for Valley Yarns Goshen, a worsted weight yarn with a distinctive fiber blend of 48% Peruvian Cotton, 46% Modal, and 6% Silk. Each skein contains 50 grams and approximately 92 yards. This blend is notable for its beautiful drape and softness — the cotton provides durability and breathability, the modal contributes a fluid, silky hand, and the silk adds a subtle sheen and further softness, making it particularly well-suited to spring and summer garments.

The pattern uses four colors of Valley Yarns Goshen:

• MC (Main Color): Linen — required in 5 (