Lavina Pullover in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed - Downloadable PDF

Lavina Pullover in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Lavina Pullover is a beautifully crafted stranded colorwork pullover sweater designed by Sandi Rosner and published as a downloadable PDF pattern by Tahki Yarns. This intermediate-level knitting project combines classic top-down construction with vibrant two-color stranded colorwork, resulting in a richly textured pullover that showcases the rustic character of Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed. The design is intended to be worn with 2–6 inches (5–15 cm) of positive ease, giving it a relaxed, comfortable fit suitable for everyday wear.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The Lavina Pullover is offered in a generous range of seven sizes, from XS through 3X, making it an inclusive pattern suitable for a wide variety of body types. The sample shown in the pattern photography is knitted in size S.

• Bust circumference: 32 (36, 40, 44) (48, 52, 56) inches / 81.5 (91.5, 101.5, 112) (122, 132, 142) cm
• Length: 23 (24, 25, 26) (27, 28, 29) inches / 58.5 (61, 63.5, 66) (68.5, 71, 73.5) cm

These measurements reflect the finished garment dimensions, so knitters should select a size based on their actual bust measurement plus their preferred ease within the recommended 2–6 inch range.

Techniques Used

This pattern is an excellent project for intermediate knitters who are comfortable with circular knitting and ready to explore or deepen their stranded colorwork skills. The key construction and decorative techniques include:

• Top-down construction: The pullover is worked from the top of the garment downward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as they go and make fit adjustments before completing the body and sleeves.
• Worked in the round: The entire garment is knitted in the round on circular needles and double-pointed needles, minimizing seaming and creating a seamless finished fabric.
• Stranded colorwork: Two colors of Donegal Tweed are carried simultaneously across rounds to create patterned sections of the pullover. Stranded knitting, sometimes called Fair Isle-style knitting, involves carrying the unused yarn loosely across the wrong side of the fabric while the working color is knitted, producing a double-layered, warm, and structured fabric.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used throughout the Lavina Pullover is Stockinette stitch, which forms the smooth knit fabric background for the colorwork chart. The gauge is measured over Stockinette stitch, with 16 stitches and 23 rows equaling 4 inches (10 cm) on the larger needle size. The colorwork patterning is worked from a chart integrated into the pattern instructions.

Materials Required

This pattern is specifically designed for Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed, a 100% pure new wool yarn with a rustic, tweedy texture that adds wonderful depth and visual interest to the colorwork design. The yarn comes in 3.5 oz (100 g) skeins with approximately 183 yards (167 m) per skein, and it falls into the worsted weight category.

Two colors of Donegal Tweed are called for in this pattern:

• Color A: Donegal Tweed in #911 gray — 1 skein required in all sizes
• Color B: Donegal Tweed in #874 wine — 4 (4, 5, 5) (6, 7, 8) skeins required depending on size

The combination of a warm wine tone with a neutral gray makes for a striking and versatile colorwork palette that works beautifully with the natural flecked character of Donegal Tweed wool.

Needles and Notions