Marilyn Pullover in Adriafil Duo Comfort - Downloadable PDF

Marilyn Pullover in Adriafil Duo Comfort – Free Knitting Pattern Summary

The Marilyn Pullover is a classic, elegantly shaped knitted pullover designed to be worked in Adriafil Duo Comfort yarn. This free downloadable PDF pattern produces a timeless V-neck sweater with set-in sleeves, making it a rewarding project for intermediate knitters who want to develop or practise garment-shaping skills. The pattern is offered in multiple sizes, with stitch counts and measurements varying across three size options throughout the instructions.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a pullover sweater (jumper) featuring a deep V-neckline at the front and a more conservative rounded neckline at the back. It is constructed in separate pieces — a back, a front, and two sleeves — which are then seamed together. The silhouette is subtly shaped at the body, with waist increases introduced partway up the back and front panels to create a flattering fit.

Construction and Shaping Techniques

The Marilyn Pullover is worked flat in individual pieces. Key construction and shaping techniques used throughout the pattern include:

• Waist shaping: After the ribbed hem, the back panel is worked straight until 33 cm, at which point four sets of single-stitch increases are worked at both edges every 16 rows to gradually widen the body toward the underarm.
• Armhole shaping: At 56 cm, armholes are formed by binding off stitches in a stepped sequence — 1×3 sts, 1×2 sts, and 1×1 st at both edges every 2 rows — creating a clean, set-in sleeve head.
• Back neckline shaping: At approximately 69–71 cm (depending on size), a central group of 20–28 stitches is bound off and each shoulder is worked separately, with further bind-offs of 4×5 stitches every 2 rows to shape the rounded back neck.
• V-neck shaping: The front is divided into two equal halves at 22 cm. The V-neck is formed by working paired decreases toward the centre front over a long, gradual sequence — first decreasing 1 stitch every 4 rows for 15–18 repeats, then 1 stitch every 6 rows for a further 15–16 repeats. This creates the characteristic deep V silhouette.
• Decrease methods for the V-neck: The pattern specifies directional decreases for a neat finish — k2tog (knit two together) before the V-neck edge and sl1, k1, PSSO (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over) after it, with a single edge stitch maintained on each side.
• Sleeve shaping: Sleeves are cast on and worked upward from a ribbed cuff, with increases added along the sleeve edges to shape the sleeve cap before joining to the armhole.
• Shoulder bind-off: Shoulders are cast off at the same row length on both front and back, ensuring a clean, aligned seam.

Stitches Used

The Marilyn Pullover uses a small but well-chosen selection of stitches that combine texture at the cuffs and hem with a smooth main fabric:

• 2×2 Ribbing (k2, p2): Used for the cuffs and body hem. The ribbing on the sleeves is worked over 8 cm, with a shaping row worked on the last wrong-side row before transitioning to the main stitch. Ribbing provides stretch and structure at the edges, helping the garment hold its shape.
• Stockinette stitch (stocking stitch): The main body fabric, creating the smooth, classic surface typical of a polished pullover. All shaping rows — increases, decreases, and bind-offs — are worked within this stitch pattern.
• Edge stitches: Single edge stitches are maintained throughout, particularly at the V-neck shaping, to keep seaming and finishing neat and consistent.

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is designed specifically