Runner Sweater in Viking Of Norway Alpaca Storm - UK-2306-1 - Downloadable PDF

Runner Sweater in Viking Garn Alpaca Storm – Pattern Summary (UK-2306-1)

The Runner Sweater is a beautifully crafted knitted pullover designed by Turid Stapnes and published by Viking of Norway. Worked in the luxuriously soft Viking Garn Alpaca Storm yarn, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a wearable, everyday sweater with a clean, sporty silhouette that lives up to its name. The downloadable PDF pattern reference is UK-2306-1.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a classic pullover sweater — sometimes called a jumper — designed for adults. It is available in six sizes, ranging from X-Small through XX-Large, with finished chest circumferences spanning approximately 95 cm to 131 cm (37½ in to 51½ in). The whole length of the finished garment ranges from 66 cm to 71 cm (26 in to 28 in) depending on size, making it a mid-length sweater suitable for everyday wear. The sleeves are set-in style and measure approximately 50 cm to 55 cm (19¾ in to 21¾ in) in length across the size range.

Construction Method

The Runner Sweater is constructed largely in the round, a popular knitting technique that minimises seaming and produces a smooth, continuous fabric. The sleeves are worked in the round from the cuff upward, with regular increases worked on each side of the beginning-of-round marker — approximately every 1½ cm (½ in) — to shape the sleeve from cuff to underarm. This consistent, evenly spaced increase method is the same across all six sizes, making the shaping logic straightforward to follow once the rhythm is established.

Once the sleeve reaches the required stitch count — ranging from 101 stitches for X-Small up to 119 stitches for XX-Large — the sleeve cap shaping begins. A facing is worked by turning the piece to the wrong side and working 6 rounds of stocking stitch before casting off loosely. This facing technique creates a neat, professional finish at the armhole edge. Both sleeves are worked identically.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – the primary construction method, used for the body and sleeves to create seamless, tubular fabric
• Increases – evenly spaced sleeve shaping worked at a consistent rate across all sizes
• Stocking stitch facing – a turned hem worked on the wrong side to finish armhole edges cleanly
• Casting off loosely – an important finishing step to ensure the bound-off edge retains stretch and drape
• Making up and finishing – the completed pieces are carefully steam-blocked from the wrong side to set the stitches and even out the fabric
• Machine sewing – armholes are reinforced using the smallest zigzag stitch, with two machine seams worked across the width of the sleeve opening before cutting, ensuring the fabric does not unravel at the join

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (stockinette) – the main fabric stitch, worked in the round by knitting every round, producing a smooth, flat right side
• Stocking stitch facing – the same stitch worked on the wrong side to create an internal hem at the armhole

Stocking stitch is one of the most fundamental and versatile stitches in knitting. When worked in the round, every round is a knit round, which makes it particularly beginner-friendly in terms of stitch execution — though the shaping, construction, and finishing techniques in this pattern place it firmly at the intermediate level of difficulty.

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is written specifically for Viking Garn Alpaca Storm, a DK weight yarn from Viking of Norway. Alpaca Storm contains 40% alpaca in its fibre blend, giving it the characteristic softness, warmth, and subtle halo that alpaca is prized for. Alpaca fibres are naturally hypoallergenic and have excellent thermal properties, making this yarn an ideal choice for a cosy, wearable sweater. The DK