Sandy Pullover in Adriafil Memphis - Downloadable PDF

Sandy Pullover in Adriafil Memphis – Free Knitting Pattern Summary

What You Are Making

The Sandy Pullover is a casual, relaxed-fit knitted pullover designed for adults in three sizes: M, L, and 2L. It features a straightforward construction with a back, a front worked identically to the back, and set-in sleeves. The finished chest measurements range from 86 cm (M) to 94 cm (L) to 102 cm (2L), and the finished length ranges from approximately 45 cm to 49 cm, making this a cropped-to-hip-length pullover suitable for everyday wear. This is a downloadable PDF pattern available free of charge.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically for Adriafil Memphis yarn, knitted on 6 mm needles. Memphis is an aran-weight yarn, which produces a pleasingly chunky, cosy fabric that works up relatively quickly. The yarn quantities required are:

• Size M: 600 g of Adriafil Memphis
• Size L: 650 g of Adriafil Memphis
• Size 2L: 700 g of Adriafil Memphis

Because Memphis is an aran-weight yarn, the resulting fabric has excellent stitch definition, which is particularly important for showcasing the textural buttonhole pattern used throughout this design.

Tension and Gauge

The stated gauge is 14 stitches to 10 cm measured in stockinette stitch on 6 mm needles. Checking your gauge swatch before beginning is strongly recommended, as even a small difference in tension across the relatively wide pieces of this pullover can significantly affect the finished chest and length measurements.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The Sandy Pullover makes use of a small but interesting combination of stitch techniques that give it its distinctive textured surface:

• Buttonhole Pattern: The primary stitch pattern used throughout the body and sleeves. This is a repeating seven-row pattern that incorporates deliberate yarn-over or cast-on eyelet openings to create a decorative lace-like or open-work texture. The repeat involves knit and purl combinations across rows 1 through 6, with Row 7 featuring a cast-on of 4 stitches at regular intervals (with 3 stitches between each buttonhole opening), creating the characteristic open pattern. Rows 2 through 7 are then repeated throughout the entire fabric.
• Stockinette Stitch (Stocking Stitch): Used at the neckline — specifically, 5 rows of stockinette stitch are worked on the remaining shoulder stitches to form a neat neck finish before binding off. Stockinette is also referenced in the gauge swatch and in minor sleeve adjustments for size M.
• Purl Row Cast-On: Both the back and front begin with a cast-on followed immediately by a purl row before the buttonhole pattern commences, establishing a clean foundation edge.
• Armhole Shaping: Achieved by binding off 7 stitches at the beginning of 2 consecutive rows across all sizes. The pattern notes that for best results, all bind-offs should be worked on rows 3 or 4 of the buttonhole pattern repeat to maintain pattern integrity at the edges.
• Shoulder and Neck Shaping: After the armhole depth is reached, shoulder stitches are bound off (9, 12, or 15 stitches depending on size) at the beginning of 2 rows, and the remaining centre stitches are worked in stockinette for the neck before a final bind-off.
• Sleeve Construction: Sleeves are cast on and worked in the same buttonhole pattern as the body, with a slight adjustment to the stitch count at the beginning and end of row 6 for size M to accommodate the stitch count correctly.

Construction Overview

The Sandy Pullover is knitted flat in separate pieces — back, front, and two sleeves — which are then seamed together. The front and back are worked identically, simplifying the knitting process and making this pattern accessible to knitters with some experience of working stitch patterns and basic garment shaping. The repetitive seven-row buttonhole pattern is easy to memorise after the first few repeats