WEBS DIR09 Changing Tack by Fiona Ellis - Jumper Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Brimfield

Changing Tack by Fiona Ellis – Cabled Women's Jumper Knitting Pattern in Valley Yarns Brimfield

Changing Tack is a beautifully designed women's pullover jumper from the WEBS Designer in Residence Series #9, created by renowned knitwear designer Fiona Ellis. Drawing inspiration from traditional cabled sweaters, this pattern delivers a thoroughly modern interpretation through asymmetric cable placement, a figure-flattering silhouette, and slightly flared sleeves that add a distinctly feminine touch. It is an ideal between-season garment — substantial enough for cooler days yet refined enough for transitional weather.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a seamed, bottom-up women's jumper worked in pieces and assembled. It features a carefully considered blend of cable panels and textural stitch patterns arranged asymmetrically across the body, giving the garment an updated, contemporary feel that sets it apart from classic Aran-style knitwear. The slightly flared sleeve design adds softness and movement to the overall silhouette.

The pattern is offered in seven sizes with the following finished measurements:

• Bust: 34 (37, 40, 44) (47, 50, 52) inches — the sample shown is knitted in size 37 inches
• Length: 23 (24, 24, 25) (25, 26, 27) inches

Techniques Used

This pattern is classified as intermediate in difficulty and employs several well-established knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The jumper is begun at the lower edges and worked upward, a traditional approach that gives knitters excellent control over length adjustments.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat in rows, meaning knitters work back and forth on straight or circular needles rather than in the round for the main body sections.
• Seamed finishing: Individual pieces — body panels and sleeves — are seamed together upon completion, producing a structured, tailored finish characteristic of classic garment construction.
• Cable knitting: The defining technique of this design, cables are created by crossing groups of stitches over one another using a cable needle, producing the signature twisted rope and lattice effects central to the pattern's aesthetic.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern incorporates a rich variety of stitches and charted cable panels. Understanding these elements gives knitters a clear picture of the texture and visual complexity involved:

• Stockinette stitch: The foundational background stitch used throughout, with a gauge of 22 stitches and 29 rows to 4 inches. Stockinette creates a smooth, flat fabric that allows the cable panels to stand out in relief.
• Seed stitch: Used in both even and odd stitch counts, seed stitch alternates knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard arrangement across rows, creating a bumpy, non-curling texture that is frequently used for borders, edgings, and contrast areas in garment knitting.
• Chart A (11-stitch panel, 20-row repeat): A travelling cable panel measuring 1½ inches wide. This chart features a range of cable crossings including T4B (Twist 4 Back), T4F (Twist 4 Front), T3B (Twist 3 Back), T3F (Twist 3 Front), and C4B (Cable 4 Back). The travelling stitches move diagonally across the panel, creating a dynamic, sinuous rope effect that shifts direction across the repeat — a hallmark of Fiona Ellis's sophisticated approach to cable design.
• Chart B (18-stitch panel, multi-row repeat): A wider cable panel measuring 2¼ inches wide. This chart incorporates C4B (Cable 4 Back), C4F (Cable 4 Front), T4B, and T4F crossings, producing an expanding and contracting lattice or diamond-like cable structure. The interplay of back and front crosses creates a bold, symmetrical centrepiece cable that contrasts beautifully with the narrower travelling cables of Chart A.

The asymmetric placement of these two distinct