1244 Karakum - Jumper Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Amherst

Pattern Summary: Karakum Women's Stranded Colorwork Crewneck Jumper — Valley Yarns Amherst

The Karakum is a beautifully crafted, gender-neutral crewneck jumper designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns as pattern #1244. It is knitted in Valley Yarns Amherst, a 100% Merino Wool worsted-weight yarn celebrated for its exceptional stitch definition and cozy warmth — qualities that make it an ideal canvas for both textured ribbing and detailed colorwork. This intermediate-level knitting pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and offers sizes ranging from XS through 4XL, with the sample shown in Size L.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a classic, relaxed-fit crewneck jumper (sweater) with a stranded colorwork yoke, contrast-color hem, contrast-color cuffs, and a raised back neck for an improved, comfortable fit. Finished chest measurements range from 32¾ inches up to 58¾ inches, designed with a recommended 2–4 inches of positive ease for a comfortable, wearable silhouette. The design is described as gender neutral, making it a versatile wardrobe staple.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Karakum jumper is constructed entirely bottom-up and in the round, meaning the knitter begins at the lower hem edge and works upward toward the shoulders without any flat seaming along the body. This seamless approach produces a smooth, comfortable fabric with no side seams to sew or weave in. The two sleeves are worked separately in the round from the cuff upward, then joined to the body at the base of the yoke — a classic set-in-yoke construction that creates a neat, professional finish.

The yoke features a small-scale stranded colorwork pattern worked in two colors of Valley Yarns Amherst. Stranded colorwork (sometimes called Fair Isle-style knitting) involves carrying two yarn colors across each round, knitting with one color at a time while the unused color is carried, or "floated," loosely across the back of the fabric. This technique creates a dense, warm, double-layered fabric in the yoke area and produces the characteristic geometric or repeating motif patterns associated with traditional Scandinavian and Fair Isle knitwear.

An important structural detail is the use of short-row shaping across the back yoke to raise the back neckline. This technique adds extra rows of knitting at the back of the neck only, which naturally drops the front neckline slightly and results in a better-fitting, more flattering crewneck that sits comfortably without pulling backward.

Stitches Used

• K1/P1 Rib: Used for the hem, neckband, and sleeve cuffs, this classic one-by-one ribbing creates a stretchy, neat edge that holds its shape and lies flat without curling.
• Stockinette Stitch: The main body and sleeve fabric is worked in stockinette stitch in the round (knitting every round), producing a smooth, even fabric that showcases the beautiful stitch definition of Valley Yarns Amherst. Gauge is set at 19 stitches and 28 rows to 4 inches in stockinette on the larger needle.
• Stranded Colorwork: The yoke section introduces a two-color stranded pattern, requiring the knitter to manage two active yarn colors simultaneously across each round.
• Short-Row Shaping: Used at the back neck to create a raised neckline for improved fit and drape.
• Old Norwegian Cast-On: Specified for the sleeve cuffs, this stretchy cast-on method is recommended to ensure the ribbed cuffs have enough elasticity to slide comfortably over the hand.

Colors and Colorwork Design

The pattern uses three colorways of Valley Yarns Amherst. The Main Color (MC) is Black, used for the body and sleeves. Contrast Color 1 (CC1) is Driftwood, and Contrast Color 2 (CC2) is Burgundy. The stranded yoke colorwork is worked in two of these colors, while