Girls' Garden Flowers Fair Isle Yoke Sweater in Caron Simply Soft Collection & Simply Soft - Downloadable PDF

Girls' Garden Flowers Fair Isle Yoke Sweater in Caron Simply Soft Collection & Simply Soft by Lorna Miser

About This Pattern

This charming knitting pattern by designer Lorna Miser creates a beautifully detailed girls' pullover sweater featuring a Fair Isle colorwork yoke adorned with a garden flowers motif. Available as a free downloadable PDF, the pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is sized to fit girls aged 18 months through 4 years. It is a wonderful project for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore stranded colorwork in the round. The finished sweater makes an ideal handmade gift or wardrobe staple for little ones.

Sizing and Finished Measurements

The pattern includes three sizes to accommodate growing children:

• 18 Months: Finished chest 18" (45.5 cm), finished length 12.5" (30.5 cm)
• 2 Years: Finished chest 22" (55.5 cm), finished length 14" (35.5 cm)
• 4 Years: Finished chest 26" (66 cm), finished length 15.5" (39 cm)

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a seamless, circular-knit yoke sweater for girls. The body and sleeves are knitted separately in the round from the bottom up, then joined together at the underarm to form a single piece for the yoke. The decorative Fair Isle colorwork panel runs across the yoke, creating the signature garden flowers design using multiple yarn colors. The construction method — working body and sleeves separately to the underarm before joining — is a classic technique that minimizes seaming and produces a tidy, professional finish.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern draws on a range of knitting techniques suited to an intermediate skill level:

• Knitting in the round on both circular needles and double pointed needles (dpns)
• Fair Isle / stranded colorwork worked across the yoke using multiple colors simultaneously
• Yoke construction — joining body and sleeves in the round for a seamless raglan-style or set-in yoke
• Sleeve shaping with evenly spaced increases along the sleeve length
• Ribbing at cuffs and lower body hem
• Stitch holder management for underarm stitches and held sections
• Gauge swatching in Stockinette stitch to ensure accurate sizing

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (knit every round when working in the round) — used for the body and sleeves
• k1, p1 rib — used for the cuffs and lower body hem, each worked to approximately 1.5"/4 cm
• Fair Isle colorwork stitches — stranded knitting worked across the yoke section using colors A, B, and C
• Increases — worked at the beginning and end of designated rounds to shape the sleeves

Materials Required

The pattern calls for Caron Simply Soft yarn in three colors:

• Color A — Pistachio (0003): 1 skein for 18 months, 2 skeins for 2 years and 4 years
• Color B — Strawberry (0015): 1 skein for all sizes
• Color C — Off White (9702): 1 skein for all sizes

Caron Simply Soft is a worsted/aran weight yarn, with each skein measuring 170 g / 6 oz and approximately 288 m / 315 yards. It is a smooth, soft acrylic yarn well suited to children's garments due to its durability and ease of care.

Needles and Notions

• One circular needle, US size 8