Lullingstone Pullover

Lullingstone Pullover by Corrine Walcher

What is Being Made

The Lullingstone Pullover is a colorwork knit sweater inspired by the ancient Roman villa floor mosaic found in Lullingstone, England. This pullover features a striking mosaic-inspired pattern worked in two colors and is available in six sizes ranging from 32 inches to 52 inches chest circumference. The sweater is designed to be knit from the bottom up, making it an accessible project for intermediate knitters seeking to create a finished garment with minimal finishing requirements.

Construction Method

This sweater is knit bottom-up in the round, which means the body is worked continuously from the cast-on edge up to the underarms before dividing for the sleeves. This construction method minimizes seaming work, as the only finishing required involves joining underarm seams and weaving in ends. The streamlined finishing process makes this design particularly appealing for knitters who prefer efficient garment construction.

Colorwork Technique

The Lullingstone Pullover features stranded colorwork, also known as Fair Isle knitting. This technique involves carrying two colors of yarn across the row and switching between them to create the mosaic-inspired pattern. The sample shown uses The Blue Knight as the main color with Church Mouse as the contrast color, creating a sophisticated two-color design that echoes the historical mosaic that inspired the sweater.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Stockinette Stitch: The base stitch structure for the body and sleeves
• Stranded Colorwork: The primary technique used to create the mosaic pattern by carrying both yarn colors throughout the knitting
• Ribbing: Used for the cuffs and hem to provide structure and elasticity
• In-the-round knitting: Worked on circular needles for seamless construction

Yarn and Materials

The Lullingstone Pullover is designed to be knit with Avalon Springs Farm Pendragon Worsted, a 100% superwash merino wool yarn. This yarn weight falls in the worsted to aran range, offering excellent stitch definition for colorwork patterns. The yardage requirements vary by size: the smallest size (32 inches chest) requires approximately 800 yards of main color yarn (4 skeins) plus 60-100 yards of contrast color, while the largest size (52 inches chest) requires approximately 1,400 yards of main color yarn (8 skeins). The superwash merino fiber provides durability and easy care, making this sweater practical for everyday wear.

Needles and Tools

This project requires US #7/4.5mm circular needles in a 32-inch length or longer, depending on the size being knit. Larger sizes may benefit from longer needles to accommodate the increased stitch count. Additionally, a set of US #7/4.5mm double-pointed needles or the knitter's preferred method for working small circumferences is needed for the sleeve caps and finishing details. The needle size is appropriate for the worsted-weight yarn, creating a fabric with good stitch definition that showcases the colorwork pattern clearly.

Sizing and Finished Dimensions

The Lullingstone Pullover is offered in six sizes with the following finished chest measurements: 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, and 52 inches. Sleeve circumferences range from 13 inches in the smallest sizes to 17 inches in the largest size. The length from cast-on edge to underarm ranges from 14 inches in the smallest size to 16.5 inches in the largest size, providing proportional fit across the size range.

Difficulty Level

This sweater is rated as an intermediate project, making it suitable for knitters with some experience. While the bottom-up construction and minimal finishing are beginner-friendly aspects, the stranded colorwork technique requires intermediate skills to manage two colors simultaneously and maintain consistent tension throughout the pattern.