Montauk

Montauk Pullover by Alicia Plum

What Is Being Made

The Montauk is a breezy pullover designed for warm weather wear, perfect for long days at the beach and humid nights on the boardwalk. This knitted top is available in five sizes ranging from Extra Small to Extra Large, with bust measurements from 28–30 inches up to 44–46 inches, following Craft Yarn Council (CYC) sizing standards.

Yarn and Materials

This pullover is worked in Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, a breathable blend yarn composed of 35% Hemp, 41% Cotton, and 25% Modal rayon. The yarn is spun at 153 yards (140 meters) per 50 grams (1.76 ounces), making it a DK weight yarn ideal for creating lightweight, drape-friendly garments. Yardage requirements vary by size: Extra Small requires 4 balls of main color (MC) plus 1 ball each of two contrast colors (CC #1 and CC #2); sizes progress through to Extra Large, which needs 8 balls of MC and 4 balls of CC #1, with all sizes using 1 ball of CC #2.

Needles and Gauge

The Montauk is worked on US 7 needles (or whatever size is required to achieve proper gauge) at a gauge of 5 stitches over 1 inch in stockinette stitch. A 28-inch circular needle is used for casting on and working the body in the round.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several fundamental techniques:

• Circular knitting: The pullover is constructed in the round using a circular needle, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a seamless garment.
• Ribbing: The cast-on edge begins with 1 inch of k1p1 (knit one, purl one) ribbing, which provides elasticity and a finished edge.
• Stockinette stitch: The primary fabric is worked in stockinette stitch, created by knitting all stitches on right-side rounds and purling all stitches on wrong-side rounds (or knitting all rounds when working in the round).
• Colorwork: The pullover features colorwork patterning worked from a chart, incorporating the main color and two contrast colors to create visual interest and texture.
• Texture variation: An alternative construction method is offered, allowing knitters to work the pullover in a monotone version by purling all contrast color rows and working a chevron pattern from the chart instead of traditional colorwork.

Construction Details

The pullover begins with casting on between 156 stitches (Extra Small) and 240 stitches (Extra Large) onto a 28-inch circular needle in the main color. A marker is placed to denote the beginning of the round, and the stitches are joined to work in the round. The body is divided at the midpoint with an additional marker placed after knitting half the stitches. After the initial k1p1 ribbing, the knitter switches to stockinette stitch and begins the colorwork and texture sections, which can be worked either from written instructions or from a provided chart.

Skill Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, the Montauk assumes knitters are comfortable with circular needle techniques, reading charts, and managing multiple yarn colors within a single project. The combination of in-the-round construction, colorwork, and texture patterning makes this an engaging project for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond basic stockinette.