558 Woodstove Pullover - Jumper Knitting Pattern for Men in Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky

Pattern Summary: Valley Yarns #558 Woodstove Pullover by Kirsten Hipsky

What Is Being Made

The Woodstove Pullover (#558) is a classic, cozy men's pullover sweater designed by Kirsten Hipsky for Valley Yarns. While the pattern is sized and styled with men in mind, the designer notes it is a great fit for a man or woman. The finished sweater is a traditional crew-neck pullover with set-in sleeves, worked in a simple textured stitch that creates a warm, structured fabric ideal for cold-weather wear. Finished chest sizes range from 36 to 56 inches, making it accessible across a wide range of body types. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in size 40 inches.

Construction Method and Techniques

This pullover is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, worked-flat approach — a traditional sweater construction method well-suited to intermediate knitters who are comfortable working in pieces and finishing with seams. Each main section — the back, front, and two sleeves — is knitted separately as flat panels, then assembled. This method gives the finished garment excellent structure and durability, and allows knitters to work on individual pieces independently.

• Bottom-up construction: Each piece begins at the cast-on edge and is worked upward toward the shoulders, following a logical and intuitive sequence of shaping steps.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, making this pattern approachable for knitters who prefer straight or circular needles used flat.
• Seamed finishing: The completed pieces are sewn together, which adds stability to the seams and gives the pullover a clean, tailored silhouette.
• Square set-in sleeves: The pattern features square set-in sleeves, a classic design element that simplifies shaping compared to fully curved set-in sleeves while still producing a neat, fitted armhole.

Shaping Details

The back and front pieces both begin with a straight body section worked for 16 inches (or desired length to underarm), followed by armhole shaping achieved through bound-off stitches at the beginning of rows. The front features a straightforward crew neck shaping worked by binding off center stitches and then decreasing at each neck edge over a series of right-side rows. Both shoulders are shaped with a stepped bind-off sequence. The two sleeves are worked as matching flat panels and seamed into the armholes.

Stitches Used

The entire pullover is worked in a single, beginner-friendly stitch pattern called Garter Rib, which is the defining textural feature of this design. Garter Rib is worked over an odd number of stitches using only knit and purl stitches:

• Row 1 (Wrong Side): K1, *p1, k1; repeat from *
• Row 2 (Right Side): Knit all stitches

This two-row repeat produces a fabric with subtle vertical ribbing combined with the horizontal ridges characteristic of garter stitch. The result is a dense, stretchy, and exceptionally warm textile that is both visually interesting and structurally sound. Because the right-side row is simply knitted across, the pattern is easy to memorize and quick to work — making it ideal for a satisfying, meditative knitting experience. The simplicity of the stitch pattern also allows the beautiful texture of the Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky wool to take center stage.

Gauge

The required gauge is 15 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in Garter Rib. Achieving accurate gauge is especially important in a seamed, sized garment like this one, as it directly affects the finished chest measurement and overall fit.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Notions

The pattern is written specifically for Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky, a 100% wool yarn sold in 100g / 109-yard skeins. The sample is knitted in Medium Gray. Northampton Bulky is described as soft yet durable, qualities that make it well-suited to a hardworking everyday garment like a woodstove-side pullover. The