Blueberry Yoke Sweater

Blueberry Yoke Sweater by Jo Sharp

What is Being Made

The Blueberry Yoke Sweater is a lightweight pullover sweater featuring a distinctive raglan yoke construction. This design combines a fitted bodice worked in the round with tapered sleeves that gradually increase in width before joining seamlessly with the yoke at the neckline. The sweater is designed for quick completion and is suitable for knitters of all experience levels, particularly beginners.

Construction and Design Techniques

This sweater is constructed using circular needle knitting, working primarily in the round for efficiency and minimal seaming. The design employs a raglan yoke construction, where the sleeves taper gradually from the wrist and join the bodice at the yoke section near the neckline. This classic shaping technique creates a smooth, elegant fit across the shoulders and chest.

The pattern uses two strands of yarn worked together throughout, which creates a lightweight fabric while maintaining structure and warmth. This technique allows the sweater to be knitted quickly on larger needles despite the delicate yarn weights being combined.

The underarm shaping is achieved through strategic cast-offs at the beginning of specific rounds, creating the necessary decreases for proper sleeve and bodice proportions.

Stitches Used

• Stocking Stitch (Stockinette Stitch) — The primary stitch throughout the entire sweater. When working in rows on the back and front bodice sections, this involves knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. When working in rounds, stocking stitch is achieved by knitting every round, creating the classic smooth, V-textured fabric.

Materials and Specifications

The Blueberry Yoke Sweater is designed to be worked with 9.00mm circular needles, specifically a 60cm length for working the bodice in the round. This needle size is considerably larger than typical DK-weight needles, which contributes to the quick knitting time and lightweight drape of the finished garment.

Yarn Requirements: The pattern calls for Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Kid Mohair in the colorway Blueberry (color 618). Yardage varies by size: the smallest size requires 5 balls of 25g each, while larger sizes require 7 to 8 balls. The combination of two strands worked together creates a unique blend of comfort and visual interest.

The pattern accommodates three size options, with stitch counts of 94, 105, and 116 stitches for the cast-on, allowing customization for different body measurements. The bodice length is approximately 33.5cm for the smallest size, increasing to 35cm and 36cm for larger sizes.

Skill Level

This design is rated as beginner-friendly, making it an excellent project for knitters new to garment construction. The straightforward stocking stitch pattern, combined with the efficiency of circular needle knitting and the quick-knitting properties of the yarn and needle combination, makes this an accessible introduction to sweater knitting.