Jess Jumper in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK - ZB328-00006-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Jess Jumper in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK by Lisa Richardson – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Jess Jumper is a classic knitted sweater designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF (reference ZB328-00006-DEP), this pattern produces a beautifully fitted raglan-style jumper with a shaped neckline. It is rated as an intermediate difficulty project, making it an ideal challenge for knitters who are comfortable with shaping techniques and are ready to move beyond straightforward construction. The design is worked in DK weight yarn and is sized across a wide range of bust measurements, from 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm, with a corresponding knitted bust measurement ranging from approximately 81 cm to 162.5 cm, ensuring an excellent fit across many body types.

Construction and Garment Structure

The Jess Jumper is constructed in separate pieces — a back and a front — which are then joined. The defining structural feature of this jumper is its raglan sleeve shaping, a classic technique in which the sleeves and body are shaped simultaneously through a series of decreases worked at regular intervals on both sides of the fabric. This creates a smooth, diagonal seam line running from the underarm to the neckline, producing a relaxed yet tailored silhouette.

The back is worked upward, with raglan decreases beginning after a specified length — approximately 35 to 39 cm depending on the size — and continuing until the required number of stitches remain for the neckband. These remaining stitches are placed on a holder needle to be picked up later for the neckband finishing.

The front is worked in the same manner as the back up to a point, after which the front neckline shaping is introduced. This involves dividing the work, casting off stitches at the centre front, and working each side separately to create the characteristic curved or shaped front neck opening. Decreases are worked at both the neckline edge and the raglan edge simultaneously, requiring careful attention to the pattern instructions — a hallmark of intermediate-level knitting.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Raglan shaping: Paired decreases worked at the beginning and end of rows at regular intervals to create the diagonal raglan seam lines. The pattern specifies decreasing every row and then every alternate row to achieve the correct shaping.
• Knit two together (k2tog) and similar decreases: Used throughout the raglan and neckline shaping sections to reduce stitch counts precisely.
• Casting off (binding off): Applied at the underarm and neckline to set the shape of the garment.
• Working both sides separately: Once the front neckline is divided, each side is completed independently, a technique that requires managing two separate yarn ends and keeping track of shaping on each side.
• Stitch holders / auxiliary needles (Hilfsnadeln): Stitches for the neckband are placed on holder needles and later worked to complete the neck finish.
• Neckband finishing: Remaining held stitches from the back and front are picked up and worked to create a neat neckband, a standard finishing technique in raglan construction.
• Tension/gauge swatch: As with all Rowan patterns, knitters are expected to work a gauge swatch to ensure correct measurements before beginning.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a luxuriously soft double knitting weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. This yarn blends the natural warmth and softness of alpaca with other fibres, making it an excellent choice for a next-to-skin garment like a jumper. The quantity of yarn required varies by size, with smaller sizes requiring fewer balls and larger sizes requiring more.

The Jess Jumper is offered in a rich palette of eight colourways using named shades from the Rowan Alpaca Soft DK range:

• A – Clover 215
• B – Mulberry 207