Stanton Tunic

Stanton Tunic by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton

What is Being Made

The Stanton Tunic is a knitted pullover sweater designed by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton for Wisdom Yarns. This garment is a versatile tunic-length sweater available in four sizes: XS, S, M, and L. The finished bust measurements range from 33 inches (83.5 cm) for the smallest size to 41 inches (104 cm) for the largest size, with a tunic length of approximately 27.5 to 30 inches (70 to 76 cm). The garment features a circumference around the bottom ranging from 44 to 52.5 inches (112 to 133 cm), making it a relaxed, comfortable fit suitable for everyday wear.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several fundamental and intermediate techniques that make it accessible to beginner knitters while maintaining visual interest. The pattern utilizes color work through a repeating stripe pattern that creates horizontal bands of color throughout the garment. The design incorporates shaping techniques including decreasing stitches at the sides to create a fitted silhouette and structured shoulder and neck shaping for a professional finish. The pattern uses ribbing at the bottom edge, which provides elasticity and helps the garment maintain its shape. The construction method involves working flat pieces that are later assembled, a standard approach in sweater knitting.

Stitches Used

The Stanton Tunic is primarily constructed using stockinette stitch (St st), which is the fundamental stitch that creates the smooth, classic sweater fabric. This stitch is formed by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing the characteristic V-pattern texture. The ribbing at the garment's lower edge is worked in knit 2, purl 2 rib (k2, p2 rib), a 1x1 variation that creates vertical columns of texture and provides stretch and recovery to the fabric. The stripe pattern is integrated into the stockinette stitch base, with different colored yarns introduced at specific row intervals to create the horizontal striping effect.

Materials

The Stanton Tunic is designed to be knitted with worsted weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that is versatile and easy to work with, making it ideal for beginner knitters. The pattern calls for multiple yarn colors, indicated by letters (A, E, F, and others) in the pattern instructions, allowing for creative color combinations while maintaining the stripe pattern design. The project requires knitting needles in two sizes: smaller needles for the ribbed cuff at the bottom and larger needles for the main body of the garment. This needle size variation is a standard technique that ensures the ribbing remains elastic and snug while the larger needles create the appropriate gauge for the stockinette stitch body.

Pattern Structure

The pattern is organized with clear sections including the bottom of the back, shoulder and neck shaping, and detailed row-by-row instructions. The stripe pattern repeats over 30 rows, creating a consistent visual rhythm throughout the garment. Decreases are worked evenly at the sides starting from Row 3 of the stripe pattern, occurring every other row to create gradual, professional-looking shaping. The ribbing at the bottom is worked for 3 rows before transitioning to the larger needles and beginning the stripe pattern, providing a finished edge and helping establish the correct gauge.