Dors In Rowan Alpaca Sparkle - Downloadable PDF

Dors by Lisa Richardson in Rowan Alpaca Sparkle – Knitting Pattern Summary

Dors is an elegant knitted sweater design by Lisa Richardson, published by Rowan and worked in the luxurious Rowan Alpaca Sparkle yarn. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and offers knitters two distinct versions of the same garment: a long-sleeved sweater and a sleeveless version, giving crafters the flexibility to choose a style suited to the season or occasion. Both versions are rated Advanced Beginner, making Dors an excellent next step for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore simple lace patterning and garment shaping.

What Is Being Made

Dors is a fitted pullover sweater designed to be worked in the round and flat, featuring a shaped back, a shaped front with a defined front neck, and shoulder shaping with a back neck. The garment is sized generously across a wide range, with chest measurements to fit:

• 71–76 cm (28–30 in)
• 81–97 cm (32–38 in)
• 102–117 cm (40–46 in)
• 122–127 cm (48–50 in)
• 132–147 cm (52–58 in)
• 152–157 cm (60–62 in)

The actual chest measurement of the finished garment ranges from 114 cm (45 in) up to 194 cm (76½ in), reflecting a relaxed, comfortable ease across all sizes. This inclusive sizing makes Dors a versatile pattern suitable for a wide range of body types.

The long-sleeved version of Dors was photographed in Camel 10021, while the sleeveless version was photographed in Arctic 10023, both colourways of Rowan Alpaca Sparkle, showcasing how the yarn's natural sheen and subtle sparkle complement the delicate lace stitch beautifully.

Techniques Used

Dors introduces knitters to a number of satisfying garment-construction techniques that build confidence and skill:

• Lace patterning – The body of the sweater is worked in an 8-row repeating lace pattern that creates an open, decorative texture. This is an excellent introduction to working yarn-overs and centred double decreases in a structured repeat.
• Shoulder shaping – Stitches are cast off at the beginning of rows to create a clean, angled shoulder line, a classic technique in garment knitting.
• Back neck shaping – Centre back neck stitches are placed on a holder and worked separately, with decreases at the neck edge to create a neat, fitted neckline.
• Front neck shaping – The front neck is shaped by dividing stitches and working each side separately, with decreases worked over several rows and alternate rows to create a smooth curved neckline.
• Holding stitches – Stitches are regularly placed on holders throughout the pattern, a key technique for managing multiple sections of a garment simultaneously.
• Neckband finishing – A circular needle is used to pick up and work the neckband, giving a professional, seamless finish to the collar area.

Stitches Used

The stitch pattern at the heart of Dors is a simple but striking 8-row lace repeat, worked over a multiple of stitches. The key stitches and techniques within the pattern include:

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) – the foundational stitches that form the fabric between lace rows.
• Yarn forward (yfwd) – used to create the decorative eyelet holes that define the lace pattern.
• sL2togK (slip 2 stitches together knitwise) – a special abbreviation unique to this pattern, where two stitches are slipped simultaneously as if to knit two together.
• K1 (knit 1) – worked between the slipped stit