Draco Pullover in Berroco Vintage Handpaint and Vintage Sock - Downloadable PDF

Draco Pullover Knitting Pattern by Berroco – Free Downloadable PDF

The Draco Pullover, designed by Mel Kennelly and published by Berroco, is a beautifully constructed knitted pullover sweater available as a free downloadable PDF. Rated intermediate in difficulty, this pattern offers an impressive size range spanning 11 sizes with finished bust measurements from 33" to 73" (84–185.5 cm), making it an inclusive and versatile design for a wide range of knitters. The recommended ease is approximately 2–4 inches of positive ease, giving the finished garment a relaxed, comfortable fit. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in size 5, corresponding to a 49" / 124.5 cm finished bust.

What Is Being Made

The Draco is a pullover sweater — a classic over-the-head knitted garment with no front opening. Its finished lengths range from approximately 21½" to 25¾" depending on size, making it a mid-length pullover suitable for everyday wear. The design is notable for its distinctive sideways construction, which sets it apart from the more common bottom-up or top-down sweater constructions and creates a unique visual effect with the yarn's color and texture.

Construction Technique

One of the most defining features of the Draco Pullover is its sideways construction. The garment is worked in two separate sections, each knitted from side to side rather than from hem to neck or neck to hem. This approach is a more advanced construction method that intermediate knitters will find engaging and rewarding. Sideways knitting changes the orientation of the fabric's rows, which can produce interesting visual results — particularly when working with a handpainted or variegated yarn, as the color pooling and striping runs vertically on the finished garment rather than horizontally.

This construction also requires careful attention to shaping and stitch counts, as increases and decreases work differently when the fabric grows sideways. Knitters comfortable with standard sweater construction who are ready to explore a new technique will find this pattern an excellent next step.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st) — the primary fabric stitch, worked in the round and flat as needed throughout the body of the pullover
• Sideways construction — each of the two sections is worked from side to side, a technique that requires familiarity with reading knitting from multiple directions
• Working in the round — circular needles and double-pointed needles (or preferred small-circumference method) are used for seamless sections such as sleeves or necklines
• Stitch holding — waste yarn is used to hold stitches, a common technique in sweater construction for joining sections or working armhole shaping
• Gauge-critical knitting — with a gauge of 27 stitches and 37 rows to 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles (measured after blocking), precise tension is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements
• Blocking — the pattern explicitly states that gauge is measured after blocking, so wet or steam blocking is a required finishing step
• Two-color construction — the pattern uses two distinct Berroco yarn colorways worked together, adding a color-play element to the design

Yarn and Materials

The Draco Pullover is worked in two Berroco yarn lines used together to create a harmonious color pairing:

• Berroco Vintage Sock Handpaint (100 g hanks) in colorway #12202 Driftwood Shore — referred to as C1 in the pattern. This is a handpainted, variegated 4-ply sock-weight yarn that brings organic, tonal color shifts to the fabric.
• Berroco Vintage Sock (100 g hanks) in colorway #12002 Buttercream — referred to as C2 in the pattern. This is a solid or semi-solid 4-ply sock-weight yarn that grounds and complements the handpainted colorway.

Depending on