Haubergeon Pullover

Haubergeon Pullover by Julliana Lund

What is Being Made

The Haubergeon Pullover is a women's knitted sweater inspired by medieval chain-mail armor, reimagined with contemporary lace detailing for a modern aesthetic. This pullover functions as a versatile layering piece designed to provide warmth during cool fall weather. The garment is available in ten finished bust sizes ranging from 32 to 50 inches, accommodating a wide range of fit preferences with suggested ease of -1 to +1 inches.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques to achieve its distinctive medieval-inspired design. The sweater features a garter stitch yoke that provides structural contrast and visual interest at the neckline and upper body. The primary design element is a meandering lace panel that runs down the body and continues along the sleeves, creating an intricate openwork pattern that evokes the appearance of chain-mail while maintaining the femininity of traditional lace construction.

The contrast between the textured garter stitch sections and the delicate lace panels is a central design feature. Deep hems are incorporated throughout the garment, adding weight and definition to the edges. The construction method involves working from the top down or in pieces, with careful attention to gauge and stitch placement to ensure the lace pattern aligns properly across the body and sleeves.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch – the foundation stitch for the yoke and hem sections, created by knitting every row to produce a textured, reversible fabric
• Lace stitches – openwork patterns featuring yarn overs and decreases that form the meandering design on the body and sleeves
• Purl front and back (PFB) – an increase technique used for shaping and stitch manipulation

Materials and Specifications

The Haubergeon Pullover is designed to be knit in sport weight yarn, specifically Knit Picks Stroll Sport, a practical choice for a layering garment. This yarn composition consists of 75% Superwash Merino Wool and 25% Nylon, providing durability, breathability, and easy care. The nylon content adds resilience to the lace sections, which are prone to snagging. The yarn yields 137 yards per 50-gram skein, and the project requires approximately 1100 to 2200 yards depending on the finished size selected.

The pattern calls for US 4 / 3.5 mm needles for the main fabric and US 6 / 4 mm needles for sections requiring a looser gauge, allowing knitters to adjust needle size as needed to achieve the specified gauge. The recommended gauge is 21 stitches over 4 inches in garter stitch using the smaller needles, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Additional notions required include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch holders for managing live stitches during construction, and stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points throughout the knitting process.