Bloodroot

Bloodroot Knit Sweater by Gege à la Gomme

Garment Overview

Bloodroot is a seamless, top-down knit sweater featuring a distinctive hybrid saddle-yoke construction. Named after Sanguinaria canadensis, this intermediate-level design combines structural shoulder shaping with decorative stranded colorwork for a chic, wearable garment. The sweater is worked entirely in the round using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming while maintaining professional finishing.

Construction Technique

The sweater employs an innovative hybrid saddle-yoke approach that introduces saddles to add structure and definition to the shoulder area. Working from the top down allows for seamless construction and easy customization of length. The yoke is shaped using short row shaping techniques, which create subtle contouring and ensure proper fit across the shoulders and upper body. Once the yoke is complete, the body and sleeves are worked separately in the round, maintaining the seamless aesthetic throughout the garment.

Colorwork and Design Details

A striking block of stranded colorwork adorns the sweater, beginning above the sleeve separation point and extending downward to just above the ribbed hem. Stranded colorwork involves carrying multiple yarn colors across the row to create intricate patterns, adding visual interest and texture to the finished piece. This technique requires careful tension management to ensure even stitches and prevent puckering.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Stockinette stitch – The primary stitch used throughout the body and sleeves, creating a smooth, classic fabric
• Ribbing – Applied at the hem, cuffs, and neckline for elasticity and a finished appearance
• Stranded colorwork – Multi-color patterning worked into the body section for decorative effect

Yarn and Materials

The sample sweater is knit using Les Arts Textiles du Témiscouata Plump sock yarn in the colorway Lac Long. This yarn is a 4-ply weight offering 418 yards (382 meters) per 110-gram skein, composed of 80% merino wool and 20% nylon. The nylon content adds durability and elasticity, making the yarn well-suited for garments requiring structure and longevity. The merino provides softness and breathability.

Needles and Tools

Three sizes of circular needles are required to work different sections of the sweater, allowing for proper gauge and fabric characteristics in each area:

• US 3 (3.25 mm) circular needles – Used for stockinette stitch sections in the yoke, body, and sleeves
• US 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles – Used for the stranded colorwork block to accommodate the slightly looser gauge required when carrying multiple colors
• US 2 (2.75 mm) circular needles – Used for ribbed sections at the hem, cuffs, and neckline to create elastic, fitted edges

Additional notions include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and securing colorwork floats, and 10 stitch markers to track pattern repeats and sleeve placement during seamless construction.

Skill Level and Techniques

Rated as intermediate difficulty, Bloodroot requires familiarity with several advanced knitting techniques. Knitters should be comfortable working in the round with circular needles, managing multiple colors in stranded colorwork, and executing short row shaping for shoulder contouring. The seamless construction method demands attention to gauge and stitch count to ensure proper fit, making this project suitable for knitters with prior experience in garment construction.