Edna Jean Sweater

Edna Jean Sweater by Briana Thompson

What is Being Made

The Edna Jean Sweater is a colorwork knit jumper designed by Briana Thompson. This is a pullover-style sweater featuring a buttoned front placket, making it a hybrid between a traditional pullover and a cardigan. The design incorporates multiple colors in a stranded colorwork pattern, creating visual interest across the body and sleeves of the garment.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Edna Jean Sweater is worked from the bottom up and knit entirely in the round, which creates a seamless construction. The design employs steeks at strategic points throughout the garment: at each armhole, along the button placket on the front, and at the front neckline. Steeks are a traditional knitting technique where stitches are cast on to bridge openings, then later cut and reinforced to create finished edges. This method allows the knitter to maintain working in the round while creating the necessary openings for armholes and the front opening.

The sleeves are also knit in the round using a steek to shape the sleeve cap, which is the curved portion at the top of the sleeve. After the sleeves are completed, they are sewn into the armholes, combining the efficiency of circular knitting with the shaping benefits of set-in sleeves. Knitters are instructed to reinforce their steeks using their preferred method to ensure durability and a professional finish.

Stitches and Colorwork

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the provided content, the Edna Jean Sweater utilizes stranded colorwork knitting, a technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create patterned designs on the front. This method requires managing multiple colors simultaneously while maintaining consistent tension. The sweater features ribbing at the cuffs and hem, which is worked on smaller needles to create the characteristic elastic edge that helps garments hold their shape.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Edna Jean Sweater calls for Jamieson & Smith Shetland wool yarns in Jumper Weight (2-ply). The main color is Cream (shade 202), with accent colors including Yellow (shade 28), Red (shade 1403), Green (shade 34), Blue (shade FC47), and Navy (shade 21). An additional yarn, Jamieson & Smith Shetland Supreme Jumper Weight in Moorit, is also used. Yardage requirements vary by size, with the main color requiring between 8 and 11 balls depending on the size, while each accent color requires 1 ball, and Navy requires 1 to 2 balls depending on size.

Needles required include 3.00mm circular needles (or the size needed to obtain proper gauge) for the main knitting, worked in the knitter's preferred method for working in the round. Smaller needles, 2.75mm, are used for working the ribbing sections. Additional notions include 3 buttons measuring 1.25cm (.5") in diameter, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, and a darning needle for seaming and weaving in ends.

Difficulty Level

The Edna Jean Sweater is rated as an intermediate difficulty project. This classification reflects the multiple advanced techniques involved: working in the round, managing stranded colorwork with multiple colors, executing and reinforcing steeks, and seaming sleeves into armholes. Knitters should have solid foundational skills before attempting this design.