En Plein Air Roll Neck - Sweater Knitting Pattern For Women in Willow & Lark Poetry and Ramble by Willow & Lark

En Plein Air Roll Neck – Jumper Knitting Pattern for Women by Willow & Lark

The En Plein Air Roll Neck is a beautifully relaxed, slouchy roll neck jumper designed by Willow & Lark as part of their Impressionists Collection. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a generously fitted, long-line women's sweater featuring a signature oversized roll neck and a warm, painterly stripe palette inspired by the light and colour of Impressionist art. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is suitable for knitters who are comfortable working flat and seaming garment pieces together.

Garment Overview

The En Plein Air Roll Neck is worked as a classic seamed construction, meaning the individual pieces — front, back, and sleeves — are knitted flat and then joined. This traditional approach gives the finished jumper excellent structure and makes it a rewarding project for knitters looking to build or practise their garment-making skills. The defining features of the design are its slouchy, relaxed silhouette, its generous roll neck, and its striking multi-colour stripe sequence worked across the body and sleeves.

Sizing and Fit

The pattern is written in five sizes, designed to fit bust measurements ranging from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) up to 122–127 cm (48–50 in). The jumper is designed with positive ease, giving actual finished measurements of 96 cm to 140 cm across the size range, making it a true slouchy, oversized fit. The finished length ranges from 70 to 74 cm and sleeve length from 55 to 57 cm, creating a long, cosy garment ideal for cooler seasons.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The jumper is begun at the lower edges and worked upward, a method that gives knitters good control over length adjustments.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows on straight or circular needles, producing a flat fabric that is later seamed.
• Seamed finishing: The completed pieces are joined using seaming techniques, giving the jumper a structured, tailored finish consistent with traditional knitwear construction.
• Stripes: A multi-colour stripe sequence is a central design feature, worked by alternating the five specified yarn colours across the body and sleeves to create the Impressionist-inspired colour effect.
• Roll neck: The slouchy roll neck is a key design detail, worked to create a soft, foldable collar that frames the face and adds warmth.

Stitches Used

As an intermediate-level pattern worked flat, the En Plein Air Roll Neck draws on a core set of knitting stitches and techniques. Knitters can expect to work knit and purl stitches to create the main fabric, along with standard shaping techniques including increases and decreases for the sleeve and armhole shaping. The roll neck is typically worked in rib or stocking stitch to achieve its characteristic soft, rolling edge. Familiarity with reading a multi-colour stripe sequence and managing yarn carries or joins at row edges is also helpful.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is specifically designed for two yarns from the Willow & Lark range, used together across the stripe sequence:

• Willow & Lark Poetry – a DK weight yarn with a luxurious fibre blend of 60% Merino Wool, 30% Microfibre, and 10% Camel. Each ball is 50g / 1.8oz. Used in the colourway Clotted Cream (shade 600), labelled as Colour A, this is the primary yarn and requires between 14 and 16 balls depending on size. The Merino and Camel blend gives Poetry exceptional softness and a subtle warmth, while the Microfibre content adds durability and a gentle sheen.
• Willow & Lark Ramble – a DK weight yarn in 100% Wool, each ball 50g / 1¾oz. Ramble is used in four contrasting colourways to create the stripe sequence: