Illanna

Illanna Sweater by Annie Haas

What is Being Made

Illanna is a knitted sweater designed by Annie Haas and published through This.bird.knits Designs. This pullover sweater is constructed using a top-down yoke method, making it an ideal project for knitters seeking a structured garment with customizable fit. The pattern includes eight graduated sizes, accommodating a range of body measurements from smaller to larger proportions. The finished sweater features a crew neck opening and is designed to be worn with positive ease for comfortable layering.

Techniques Used

The Illanna sweater employs top-down yoke construction, a popular technique in modern knitting that allows knitters to begin at the neckline and work downward toward the hem and sleeve cuffs. This method provides several advantages: the ability to try on the garment during construction, flexibility to adjust length before committing yarn, and the opportunity to shape the yoke using strategic increases. The pattern utilizes circular needle knitting for the yoke and body sections, with options for double-pointed needles (DPNs) or the Magic Loop method when working the narrower sleeve circumferences. This construction approach eliminates the need for seaming, resulting in a seamless, professionally finished garment.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

While specific stitch-by-stitch details are not fully visible in the provided pattern excerpt, the Illanna sweater is constructed as a beginner-level knitting project, suggesting the use of fundamental knitting stitches. Top-down yoke sweaters typically incorporate knit and purl stitches for the main fabric, with yarn overs and decreases strategically placed to shape the yoke shaping and create the fitted shoulder area. The pattern likely includes ribbing at the neckline, cuffs, and hem for elasticity and structure.

Yarn and Materials

The Illanna sweater is designed to be knitted with Hedgehog Fibers Skinny Singles, a 4-ply weight yarn. Two coordinating colorways are used: Yarn A in Kelp and Yarn B in Echo. Each skein of Hedgehog Fibers Skinny Singles contains 100 grams and yields 368 yards. Yarn requirements vary by size: Yarn A ranges from 280 to 620 yards depending on size selection (requiring 1 to 2 skeins), while Yarn B ranges from 550 to 1130 yards (requiring 2 to 4 skeins).

The pattern calls for US Size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles with a minimum 30-inch cord for the yoke and body sections, with a note that larger sizes may benefit from extended cord length. US Size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles with a minimum 20-inch cord are used for the main fabric. For sleeve knitting on the smaller circumference, knitters may choose between a shorter cord on US Size 4 needles, double-pointed needles, or the Magic Loop method, offering flexibility based on personal preference and available tools.

Finished Measurements

The Illanna sweater is available in eight sizes with graduated measurements. The neck opening ranges from 16.7 inches in the smallest size to 24 inches in the largest size. The pattern shown in the sample photographs displays Size 2 with 10 inches of positive ease, demonstrating how the sweater is intended to fit with comfortable room for movement and layering.