Rolling Rock

Rolling Rock Henley-Style Pullover by BabyCocktails

What is Being Made

Rolling Rock is a light, seamlessly knit Henley-style pullover designed by Thea Colman of BabyCocktails. This versatile sweater features a classic silhouette with a flattering neckline and eye-catching lace detail on the back. The garment is available in ten sizes, ranging from 32.25 inches to 54.5 inches in finished bust circumference, making it suitable for a wide range of body types.

Construction and Shaping Techniques

Rolling Rock is constructed using a top-down seamless method, which allows knitters to try on the garment as they work and easily adjust the length. The most distinctive feature of this design is the use of contiguous shaping at the shoulders. This advanced shaping technique creates the visual appearance of traditional shoulder seams and sleeve caps without requiring any seaming after completion. This method produces a polished, professionally finished look while eliminating the need for finishing work.

The sweater is knit primarily in the round using circular needles, with the body and sleeves worked continuously from the top down. This construction method reduces the number of ends to weave in and creates a seamless, comfortable garment.

Stitches and Stitch Details

Rolling Rock incorporates lace stitching as a prominent design element on the back of the sweater. The lace pattern is referred to as bottle lace, which complements the yarn choice and adds visual interest to an otherwise classic design. The combination of stockinette stitch for the body with lace detailing creates a balanced aesthetic that is both elegant and wearable.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is designed for The Plucky Knitter Traveler Sport yarn, a luxurious blend of silk and wool. The yarn is worked at a sport weight, which creates a lightweight, drape-friendly fabric ideal for a Henley-style pullover. Each skein contains 325 yards, and the total yardage required ranges from 1000 yards for the smallest size to 1900 yards for the largest size, depending on the finished bust measurement selected.

The color shown in the pattern is Back 40, a deep green reminiscent of the iconic glass bottles from Latrobe, PA. This color choice pairs beautifully with the bottle lace motif featured on the back.

Needles and Notions

Rolling Rock requires the following needles and notions:

• Needles: US #4 (3.5mm) in multiple formats—long circular needles for working the body, and either double-pointed needles (DPNs) or short circular needles for the sleeves
• Notions: Stitch markers to track pattern repeats and construction points, a darning needle for weaving in ends, and waste yarn or stitch holders for managing stitches during construction

Difficulty Level

Rolling Rock is rated as an intermediate knitting project. While the top-down seamless construction is accessible to many knitters, the contiguous shoulder shaping technique and lace stitch work require solid foundational skills and comfort reading pattern instructions. Knitters should be familiar with working in the round, managing multiple needle types, and reading lace charts or written lace instructions before attempting this design.