Linden Honey Pullover

Linden Honey Pullover by Irina Anikeeva

What is Being Made

The Linden Honey Pullover is a women's knitted pullover sweater designed by Irina Anikeeva. This garment is available in eight sizes ranging from XS to 4XL, with finished bust circumferences from 32 inches (80 cm) to 59 inches (147.5 cm). The pullover is shown in size M with a finished bust measurement of 40 inches (100 cm), displayed on a 38-inch (96.5 cm) bust with 2 inches (5 cm) of positive ease. The intended ease for this design ranges from +1 to +3 inches (2.5 to 7.5 cm), allowing for a comfortable, relaxed fit.

Knitting Techniques

The Linden Honey Pullover employs several advanced knitting techniques characteristic of intermediate-level garment construction. The sweater is worked in the round from the top down, beginning with the yoke and progressing downward to complete the body. This top-down construction method allows for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the garment during the knitting process.

Raglan yoke shaping is a central design feature of this pullover. The raglan construction creates diagonal shaping lines that run from the underarm to the neckline, distributing increases evenly across the front, back, and sleeve sections. Knitters are instructed to use markers of different colors to track the four raglan shaping lines throughout the yoke section, ensuring accurate stitch placement and symmetrical garment construction.

German Short-Rows are utilized for back shaping, adding dimensional shaping to the back of the garment. This advanced technique creates subtle contouring without the visible jogs that can occur with other short-row methods, resulting in a more refined and professionally finished garment.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch used in the Linden Honey Pullover is Stockinette Stitch, which creates the smooth, classic fabric base for this design. The pattern includes chart repeats that knitters may strategically place between markers for easier pattern tracking and visual organization during construction. The gauge for this project is 26 stitches and 36 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch when worked on US 3/3.25 mm needles after blocking, establishing the precise tension required for proper fit and drape.

Materials and Yarn

The Linden Honey Pullover is designed to be knitted with fingering weight yarn, a fine 4-ply yarn that creates delicate, detailed fabric. Yarn requirements vary by size, with the smallest size (XS) requiring approximately 1150 yards and increasing to larger quantities for larger sizes, with the largest sizes requiring approximately 1890 to 2070 yards or more. This yardage range accommodates the full range of eight sizes offered in the pattern.

Essential notions for completing this project include markers (including four markers in different colors specifically for tracking raglan shaping lines), waste yarn for holding stitches, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming if necessary. The project is worked on US 3/3.25 mm needles, sized appropriately for fingering weight yarn to achieve the specified gauge. Blocking after completion is recommended to set the stitches and achieve the intended finished measurements.

Difficulty Level

The Linden Honey Pullover is classified as an intermediate difficulty pattern, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle more complex garment construction. The combination of top-down raglan shaping, advanced short-row techniques, and stitch pattern charts requires solid understanding of garment architecture and intermediate-level knitting techniques.