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Foundation is a simple, staple design. With easy drop shoulder construction, mix-and-match body and sleeve sizes for a perfect fit, and instructions to adjust the body length, sleeve length, and add waist shaping, it’s the perfect base for something spectacular - whether that’s the yarn, your own design idea, or you.

Whether you choose adventurous colours, marling techniques, or fade sets, Foundation will support whatever you want to build on top of it - and written at a gauge that can be achieved with many combinations of yarns, it’s versatile, too. It’s also a wonderful first garment pattern, if you want to start with something straightforward.

What will you build?

Colourwork Options

Foundation is designed to support marling and fading by holding yarns double, striping with either 1 or 2 strands, and using a single strand in a single colour.

There is also a full breakdown of yardage for each section of the garment, which would readily facilitate colour blocking.

The pattern includes instructions for:

• striping, including equal and varied stripe heights
• marling, including using advent sets
• fading, using any number of colours
• using minis or scraps, including both consistent or random colour changes

Materials

• approx. 1369 yards (1251 metres) to 3088+ yards (2823+) metres light fingering weight yarn, held double
• 4mm needles (or size needed for gauge) suitable for working both flat and small circumferences in the round
• stitch marker (optional, to note the beginning of the round when working sleeves)
• tapestry needle, to weave in ends and work seams
• spare yarn, cable, stitch holder, or other tool for putting stitches on hold
• pins, locking stitch markers, or other notions for holding pieces together while seaming
• your preferred blocking equipment
* precision scale (optional - for some colourwork techniques)

Yarn Requirements

Foundation comes in 12 body sizes and 12 sleeve sizes, plus it includes optional waist shaping and instructions to adjust the length of both the body and sleeves. Yardage is given for each body / sleeve size combination; you will need to do a little addition or subtraction if you want to adjust the body or sleeve length, or use the optional waist shaping. Full instructions are included in the pattern.

To calculate your sizes and yardage, please download the free preview document. The preview document includes the schematic, all measurements, and yardage breakdowns. It should be everything you need to work out which sizes will work for you, how much yarn you’ll need, and which needles to use.

You can download the preview document here:

Preview Document

Sizing

Foundation is #SizeInclusive and #ShapeInclusive.

Foundation comes in 12 body sizes and 12 sleeve sizes. You can mix and match any body size with any sleeve size for a custom fit.

Foundation is designed as a cropped jumper, but includes instructions to adjust the length to make it as short or as long as you’d like.

Body Sizing

Foundation’s body section comes in 12 sizes, 1-12.

Measurements are given as follows: (1, 2, 3, 4) [5, 6, 7, 8] (9, 10, 11, 12).

Recommended body ease is around 6” / 15cm.

All measurements refer to the garment and are taken laid flat.

A - Bust / Waist Circumference
(36, 39, 42, 45) [48, 51, 54, 57] (60, 63, 66, 69)“
(90, 97.5, 105, 112.5) [120, 127.5, 135, 142.5] (150, 157.5, 165, 172.5) cm

B - Neck Opening
(11.5, 12, 12, 12.5) [12.5, 12.5, 13, 13] (13, 13.5, 13.5, 13.5)“
(29, 30, 30, 31.5) [31.5, 31.5, 32.5, 32.5] (32.5, 34, 34, 34) cm

C - Neck to Shoulder Seam
(4.25, 4.75, 5.5, 6) [6.75, 7.5, 8, 8.75] (9.5, 10, 10.75, 11.5)“
(10.5, 12, 14, 15) [17, 19, 20, 22] (24, 25, 27, 29) cm

D - Length, Shoulder to Hem
(17, 17, 17, 17) [17, 17, 19, 19] (19, 19, 19, 19)“
(42.5, 42.5, 42.5, 42.5) [42.5, 42.5, 47.5, 47.5] (47.5, 47.5, 47.5, 47.5) cm

Reminder: the pattern includes instructions to adjust the length and add optional waist shaping.

E - Front Neck Drop
(1.6, 1.6, 1.6, 1.6) [1.6, 1.6, 2.6, 2.6] (2.6, 2.6, 2.6, 2.6)“
(4, 4, 4, 4) [4, 4, 6.5, 6.5] (6.5, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5)cm

Sleeve Sizing

Foundation’s sleeves come in 12 sizes, A-L.

Measurements are given as follows: (A, B, C, D) [E, F, G, H] (I J, K, L).

Recommended sleeve ease is around 2” / 5cm.

All measurements refer to the garment and are taken laid flat.

All sleeves are 20” / 50cm long as written; the pattern includes instructions on adjusting the sleeve length.

Armscye Depth
(5, 6, 7, 8) [9, 10, 11, 12] (13, 14, 15, 16)“
(12.5, 15, 17.5, 20) [22.5, 25, 27.5, 30] (32.5, 35, 37.5, 40) cm

Bicep Circumference
(10, 12, 14, 16) [18, 20, 22, 24] (26, 28, 30, 32)“
(25, 30, 35, 40) [45, 50, 55, 60] (65, 70, 75, 80) cm

Wrist Circumference
(6, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5) [9, 9, 9, 10.5] (10.5, 10.5, 12, 12)“
(15, 19, 19, 19) [22.5, 22.5, 22.5, 26.5] (26.5, 26.5, 30, 30) cm

Construction

Foundation is a drop shoulder garment. The back is knit first, then stitches are picked up at the shoulders to work the front. After blocking the sides are seamed, which is what allows the sizing to be mix and match; you can choose to seam more to create a smaller armscye and accommodate a narrower sleeve, or less to create a deeper armscye and accommodate a wider sleeve. Stitches are then picked up to work each sleeve and the neckband.

You can watch a video explaining this construction method here:

Construction Video

Stitches

knit
purl
knit 2 together
knit front and back
left lifted increase
right lifted increase
slip slip knit

Other Techniques

knitting flat
knitting in the round
long tail cast on
picking up stitches
backwards loop cast on
mattress stitch
binding off
yarn held double (optional)

Sample Details

Sample A - Advent Set
Yarn: Giddy Aunt Yarns Merino Smooth Sock (75% merino wool, 25% nylon) in Advent 2020, held double
Size: 8H (with waist shaping)
Yardage: 2304y / 2107m
Model: Victoria
Bust Ease: 5” / 12.5cm
Bicep Ease: 2” / 5cm

Sample B - Burgundy
Yarn: Deramores Studio DK (100% acrylic) in Shiraz, held single
Size: 5E (added length to body)
Yardage: 1066y / 975m
Model: Hawkins (tailor’s dummy)
Bust Ease: 7” / 17.5cm
Bicep Ease: n/a

Sample C - Green
Yarn: The Yarn Collective Bloomsbury DK (100% merino wool) in Moss, held single
Size: 8H (with waist shaping and 2” added to body)
Yardage: 1315y / 1202m
Model: Victoria
Bust Ease: 5” / 12.5cm
Bicep Ease: 2” / 5cm

You can view more details of the samples and fit models used for Foundation in the Sample and Fit Model Galleries.

Sample Gallery

Fit Models

Accessibility

Foundation includes two versions of the pattern: the main version, and a second version designed for low vision and screen reader users.

Both versions of the pattern are colour blind friendly.

The accessible version of the pattern has:

• 24 point sans-serif font (Arial) throughout
• Fully saturated black text on white background
• Single column layout
• Left-aligned text
• No italics
• No header or footer – just page numbers (bottom left)
• Consistent use of heading tags for easy navigation
• Internal links to aid navigation
• All instructions written out in text without reliance on diagrams or charts
• All words written out in full (i.e. no abbreviations)
• No bulleted lists
• No tables
• Tested with screen readers

You can read full details here: Accessible Patterns