Traveling around Europe in the summer of 2024 we encountered many sneaky seagulls (and other birds) ready to swoop in on unsuspecting tourists to steal their seaside snacks. They are brazen but so funny to watch. Every time I watch them I think of the iconic scene from Disney’s Finding Nemo, with the seagulls calling out, ’Mine! Mine!’ I loved designing the Mine! Cowl and Mine! Socks so much I had to add these quirky, funny birds to a sweater as well.

This sweater is knit top down, in the round, with yoke worked in stranded colourwork, body with stripes, and a stranded colourwork section before the ribbing. I used duplicate stitch for the seagull beaks and eyes. Included in the pattern are both colour and black and white charts.

Sizes
1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Finished Chest Circumference
32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68) inches
80 (90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170) cm
This sweater is designed to fit with 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) positive ease.

Yarn
Allison Barnes Yarn 115 g / 250 yds (229 m); 100% Superwash Merino Wool; DK/Sport Weight in Beach (blue), Chin Hairs (light grey), Granite (dark grey), and Gold (yellow), (optional mini skein of black for eyes).

Needles
US3 (3.25 mm)
US5 (3.75 mm)

Gauge (after blocking)
Over plain Stockinette stitch, 24 x 33 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm
Over stranded colourwork, 24 x 28 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm

Ways to make it your own: use a single colour for the body and sleeves omitting the stripes and hem colourwork; repeat the seagull in profile more times around the bottom of the sweater (you may need to do some math for this); add the flying seagulls at the wrists before the cuff; use a colour fade set for the main colour; add stripes of flying seagulls or stripes of crabs and fish.

This pattern has been tech edited by Sigrun Jones and sizes 1-9 have been tested by volunteers.