About this time of year, when leaves (and temperatures) are falling, I begin to day-dream of hot chocolate and tweed. The Cloisters Pullover pairs the subtle tweedy texture of the Fibre Co’s Arranmore Light (DK weight/size 3) with feminine lace insets in a Phrancko sweater.

“What is a Phrancko?”, you may ask. Phrancko is a top-down, seamless construction technique for making sweaters with perfect bell-shaped set in sleeves. The technique was invented a few years ago by Frank Jernigan, TKGA certified master hand knitter. Watch the Phrancko technique video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOn7UUdnIvo to learn more.

Arranmore Light (DK weight) from the Fibre Co was chosen both for it’s subtle tweediness and it’s soft drape. The sweater is worked in an asymmetric rib pattern which flows into a lacey finish at sleeve cuffs and below the waist on the body of the sweater. The same lace detail is picked up on the folded neck banding. Although you may also wish to work up a swatch of the lace, be sure to use the gauge you get for your blocked ribbing swatch for the lace also, so that the ribbing flows into the lace.

Construction: Worked from the top-down, the set in sleeve caps are shaped along with the yoke of the sweater. A provisional cast on is used for the underarm when dividing the body and sleeves. After finishing the body, pick up around the sleeve arm openings and continue working to the cuff. The bottom banding and cuffs are worked with two full repeats of the lace pattern, which should be about 5-6”/12.5-15cm when working in DK (size 3) weight yarn.

The cloisters is one of the designs featured in the Fall 2023 Knit-Along with KnitWiz.
Zoom sessions are held every Monday and Thursday at 2:00 pm Eastern (11:00 am Pacific) time. This is a good place to get answers to your questions, or just join the chat.

For more information, visit https://www.knitwiz.com/knit-alongs/fall-2023-knitwiz-kni....

Technique videos are up on the KnitWiz youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzSJoDJo_73yK0CUx0_T-PA

Yardage Estimates are for a DK weight yarn with 328 yds/100 g.

XS (28-32”/70-80cm) - 1050 yds / 4 skeins
SM (32-36”/80-90cm) - 1180 yds / 4 skeins
MD (36-40”/90-100cm) - 1315 yds / 5 skeins
LG (40-44”/100-110cm) - 1460 yds / 5 skeins
1X (44-48”/110-120cm) - 1605 yds / 5 skeins
2X (48-52”/120-130cm) - 1780 yds / 6 skeins
3X (52-56”/130-140cm) - 1930 yds / 6 skeins
4X (56-50”/140-150cm) - 2100 yds / 7 skeins
5X (60-64”/150-160cm)- 2260 yds / 7 skeins

Suggested Yarn: Arranmore Light by the Fibre Co. Kits available at https://kindredknits.com/collections/the-cloisters-kit

Actual yardage, shown on your project page, is based on several factors; your yarn, gauge, measurements, and the amount of ease you choose. It will be more accurate than the estimates above.

Gauge/Needles: depend on fabric drape. Add your own yarn (if different), and gauge measurements to your project. Note that if your gauge while working the sweater is different than your swatch, you may enter the new gauge at any time and your instructions will be updated to reflect the new numbers. (It happens!).

The sample gauge was 22 sts = 4” (10cm) on US size 6 needles. Your project is created with 3-5” of ease at the upper chest by default, and short rows at the bust are added if needed for your particular pattern (the sample is shown with bust short rows).

You may change the ease in your project page depending on how you’d like to wear the sweater. The sample is shown with 6” ease because I intend to wear it over a turtleneck. However, after blocking, the blend of wool, cashmere & silk is definitely soft enough to wear next to the skin.

This has quickly become one of my favorite sweaters and I hope it becomes one of your favorites too!

Happy Knitting,

Cathy