A lightweight, gently-fitted lace jumper inspired by the flowing, leaf-and-ring motifs of Middle-earth. Worked flat in pieces and seamed, with a repeating vertical Elvish lace panel across body and sleeves. Suitable for fingering-weight yarn and an open, drapey finish after blocking.
Fingering weight / 4-ply yarn. Imperial & Metric: 900 (1000, 1100, 1250, 1400, 1550, 1700) yards / 820 (915, 1006, 1143, 1280, 1417, 1554) meters total.
Suggested ball: 100g skeins at approx 400 yds / 366 m each (adjust to your yarn)
Small needles (ribbing): US 5 — UK (old) 9 — 3.75 mm
Main needles (body & lace, after blocking): US 6 — UK (old) 8 — 4.0 mm
Optional larger for more drape: US 7 — UK (old) 7 — 4.5 mm
Use circulars for body and longer rows (24” / 60 cm and 32” / 80 cm as needed) and set of double-pointed needles or small circular for sleeves if working in the round.
Blocked lace pattern: 22 stitches and 28 rows = 4” (10 cm) over lace pattern on 4.0 mm needles. Ribbing: 24 sts & 32 rows = 4” on 3.75 mm needles.
Multiple: 12 sts + 2 edge sts (work a full number of repeats across your piece; place a selvedge stitch at each end if you prefer tidy edges).
This is an 8-row repeat. Work Row 2, 4, 6 and 8 on WS as written.
Row 1 (RS): K1, *yo, k2, ssk, k4, k2tog, k2, yo, k1* (rep to last st, k1). Row 2 (WS): Purl. Row 3 (RS): K1, *k2, yo, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k2* (rep to last st, k1). Row 4 (WS): Purl. Row 5 (RS): K1, *k2tog, yo, k4, yo, ssk, k2, k1* (rep to last st, k1). Row 6 (WS): Purl. Row 7 (RS): K1, *k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k2* (rep to last st, k1). Row 8 (WS): Purl.
Notes: Each 8-row sequence returns to the starting stitch count (yo and decreases balance). If you are working a swatch and your stitch count drifts after a full repeat, check tension and needle size. Blocked lace will open and lengthen; gauge is measured after blocking.
Work Back, Front and Sleeves flat from hem up. Each piece includes vertical lace panels across the front/back body and full sleeve. After knitting, shoulder seams are joined, side and sleeve seams sewn, neck finishing worked last.
Using 3.75 mm (US 5) needles, cast on the required number of stitches for your size and work 2x2 rib (k2, p2) for 1.5” (4 cm), or 2.5” (6 cm) for longer hem.
Divide these between front and back when working pieces separately (half the total for each piece).
1. Cast on half the body cast-on for your size on 3.75 mm needles. Join to work flat. 2. Work 2x2 rib for hem length as above. Change to 4.0 mm needles. 3. Establish lace pattern across the row. Begin the 8-row lace repeat and continue until piece measures 16” (XS) / 17” (S) / 18” (M) / 19” (L) / 19” (XL) / 20” (2XL) / 20” (3XL) from cast-on, or until desired armhole shaping point. 4. Shape shoulders and neck: For a simple shoulder slope, bind off 6 (7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) sts at the beginning of the next 4 rows for XS(S,M,L) etc, or use preferred shoulder shaping to match your measurements. Place remaining center sts on waste yarn for neck or bind off center 10 (10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16) sts and finish each shoulder separately. Keep lace pattern consistent across shoulder shaping where possible.
Work as for Back until you reach 2” less than the back to the neckline. Then shape the neckline: 1. On RS, work to center 12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 16, 18) sts, turn, and work each side separately. 2. Continue lace pattern on each side, decreasing 1 st at the neck edge every RS row 8 times (or until desired neckline depth) while keeping lace pattern readable. 3. When the front matches the back at shoulder height, bind off remaining shoulder sts to match back; repeat for other side. 4. Alternatively, use a shallow crew neckline by binding off center sts and working shoulders separately as for back.
1. Cast on 56 (60, 64, 68, 72, 74, 78) sts on 3.75 mm needles (adjust cast-on in multiples of 12 where you want full lace repeats across sleeve width). Work 2x2 rib for 1.5” (4 cm). 2. Change to 4.0 mm needles and start lace pattern across sleeve. Increase for sleeve width: on RS, increase 1 st each side every 6th row 8 (8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11) times until you reach the upper sleeve target: 96 (104, 112, 120, 128, 136, 144) sts (or desired sleeve cap width). Place markers to maintain panel alignment with body panels if desired. 3. Work straight until sleeve length from cast-on to underarm measures 17” (17.5”, 18”, 18.5”, 19”, 19.5”, 20”) or desired length, ending after a WS row.
To lengthen or shorten: add/subtract full lace repeats (8-row blocks) for vertical changes. To adjust width: add/subtract lace repeats (12-st units) across the piece, adding corresponding yardage.
Handwash in cool water with mild soap, rinse gently, roll in towel to remove excess water and lay flat to dry. Store folded rather than on a hanger to avoid stretching.
Questions or pattern clarifications: contact team@verde.uk. Pattern and community: https://purljam.verde.uk. Social: #purljam
Designed as an inspiration piece; name and concept are fan-inspired and not affiliated with any official franchise.