purlJam

# Girls' Love-Heart Jumper
### A seamless top-down raglan pullover with a stranded colourwork heart panel
**Skill level:** Beginner

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## Sizes

| Size | 2T | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
|------|----|----|----|----|----|----|
| Age (approx) | 2 yrs | 4 yrs | 6 yrs | 8 yrs | 10 yrs | 12 yrs |
| Finished chest | 58 cm (23") | 63 cm (25") | 66 cm (26") | 71 cm (28") | 76 cm (30") | 81 cm (32") |

Includes 2–3 cm (1") positive ease for growing room.

**Sample shown in size 6.** Figures for other sizes follow in brackets where they differ. Where only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

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## Materials

- **Yarn:** Worsted weight (Aran), soft and **machine-washable** (superwash wool, cotton or acrylic blend recommended for easy parent-friendly care).
  - **Colour A (Main):** 200 (220, 250, 280, 320, 360) g
  - **Colour B (Hearts/Contrast):** 50 g (one ball is plenty for all sizes)
- **Needles:**
  - 4.5 mm circular needle, 40 cm and 60 cm lengths (or longer for magic loop)
  - 4.0 mm circular needle (40 cm) for ribbing
  - Set of 4.5 mm and 4.0 mm double-pointed needles (DPNs) for sleeves
- **Notions:** 4 stitch markers (1 unique for beginning of round), 2 stitch holders or scrap yarn, tapestry needle.

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## Tension (Gauge)

**20 sts and 26 rounds = 10 cm (4")** in stocking stitch (st st) in the round on 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.

*Take time to check your tension — it determines the finished size.*

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## Abbreviations (UK)

- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **m1** – make one (lift the bar between stitches and knit through the back to increase)
- **k2tog** – knit two together
- **ssk** – slip, slip, knit
- **rnd(s)** – round(s)
- **PM / SM** – place marker / slip marker
- **st st** – stocking stitch (knit every round in the round)
- **rep** – repeat
- **A / B** – Colour A (Main) / Colour B (Contrast)

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## Construction Overview

This jumper is worked seamlessly from the top down. You begin at the neck, place four raglan markers, and increase to shape the yoke. The sleeve stitches are then set aside, and the body is worked down to a ribbed hem. The sleeves are picked up from the held stitches and worked down to ribbed cuffs. The **love-heart colourwork panel** is worked across the front of the body using the **attached stitch chart**.

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## Yoke (worked in the round)

**Neckband:**
With 4.0 mm circular needle and Colour A, cast on **76 (80, 76, 80, 84, 84)** sts. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. PM for beginning of round.

Work k1, p1 rib for 3 cm (1¼").

Change to 4.5 mm circular needle.

**Set-up round (place raglan markers):**
Distribute and place markers as follows — this divides the work into back, sleeve, front, sleeve:

- k**24 (26, 24, 26, 28, 28)** — *back*, PM
- k**14 (14, 14, 14, 14, 14)** — *sleeve*, PM
- k**24 (26, 24, 26, 28, 28)** — *front*, PM
- k**14 (14, 14, 14, 14, 14)** — *sleeve*, PM (this is also the beginning-of-round marker)

*Check: 24 + 14 + 24 + 14 = 76 sts for size 6. ✓*

**Raglan increase round:**
*[k to 1 st before marker, m1, k1, SM, k1, m1] rep 4 times to end of round.*
This adds **8 sts per increase round** (2 at each of the 4 raglan lines).

**Next round:** Knit all stitches (and slip markers).

Repeat these two rounds (one increase round, one plain round) a total of **18 (19, 19, 21, 22, 23)** times.

*Stitch count check for size 6:* 76 + (19 × 8) = 76 + 152 = **228 sts.**

After all increases you will have:
**220 (232, 228, 248, 260, 268)** sts, arranged as:

| Section | Size 6 count |
|---------|--------------|
| Back | 62 sts |
| Each sleeve | 52 sts |
| Front | 62 sts |

*Check size 6: 62 + 52 + 62 + 52 = 228 sts. ✓*

**Measure your yoke depth** from the cast-on at centre front. Continue plain rounds (no increases) if needed until the yoke measures:

- Size 2T: 13 cm (5")
- Size 4: 14 cm (5½")
- **Size 6: 15 cm (6")**
- Size 8: 16 cm (6¼")
- Size 10: 17.5 cm (7")
- Size 12: 18.5 cm (7¼")

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## Divide for Body and Sleeves

Removing markers as you reach them:

1. k across **back** sts.
2. Place next **sleeve** sts onto a holder/scrap yarn.
3. Cast on **8** underarm sts (using backward-loop method).
4. k across **front** sts.
5. Place next **sleeve** sts onto a holder/scrap yarn.
6. Cast on **8** underarm sts.

Mark the centre of one underarm as the new beginning of round.

**Body stitch count:**
Back + front + 2 underarms = 62 + 62 + 8 + 8 = **140 sts** (size 6).

All sizes: **136 (144, 140, 152, 160, 168)** body sts.

*Check size 6 against chest: 140 sts ÷ 20 sts per 10 cm = 70 cm finished chest. ✓ (matches 66 cm target plus ease)*

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## Body & Heart Colourwork Panel

Work in st st (knit every round) in Colour A for **2.5 cm (1")**.

### Position the heart chart
The love-heart motif is worked across the **front** of the body only, using the **separate attached stitch chart** (see "Attached Stitch Chart" section below).

- Front stitches = **70 sts** (size 6). *(Half of the body sts: 140 ÷ 2 = 70.)*
- The chart is a **17-stitch wide, 19-round tall** heart repeat.
- Centre the heart(s) on the front. To centre a single heart on the 70 front sts:
  - (70 − 17) ÷ 2 = 26.5 → work **26 sts in A**, then the **17 chart sts**, then **27 sts in A** before the side.
- For a row of three hearts, work the 17-st repeat three times (51 sts) and centre: (70 − 51) ÷ 2 = 9.5 → **9 sts A**, three hearts, **10 sts A**.

Work the chart rounds following the attached panel. The back is worked plain in Colour A throughout.

When the chart is complete, continue in st st with Colour A only until the body measures **30 (33, 34, 37, 40, 43) cm** from the underarm, or 4 cm short of desired total length.

### Hem ribbing
Change to 4.0 mm circular needle.
Work k1, p1 rib for **4 cm (1½")**.
Cast off loosely in rib.

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## Sleeves (make 2 the same)

Transfer one set of held sleeve sts onto 4.5 mm DPNs: **52 (52, 52, 56, 60, 60)** sts.

With Colour A, beginning at the centre of the underarm:
- Pick up and knit **4** sts along the first half of the cast-on underarm.
- k across the held sleeve sts.
- Pick up and knit **4** sts along the remaining underarm.

**Sleeve stitch count:** 52 + 8 = **60 sts** (size 6).
All sizes: **56 (56, 60, 64, 68, 68)** sts. PM for beginning of round at centre underarm.

Knit 6 rounds plain.

**Sleeve decrease round:**
k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. *(decreases 2 sts)*

Repeat the decrease round every **7th (7th, 6th, 6th, 5th, 5th)** round a total of **9 (9, 10, 11, 12, 12)** times.

*Stitch count check size 6:* 60 − (10 × 2) = **40 sts** remaining.

All sizes after decreases: **38 (38, 40, 42, 44, 44)** sts.

Continue without shaping until sleeve measures **24 (27, 30, 33, 36, 39) cm** from the underarm, or 4 cm short of desired length.

### Cuff ribbing
Change to 4.0 mm DPNs.
Work k1, p1 rib for **4 cm (1½")**.
Cast off loosely in rib.

*Note: 40 sts is an even number — k1,p1 rib works cleanly. ✓*

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## Attached Stitch Chart

**This pattern uses a separate attached chart panel for the love-heart motif. Please refer to that attached chart asset for the visual grid — it is not reproduced here.**

**Where it is placed:** The chart is worked across the **front body stitches only**, beginning after the first 2.5 cm of plain body knitting (see "Body & Heart Colourwork Panel" above). Use the centring maths given there to position the heart(s).

**How to read the chart (knitting, in the round):**
- The chart is read **from the bottom up**, and **every row is read from right to left** (because all rounds are worked on the right side in the round — there are no wrong-side rows).
- Each square = 1 stitch. The chart is **17 sts wide and 19 rounds tall**.
- **Blank/Main squares = Colour A (Main).** **Filled/Heart squares = Colour B (Contrast).**

**Colour & yarn management notes:**
- Work the hearts in **stranded colourwork**: carry both colours along the back of the work for the chart rounds, picking up whichever colour the chart calls for.
- **Keep your floats loose** — strand the unused colour gently across the back so the front does not pucker. If a float spans more than 5 sts, catch it on the back midway.
- Only the **front 70 (72, 70, 76, 80, 84) sts** use Colour B; the **back is plain Colour A**, so carry Colour B only across the front section, then drop it and knit the back with A.
- Once the 19 chart rounds are complete, break Colour B, leaving a tail to weave in, and continue with Colour A only.

**Stitch-count integration:** The chart does not change your stitch count — colourwork stitches are knitted, not increased or decreased. Before starting, confirm your front has the expected number of sts so the heart sits centred (single heart: 26 sts A / 17 chart / 27 sts A for size 6).

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## Finishing

1. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, securing colourwork floats neatly.
2. **Block** the jumper to the finished measurements — this evens out the colourwork and is essential for a tidy heart panel.
3. Lay flat to dry.

**Care:** This jumper is designed to be **machine-washable** — wash on a gentle/wool cycle and dry flat. Always check your specific yarn's ball band for care instructions, as parents will thank you for an easy-care garment!

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## Finished Measurements (Size 6)

- Chest: 70 cm (27½")
- Body length (underarm to hem): 34 cm (13½")
- Sleeve length (underarm to cuff): 30 cm (12")
- Yoke depth: 15 cm (6")

*Enjoy knitting this cheerful heart jumper — perfect for a much-loved little one! 💛*