purlJam

<pattern>

# NORDIC SNOWFLAKE YOKE PULLOVER

A classic Nordic-inspired pullover featuring a circular yoke with traditional snowflake and geometric colorwork. This sweater is worked from the bottom up with a seamless circular yoke construction. While the pattern is written with clear instructions suitable for an ambitious beginner, please note that stranded colorwork requires practice and patience—take time to swatch and master your tension!

---

## SIZES
Small (Medium, Large, X-Large, 2X-Large)

**Finished Chest Circumference**: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)" / 96.5 (106.5, 117, 127, 137) cm
*Designed to be worn with 4-6" / 10-15 cm positive ease*

Sample shown in size Medium on a 36" bust.

---

## MATERIALS

**Yarn**: Worsted weight wool or wool blend  
Approx **1200 (1400, 1600, 1850, 2100) yards** / 1097 (1280, 1463, 1692, 1920) m total

Color amounts:
- **Main Color (MC)**: 950 (1100, 1250, 1450, 1650) yards / 869 (1006, 1143, 1326, 1509) m
  *Natural white, cream, or light gray recommended*
- **Contrast Color (CC)**: 250 (300, 350, 400, 450) yards / 229 (274, 320, 366, 411) m
  *Navy, charcoal, red, or forest green recommended*

*Suggested yarn: Cascade 220 (100% wool, 220 yards/100g) or similar worsted weight*

**Needles**:
- US 7 (4.5 mm) 16" and 32" circular needles for ribbing, or size needed to obtain gauge
- US 8 (5 mm) 16" and 32" circular needles for body, or size needed to obtain gauge
- Set of US 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) or long circular for magic loop for sleeves

**Notions**:
- Stitch markers (including 1 unique marker for beginning of round)
- Scrap yarn or stitch holders
- Tapestry needle
- Measuring tape

---

## GAUGE

**CRITICAL**: You MUST swatch in the colorwork pattern, not plain stockinette!

**18 stitches × 22 rounds = 4" / 10 cm** in stranded colorwork stockinette on larger needles, washed and blocked

**16 stitches × 20 rounds = 4" / 10 cm** in K2, P2 ribbing on smaller needles, relaxed

*Note: Colorwork gauge is typically tighter than plain stockinette. Your plain stockinette gauge may be 16 sts/4", but with colorwork it should be 18 sts/4". Always check your colorwork gauge before beginning!*

**To swatch**: Cast on 30 sts with larger needle. Work Chart B (small geometric pattern) for at least 5" in the round or flat with stranded technique. Wash, block, and measure after fully dry.

---

## ABBREVIATIONS

- **k**: knit
- **p**: purl
- **st(s)**: stitch(es)
- **RS**: right side
- **WS**: wrong side
- **BOR**: beginning of round
- **MC**: Main Color
- **CC**: Contrast Color
- **pm**: place marker
- **sm**: slip marker
- **k2tog**: knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk**: slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **m1L**: make 1 left (lift bar between sts from front to back, knit through back loop)
- **m1R**: make 1 right (lift bar between sts from back to front, knit through front loop)

---

## PATTERN NOTES

**Construction**: This sweater is worked from the bottom up in the round. The body and sleeves are worked separately to the underarms, then joined to work the circular yoke. The yoke features traditional Nordic colorwork with decreases distributed evenly as the yoke narrows toward the neck.

**Circular Yoke Shaping**: Unlike raglan construction, the circular yoke uses evenly distributed decreases (typically 6-8 decrease rounds) to create a seamless, rounded yoke that perfectly showcases colorwork patterns.

**Stranded Colorwork Technique**:
- **Float Management**: Never carry the unused color more than 5-7 stitches. The charts are designed to avoid long floats, but always catch floats longer than 5 stitches by twisting the working yarn around the carried yarn.
- **Tension**: Keep floats LOOSE! Stretch your work every few stitches to ensure floats span the distance without puckering. Colorwork should have the same stretch as your ribbing.
- **Two-Handed Method**: For best results, hold MC in your right hand and CC in your left hand (or vice versa). This creates consistent tension and speeds up your work.
- **Dominant Color**: The color held in your left hand will appear slightly more prominent. Hold your background color (MC) in your left hand for best results.

**Reading Charts**:
- All charts are worked in stockinette in the round (knit every round)
- Read ALL rounds from right to left
- Each square = 1 stitch
- Repeat sections are marked with brackets [ ]
- Row numbers are on the right side
- Work chart repeats as many times as needed to complete the round

**Chart Symbols**:
- □ = MC (Main Color - background)
- ■ = CC (Contrast Color - pattern)

---

## CHARTS

### CHART A: Geometric Border (8-st repeat × 7 rounds)
```
Round 7: [■ □ □ □ □ □ □ ■]
Round 6: [■ ■ □ □ □ □ ■ ■]
Round 5: [□ ■ ■ □ □ ■ ■ □]
Round 4: [□ □ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □]
Round 3: [□ □ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □]
Round 2: [□ ■ ■ □ □ ■ ■ □]
Round 1: [■ ■ □ □ □ □ ■ ■]
```
**Repeat**: Work the 8-stitch pattern repeat around entire round  
**Key**: □ = MC, ■ = CC

---

### CHART B: Small Geometric (4-st repeat × 4 rounds)
```
Round 4: [□ ■ ■ □]
Round 3: [■ □ □ ■]
Round 2: [■ □ □ ■]
Round 1: [□ ■ ■ □]
```
**Repeat**: Work the 4-stitch pattern repeat around entire round  
**Key**: □ = MC, ■ = CC

---

### CHART C: Snowflake Motif (13-st repeat × 13 rounds)
```
Round 13: [□ □ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 12: [□ □ □ □ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 11: [□ □ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 10: [□ □ ■ □ □ ■ □ □ ■ □ □ □ □]
Round 9:  [□ ■ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □]
Round 8:  [■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □]
Round 7:  [□ ■ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □]
Round 6:  [□ □ ■ □ □ ■ □ □ ■ □ □ □ □]
Round 5:  [□ □ □ ■ □ ■ □ ■ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 4:  [□ □ □ □ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 3:  [□ □ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 2:  [□ □ □ □ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □]
Round 1:  [□ □ □ □ □ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □ □]
```
**Repeat**: Work the 13-stitch pattern repeat around entire round  
**Key**: □ = MC, ■ = CC  
**Note**: Adjust stitch count before this chart to be divisible by 13

---

## INSTRUCTIONS

### BODY

With MC and smaller 32" circular needle, cast on 152 (168, 184, 200, 216) sts. Place BOR marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

**Ribbing**:
Rounds 1-15: *K2, p2; repeat from * around.

**Switch to larger 32" circular needle.**

**Setup Round**: Knit, increasing evenly to 171 (189, 207, 225, 243) sts as follows:
- Size S: *K8, m1L; repeat from * 18 times, k9 = 171 sts
- Size M: *K8, m1L; repeat from * 20 times, k9 = 189 sts  
- Size L: *K8, m1L; repeat from * 22 times, k9 = 207 sts
- Size XL: *K9, m1L; repeat from * 24 times, k9 = 225 sts
- Size 2XL: *K8, m1L; repeat from * 26 times, k9 = 243 sts

*[Stitch count check: 171 (189, 207, 225, 243) sts]*

**Body Stockinette**:
Work even in stockinette (knit every round) with MC until body measures 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5, 16)" / 35.5 (37, 38, 39.5, 40.5) cm from cast-on edge, or 2" shorter than desired length to underarm.

**Divide for Underarms**:
Next Round: K40 (44, 49, 53, 58) for left front, place next 9 (11, 11, 13, 13) sts on scrap yarn for left underarm, k82 (90, 98, 106, 114) for back, place next 9 (11, 11, 13, 13) sts on scrap yarn for right underarm, k40 (44, 49, 53, 58) for right front.

Body stitches remaining (not including underarms): 162 (178, 196, 212, 230) sts

Set body aside.

---

### SLEEVES (make 2)

With MC and larger DPNs or long circular for magic loop, cast on 36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts. Place BOR marker and join to work in the round.

**Ribbing**:
Switch to smaller DPNs (same size as body ribbing).
Rounds 1-15: *K2, p2; repeat from * around.

**Switch to larger DPNs.**

**Setup Round**: Knit, increasing evenly to 38 (40, 44, 46, 50) sts as follows:
- Size S: K18, m1L, k18, m1L = 38 sts
- Size M: Knit = 40 sts (no increase)
- Size L: *K11, m1L; repeat from * 3 times, k11 = 44 sts
- Size XL: K23, m1L, k23, m1L = 46 sts
- Size 2XL: *K11, m1L; repeat from * 4 times, k6 = 50 sts

*[Stitch count check: 38 (40, 44, 46, 50) sts]*

**Sleeve Increases**:
Increase Round: K1, m1L, knit to last st, m1R, k1 (2 sts increased)

Repeat Increase Round every 8 (8, 7, 6, 6) rounds **7 (8, 10, 12, 13) more times**.

*[Stitch count check: 54 (58, 66, 72, 78) sts]*

Continue even in stockinette until sleeve measures 17 (17