This free Drops pullover pattern called Wind Down has been in my queue for months, patiently awaiting its turn. Drops Alpaca Party this winter helped it move to the front of the queue and finally I decided to knit it, using two shades of Drops Lima yarn: light gray and sea green. My latest hat, cowl and gloves were made from the leftovers from this project. I’m not really sure why but I knew from the beginning that I wanted these colours to be used together as very simple, basic colour blocks, with the gray shade in the upper part. I couldn’t really see knitting this jumper in more colourful version, I wanted the lacy details to play the main role.
This is not a complicated or challenging pattern, and knitting the pullover should have been easy, but for some reason it wasn’t. First of all, I printed out the pattern and didn’t notice that due to the low level of ink in my printer, not everything was visible on the lace charts. So I made the panels incorrectly and: the eyelets in every third row are too far from the eyelets in other rows. It’s not too bad though so I just left it this way.
I also forgot to be careful with yarn joining and I ended up with the most visible join on the front of the jumper. It’s on about 1/3 of the gray part from its lower edge, just in my stomach area. It’s not too visible on the photo but definitely visible in reality. I’m telling myself that it makes it unique and shows it’s hand-made though ๐
Finally, the bottom edge was a nightmare to knit! Original garter stitch edge kept curling even when I used smaller needles and decreased the stitches. I think I tried to re-make it about 4 or 5 times before giving up and knitting it in reversed stocking stitch instead! This way it curls in the opposite direction, and the effect is actually quite cool and interesting. But it’s frustrating that even though I read about garter edge curling a lot and followed all the advice I could find, it didn’t help!
This jumper has such lovely details, and except the lacy panels around raglan decreases, the inner part of the sleeves is also interesting. There are 2 rows of eyelets there and even though I thought it made no sense at first, I really love it now! But even the sleeves were a little problematic for me, as somehow one of them feels a little tighter at the wrist than the other one! I kept counting the stitches and I was sure I did everything correctly, but apparently not. It’s not too bad, so I just ignore it ๐ Or maybe it’s just my wrists that are uneven? But no, it’s even visible on the photo below:
One of the results of taking up knitting is that I learn to wear jumpers. I’ve always been a cardigan person, but there is just something about wearing my hand knitted clothes that makes me feel great in them, even if I used to avoid them in the past ๐
So here is my new pullover, which has also been my most worn garment this week!
Wow, that looks great! That does look like a complicated pattern (at least for a beginning knitter like myself). Great job! I love the colors you selected as well.
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Thank you! It’s not really complicated, as long as you don’t make mistakes like I did ๐ถ the lacy panels make it look more difficult than it really is!
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It’s gorgeous; I do love those colours together. I scrutinised the lace panel and I can see what you mean and would like to add that if you hadn’t mentioned it I would have thought it was meant to be like that as it rounds out the eyelets rather than making a line of them.
I’m wondering if the yarn was thinner on that lower sleeve…? Meaning that the yarn was inconsistent at that stage in the skein.
The colours really suit you ๐ ๐๐ธ๐ผโค๐๐๐๐ผ
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Thank you, I feel good in these colours so glad to hear that they suit me!
I didn’t notice the difference in yarn thickness, it’s really evenly spun. I’m afraid I made a mistake in decreasing at some point… well, it wouldn’t be too hard to unravel one sleeve and correct it so maybe I should just do it instead of complaining ๐
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Beautiful jumper, and works well as a two-tone. You inspired me to make that softyak slouchy hat (I haven’t posted about it yet – still have to photograph it, but I’ve been wearing it already) and this jumper might be another copy-cat! I love the lace detail at the raglan decreases. And I’ve never knitted a jumper before, so this looks like a good ‘un for a first full project.. Although for some reason top-down jumpers scare me more than bottom-up…
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Oh, great to know I inspired you! Hope you like the hat ๐
Top-down jumpers are easier than bottom-up so don’t be scared, especially seamless like this one. It really is easy and good for a first jumper. I don’t know if you are familiar with Drops patterns-they are written in a specific way so read it carefully before starting to make sure everything is clear and then it should be easy peasy โบ
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Thanks for the advice! I knit quite slowly (and get distracted easily!) so probably won’t get round to this until next winter. And I really am trying to stash-bust, so no new yarn for me for a while.. Honest! ๐
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The colors go really well together, and the pullover looks great on you! (I conclude now that grey is a pretty friendly color, and works well with a lot of other colors.)
I like how you’ll consider the yarn join a sign of the ‘handmadeness’ of the sweater. ๐ As for the wrists, it’s a mystery indeed, but if they’re not too uncomfortable, I’d just leave them be.
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Lol… I have no choice with the yarn join, I really don’t feel like unraveling it all ๐laziness leads to creativity I guess ๐maybe I can find the necklace with the right lenght to cover the joining?
Gray is an awesome colour, I like it more and more, light gray specifically and in particular matched with a more bright, bold shade. One of my favourite neutrals together with beige โบ
Thank you Anita!
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It’s so pretty, they are excellent colours to use together ๐
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Thank you, it’s challenging but I love it๐
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