The Design

“A cozy basic with your favorite sweatshirt feel!”

With a lightweight fabric, easy fit, and plenty of options for adding your own personal touch, the Better-Than-Basic Pullover is a comfy, timeless addition to our wardrobes. It's just the sort of piece that will carry us through the last days of winter and into the variable days of spring. For a roomy sweatshirt feel, think about knitting it up a size larger for yourself. It’ll be just as cozy and comfortable, while keeping that touch of casual elegance.

We knit the Better-Than-Basic Pullover in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, one of our favorite woolen-spun yarns. Worsted-weight and spun from 100% Wyoming-grown Targhee-Columbia fleece, Shelter is multi-talented. Not only does it have beautiful stitch definition, it achieves a characteristic lofty spring and a fabric with great structure.

The Details

SIZES
This pullover is designed with lots of ease (8–10"/20–25cm), relaxed shoulders and slim sleeves in sizes XS (S, M, L, XL).

Finished bust: 42½ (46½, 50, 54½, 59)"/108 (118, 127, 138, 150)cm, after seaming.
To fit bust: 32–34 (36–38, 40–42, 44–46, 48–50)"/81–86 (91–96, 101–106, 112–117, 122–127)cm.

LENGTHS
Finished body length measured from high shoulder (where shoulder meets neck) to hem.
Hip-length version (shown here): 23¼ (23½, 24¼, 24½, 25)"/59 (60, 61, 62, 63)cm.
Center back neck to cuff: 24 (25, 26, 27, 28)"/ 61 (63, 66, 69, 71)cm.

YARN
Hip-length version (shown here): 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) skeins Brooklyn Tweed Shelter (140 yds/128m each).
Or 1100 (1200, 1300, 1400, 1500) yds/1005 (1100, 1190, 1280, 1370)m of a light-worsted-weight yarn that typically knits at 20 sts to 4"/10cm. You’ll want to open it up just a little to a finished gauge of 4½ sts per inch.
Shown in Cast Iron, size L.

To lengthen or shorten body: Add or subtract approx. 30 (33, 35, 39, 41) yds/27 (30, 32, 35, 37)m of yarn per 1"/2.5cm of knitted length.

NEEDLES & NOTIONS
Both ribbed-neck version (shown here) and funnel-neck version:
US 8 (5mm) 24"/60cm circular needle or size to obtain gauge.
Rib-neck version: US 7 (4.5mm) 24"/60cm and 16"/40cm circular needle, or 1 US size/.5mm smaller than gauge size.
Funnel-neck version: 16"/40cm circular needle in gauge size; and US 6 (4mm) 24"/60cm and 16"/40cm circular needles, or 2 US sizes/1mm smaller than gauge size.
Both versions: 2 ring markers; 6 locking markers; 4 stitch holders (we like to use extra circular needles, in gauge size or smaller, so you can knit off holder from either end); darning needle to finish.

GAUGE
18 sts/25 rows = 4"/10cm in stockinette stitch on larger needle, after blocking.

Errata & Clarifications

Knitter's Notes
We can’t stress enough the value of a generous swatch. We like to work one that’s at least 6" x 6". And don’t skip the wet block and steam steps. Beyond checking your stitch and row gauge, you will want to look critically at the resulting fabric. Your swatch will tell you if you’ve got a nice fabric that has both drape and body.

Designed with versatility in mind, it’s well suited to all body types. Several of our staff looked great in all five sizes, from slightly fitted to very oversized; all of us looked good in at least two sizes! So instead of thinking in terms of a specific size, think about the amount of ease you want (the difference between your actual bust measurement and the actual sweater measurement).

We suggest you try on sweaters of different length to see what works for you, and then measure the length from your high shoulder (where the shoulder meets the neck) to hem and use this as your template. After you decide on the size, just personalize the sleeve length from the varying degrees of shoulder drop (the pattern tells you how).

A couple of easy modifications will result in a sweater that’s great for those of us who run warm. The neckline is designed so that the collar can be tucked in and sewn down, sitting a flattering distance away from the neck. And sleeve length can be customized to end above the wrist, making for a cooler sweater by keeping the wrist pulse points uncovered.