During my first winter living in NYC, it was so cold that I realised I needed a whole different type of winter wardrobe than I was used to. Bulky yarn was definitely the way to go, and given how quickly it would knit up it seemed like the perfect opportunity to design my first jumper. After fiddling around with some cables and the wonderful The Magic, Custom-Fit Raglan Sweater recipe I found on Ravelry, the Necessity Jumper was born!

It’s taken me several years, an international move and a few different yarn experiments to finally turn the jumper into a fully graded pattern, but I’m so excited to finally share it with you. I hope you find it just as essential to your winter wardrobe as I did.

Skill Level: Adventurous beginner/intermediate

Construction:

This jumper is a typical top-down raglan worked in the round. You begin by casting on the neckline, then work short rows to raise the back neck. After that the yoke is worked with regular increases for the sleeves, front and back, along with the cable panel that runs down the sleeve. The sleeves are then held and the body is joined in the round and worked with waist shaping and cable panels running down both sides. The sleeves are then picked back up and worked to the wrist with the cable panel continuing where it was established in the yoke.

Sizes

Finished bust measurements:
82[90.5, 102, 110.5, 120][131.5, 140, 151.5, 160] cm
32.75[36.25, 40.75, 44.25, 48][52.5, 56, 60.5, 64]“:

Intended to be worn with 0 to 11.5 cm (4.5”) positive ease.

Skills Needed

German Short Rows
Cables

Links are provided to video tutorials for all the techniques listed above.

Yarn

Knit Picks Wonderfluff OR Wool and the Gang Feeling Good Yarn, 3[3, 3, 4, 4][4, 5, 5, 5] balls of MC, 2[3, 3, 3, 3][3, 4, 4, 4] balls of CC.

If substituting, you will need the following amounts:
MC: 330[347, 379, 417, 457][490, 540, 589, 638] m (361[379, 414, 456, 499][536, 590, 643, 696] yds)
CC: 236[261, 293, 322, 355][390, 416, 447, 476] m (258[286, 320, 351, 387][426, 454, 488, 520] yds)

There are notes in the pattern for the best yarns to use for substitions.

Needles

6.5 mm (US 10.5) circular needles or size needed to obtain gauge, 60cm (24”) or longer.
6 mm (US 10) circular needles or one size smaller than main needle, 60cm (24”) or longer.

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