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The Lotus Yoke story

Three swatches, one frogged yoke, and the chart that finally bloomed.

Lotus Yoke sweater, front view, worn by the designerThe pattern from this storyLotus Yoke · Sweater$9Get the pattern →
The finished Lotus Yoke sweater draped over a chair in morning light
Blocked and dry, finally. Photo by An Pham

I had the motif before I had the sweater. It sat in a sketchbook for most of a winter while I knit other things and pretended it wasn’t waiting.

The first yoke

The first version used four colours and a twelve-round repeat. It was beautiful on the needles and wrong on the body: the petals landed exactly on the shoulder line and folded in half.

Knit the swatch. Then knit it again, in the round, at the size you actually plan to wear.
Three colourwork swatches side by side
Left to right: attempts one through three.

What changed

  • Eight repeats instead of six, so the petals narrow before the shoulder.
  • Short rows at the back neck before the chart begins.
  • A plain round between each motif band, which is also where sizing lives.
Lotus Yoke sweater, front view, worn by the designerPattern · SweaterLotus Yoke$9

The pattern is up now, in eight sizes. Thank you for reading along.