INTRODUCTION

Mountain Forest

by Susan Mills Knits

Knit from the bottom up, the colorwork section can be knit in a gradation of colors. I wanted to use as many colors as possible from my large stash of Lettlopi odd skeins and partial skeins. Alternately, you can use one contrasting color for the colowork for a bold contrast.

model: Mackenzie Mills

photos: Susan Mills

SIZE

 XXS[XS, S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X]
Shown in size L with 7 inches/18 cm of ease at largest part of chest.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest circumference at underarm:  31[34.25, 37.25, 40.5, 43.5, 49.75, 56, 62.25, 68.5] inches/ 78.5[87, 94.5, 103, 110.5, 126.5, 142, 158, 174] cm
Length:  22.25[22.75, 23.25, 23.5, 24.25, 24.75, 25.25, 26, 27.25] inches/ 56.5[58, 59, 59.5, 61.5, 63, 64, 66, 69] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Alafoss Lettlopi [100% wool; 109 yd/100m per 50 g skein];
[MC] Light Ash Heather (0054); 5[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9] skeins, or approximately 500[510, 520, 590, 640, 700, 760, 820, 900] yards/ meters
[CC1] Navy (420); 2 skeins (for all sizes), or approximately 120[125, 130, 135, 140, 155, 170, 185, 210] yards/ meters
1 skein each (for all sizes) or approximately 50[55, 60, 60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 95] yards/ meters:
[CC2] Ocean (419)
[CC3] Stone Blue Heather (418)
[CC4] Grape Heather (432)
[CC5] Violet Heather (1414)
[CC6] Moor (1416)
[CC7] Golden Heather (426)
[CC8] Celery (421)
[CC9] Frostbite (1417)
Note: If you use only one color for all CCs: 5[6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9] skeins, or approximately 520[565, 610, 615, 660, 775, 810, 865, 970] yards/ meters.

Yarn Characteristics
A rustic single ply wool in a heavy worsted/light aran weight.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #6/4mm double pointed needles
1 set US #7/4.5mm double pointed needles
1 US #6/4mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long
1 US #6/4mm circular needle, 24 inches/60 cm or longer
1 US #7/4.5mm circular needle, 16 inches/40 cm long
1 US #7/4.5mm circular needle, 24 inches/60 cm or longer

Notions
stitch markers
stitch holders or waste yarn
yarn needle

GAUGE

18 sts/24 rnds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch for single color and stranded colorwork, blocked.
Change your needle size if necessary to maintain consistent gauge in stranded colorwork.

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Construction method: The body of this pullover is worked seamlessly in the round from the hem up to underarms. Sleeves are worked in the round from cuff to underarms. Body and sleeves are then joined and yoke is worked in the round to neck ribbing.

Colorwork: It may be necessary to use a larger needle while knitting the stranded colorwork in order to maintain the same gauge throughout both the solid color and colorwork section.

CHARTS

View and download CHARTs here

Body/Yoke | Sleeve XXS-M | Sleeve L | Sleeve 1X | Sleeve 2x-4x

DIRECTIONS

Body
With long, smaller needle and CC1, cast on 140[152, 168, 180, 196, 224, 252, 280, 308] sts. Join to work in round, being careful not to twist, and pm for beginning of round.
Work in rib as follows for 8[10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 14] rounds: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end of round.
Change to larger needle.

Size XS only:
Next round: *M1, k76; repeat from * once. 154 sts.

Size S only:
Next round: *M1, k90; repeat from * once. 182 sts.

All other sizes:
Next round: Knit.

 140[154, 168, 182, 196, 224, 252, 280, 308] sts.

Work Body chart (36 rounds), changing CC as indicated on chart. When chart is complete, work even in Stockinette Stitch with MC until Body measures 14[14.5, 15, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5, 17, 18] inches/ 35.5[37, 38, 38, 39.5, 40.5, 42, 43, 45.5] cm, or desired length to underarm, ending the last round 2 sts before marker. Do not break yarn. Set aside.

SLEEVES (work 2)
With smaller set of double pointed needles, cast on 36[36, 36, 36, 36, 36, 40, 40, 40] sts. Join to work in round, being careful not to twist, and pm for beginning of round.
Work in rib as follows for 8[10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 14] rounds: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end of round.
Change to larger needles.

Next round: (M1, k9) 4[4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 0, 0, 0] times. 40 sts for all sizes.

Begin working SLEEVE chart, working an Increase round every 2 rounds 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3] times as indicated in the chart for your size.

Increase round: K1, m1, work in patt to 1 st before end of round, m1, k1. 2 sts increased.
Work Increase round every 4 rounds 4[4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 8, 8, 10] times.
Work Increase round every 6 rounds 4[4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6] times.
Work Increase round every 8 rounds 2[3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0] times. 64[66, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 74, 78] sts.

When SLEEVE chart is complete, continue with increases in MC Stockinette Stitch, then work even until SLEEVE measures 14[14.5, 15, 15, 15, 15.5, 16, 16, 17] inches/ 35.5[37, 38, 38, 38, 39.5, 40.5, 40.5, 43] cm, or desired length, ending the last round 2 sts before marker. Sl the next 4 sts to stitch holder or waste yarn. Break yarn.

NOTE: To determine the perfect sleeve length, slip sts to waste yarn and try on your SLEEVE. The live sts of the SLEEVE should be 1 inch/2.5 cm from underarm (sleeves in sample shown are extra long: 18 inches/45.5 cm).

Yoke
Joining round: Using MC yarn attached to body, knit 4 sts from body (2 sts before marker and 2 sts after marker) and slip these sts to stitch holder or waste yarn, k 66[73, 80, 87, 94, 108, 122, 136, 150] sts for back, sl the next 4 sts to stitch holder or waste yarn, k 60[62, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 70, 74] sts from first sleeve, knit across rem 66[73, 80, 87, 94, 108, 126, 136, 150] sts from body for front, k 60[62, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 70, 74] sts from second sleeve. 252[270, 284, 302, 320, 352, 384, 412, 448] sts for yoke.

Knit 1[1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6] rnds even.

Size XXS: Skip both sets of Decrease rounds.
Size XS: Skip Decrease rounds 1

Decrease rounds 1:
Size S only: K4, [k2tog, k18] 14 times.
Size M only: K8, [k2tog, k19] 14 times.
Size L only: K12, [k2tog, k20] 14 times.
Size 1X only: K16, [k2tog, k10] 28 times. 
Size 2X only: [K2tog, k8] 6 times, [k2tog, k7] 36 times.
Size 3X only: [K2tog, k5] 4 times, [k2tog, k6] 48 times.
Size 4X only: [(K2tog, k4) 3 times, (k2tog, k5) 2 times] 14 times.
 252[270, 270, 288, 306, 324, 342, 360, 378] sts.

Work Yoke chart Rounds 1-45. Change to shorter circular when necessary. When chart is complete, the yoke will have 84[90, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126] sts.

Decrease rounds 2:
Size XS only: (K2tog, k40) twice.
Size S only: (K2tog, k43) twice.
Size M only: (K2tog, k10) 8 times.
Size L only: K2, (K2tog, k8) 10 times.
Size 1X only: K4, (k2tog, k4, k2tog, k5) 8 times.
Size 2X only: K6, (k2tog, k4) 18 times.
Size 3X only: (K2tog, k3) 24 times.
Size 4X only: K6, (k2tog, k2) 30 times.
 84[88, 88, 88, 92, 92, 96, 96, 96] sts.

Knit 0 (0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) rnd.
Change to smaller needle and work in K2, p2 rib for 5 (5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7) rnds.
Bind off all sts loosely in rib.

FINISHING

Wet block and dry flat. Weave in ends.

A – Chest circumference: 31[34.25, 37.25, 40.5, 43.5, 49.75, 56, 62.25, 68.5] inches/ 78.5[87, 94.5, 103, 110.5, 126.5, 142, 158, 174] cm
B – Length to underarm: 14[14.5, 15, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5, 17, 18] inches/ 35.5[37, 38, 38, 39.5, 40.5, 42, 43, 45.5] cm
C – Total length: 22.25[22.75, 23.25, 23.5, 24.25, 24.75, 25.25, 26, 27.25] inches/ 56.5[58, 59, 59.5, 61.5, 63, 64, 66, 69] cm
D – Neck circumference: 18.75[19.5, 19.5, 19.5, 20.5, 20.5, 20.75, 21.25, 21.25] inches/ 47.5[49.5, 49.5, 49.5, 52, 52, 54, 53, 54] cm
E – Wrist circumference: 8[8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9] inches/22.5 cm
F – Sleeve length: 14[14.5, 15, 15, 15, 15.5, 16, 16, 17] inches/ 35.5[37, 38, 38, 38, 39.5, 40.5, 40.5, 43] cm
G – Upper arm circumference: 14.25[14.75, 14.75, 15, 15.5, 16, 16.5, 16.5, 17.25] inches/ 36[37.5, 37.5, 38, 39.5, 40.5, 42, 42, 44] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Susan has been publishing patterns and working for yarn companies since 1992. Recently retired, she now has more time to knit!

You can find many of her designs on Ravelry at Susan Mills Knits.

Pattern & images © 2025 Susan Mills Knits