I recently had the pleasure of testing the Falling Leaves Sweater for Iris Hardege. It’s a gorgeous top-down sweater featuring a lovely lacework yoke. I knew I just had to test this beauty when I saw one of the progress photos Iris posted of her own sample. The sweater is worked up in Aran weight yarn. I didn’t have any of that in my stash, but luckily I found a few skeins of fingering weight yarn (Autumn from Freehold Yarn Co.) which I got from my FibreShare partner. Held together, this yarn was a perfect fit – my gauge was spot on!
The pattern is very well written. I wouldn’t say it’s suitable for beginners, because the lace chart and lace stitches might be a bit confusing for those who just started their knitting journey. However, it’s absolutely perfect for knitters with a little more experience who are looking for an entertaining project which knits up quickly! The lace part is worked up by following instructions in a lace chart, which is very clear and easy to follow. The pattern also includes clear instructions on how to knit a few unusual stitches.
After finishing the lace section, the pattern uses German short rows to achieve a perfect fit. After this you will be able to split for the body and sleeves, and you can try the sweater on as you go to check the length – one of the biggest perks of knitting top-down sweaters, in my opinion!
The pattern is available in quite a wide size range (bust size 82-162). An extensive schematic can be found in the pattern, where you can find all of the other measurements for all the sizes. I highly recommend checking the schematic before you choose your size – this will allow to to achieve a perfect fit!
Iris included a tester page in the pattern, which I think is very useful. You can find substitute yarns here, as well as the yardage used for every sweater and any possible modifications made.
If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining knitting project, I highly recommend this pattern. It’s available in Iris’s Ravelry shop. You can find more photos of my Falling Leaves Sweater below:
