The First Star sweater is here ⭐
It's a big day - the First Star sweater knitting pattern with a step-by-step video tutorial is finally here! This design has been in the works for a while, and I’m so happy to finally share it with you.
To celebrate, here’s a little gift: use a promo code *** at checkout on Etsy or Ravelry for 50% off (valid until next Monday, December 9th).
I’ve also included a new project planner and row counter designed especially for circular yoke sweaters. If you love staying organized with trackers, you’ll enjoy this handy addition - it’s included with the pattern! Or, just reply to this email, and I’d be happy to send you a complimentary copy of the project planner as a gift to use for any circular yoke project.
Now, let’s chat about the sweater and the story behind it.
The Design
This is the second pattern in my beginner-friendly Essentials series, created for knitters who want to master the basics of sweater construction before moving on to more complex designs. If you’re ready to knit your first sweater - or curious about trying a circular yoke - the First Star sweater is the perfect place to start.
The sweater is knit seamlessly from the top down, beginning with neckline ribbing. I added German Short Rows (GSR) to shape the back neck for a more comfortable fit, but I made them optional for those who’d rather skip them. For beginners ready to try, I’ve included a helpful trick: adding a lifeline just before the short rows so you can try again stress-free if your first attempt doesn’t go as planned.
Behind the Scenes
Before starting the First Star sweater, I asked myself: What makes the perfect beginner sweater? It had to be simple yet well-structured, with just enough challenge to help beginners learn new skills. That’s why I chose a circular yoke - it only involves one tricky technique: the Make 1 (M1) increase.
To make things even easier, I included lifelines throughout the pattern. When knitting my first sample, I lost count more than once (blame YouTube distractions 🤗) and had to unravel. Lifelines let you fix mistakes without the stress of dropped stitches, making it much more beginner-friendly.
For the yoke increases, I drew inspiration from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s famous percentage system but made adjustments to create a more flattering shape, opting for five rounds of increases instead of four. It took days of tweaking the math to balance fit and simplicity, but I’m thrilled with how it turned out - especially in the larger sizes.
The Yarn
You know how much I love Drops Nepal, and it was the clear choice for this design. It’s a soft, non-itchy blend of wool and alpaca that’s wonderfully easy to work with. It’s perfect for beginners (and designers 😉) because it’s forgiving when you need to unravel and re-knit.
Plus, it’s budget-friendly and comes in gorgeous colors - I knit one of my samples in the new Soft Mint shade, and it’s absolutely stunning. I think this sweater would look equally beautiful in rich, bold colors too, so feel free to experiment!
I’ve shared more about the yarn in the video tutorial, and I did my homework this time - I’ve completed my Ravelry project pages for all three samples I knit (one of them I knitted twice, but it was worth it!). If you’d like to see them up close, including the Soft Mint hero, check them out on my Ravelry page.
What’s Next
I’m taking a quick breather (just a day or two) before diving into filming the tutorial for The Artist’s Sweater. You’re going to love seeing the creative, colorful work my test knitters have done - they truly embraced their inner artists with this one.
And don’t forget - next week’s Esenote will be all about tweed yarns and the wonderful things you can knit with them.
Thank you so much for being here - it means the world to me to share these little knitting adventures with you.
Warmly,
Julia Piro