Patterning the Yoke

The yoke is fairly simple: knit in the round, decreasing in increments until you have a neck opening. The length of the pattern area of the yoke, according to the French pattern, is 21cm (roughly 8.25").

I used to favor written pattern instructions. But charting helps the knitter to see what a pattern will look like on a garment. It shows the logic of decreasing in particular places. It shows how a pattern is shaped with the garment. It shows, with a little planning, how a knitter can customize something perceived as complicated. It shows that even with customization you don't necessarily have to have everything charted out. All you need is a mental picture, and the pattern will take care of itself.

These charts show only one front and one sleeve. They can be enlarged. Click on them!

The pattern is a pair of 3-stitch cables (so, 6 stitches), and 5 purl stitches. Here I've charted one complete "ray" of the pattern.

Looking at the chart, you see on the front/back (the left chart) that it's made up of a long ray (numbered 1), 2 medium rays (numbered 2), and 3 short rays (numbered 3; that's 2 full rays and 2 half rays). The sleeves (the right chart) are 1 long ray (numbered 1), 2 medium rays (numbered 2), and 1 short ray (numbered 3; that's 2 half rays). Got that? Of course you did.

Let's take a look at lengthening the pattern. If you desire a longer neck-to-underarm length, you can lengthen the pattern overall (u), at the shoulders (v), or at the arm before the underarm (w).

Before we begin. Gauge is key here: 18 stitches x 22 rows is 4". Widthwise, one repeat of 6 pattern stitches and 5 purl stitches (11 total) adds 2.5" of width; you will have 4 additional stitches, per insertion, at the neck as well. Lengthwise, one repeat is 6 rows, or roughly 1" of length. Now, that's if you're using the required yarn. Any other yarn, you'd have to make more calculations on your own.

To lengthen the pattern overall (u), look at where you can add rows in regular intervals.

Here, I've added 6 pattern rows, colored pink, every 4th row. Easy enough.

But if you wanted to add rows only in a specific section? If you take a look at the 5th illustration from the top, you can see I've indicated "v" in the top third of the pattern, and "w" in the bottom third.

So I've added pattern rows only in that area of the chart.

Suppose you want to make the pattern wider. The cables have a bit of stretch, sure, and you can block the yoke to make it wider. What if you're using a finer yarn, say a DK or even a sportweight one? (I'd like to make this in some Rowan Wool Cotton or Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino or Alpaca Silk eventually. In silvery blue or dark, dark brown...) You can insert more repeats of the pattern in the center front and back (x), the body (y), or the sleeves (z).

And here, the insertions indicated on the chart.

So, for the front and back (x), I'll make an insertion between rays 1 and 2. For the chest (y), I'll make 2 insertions between rays 2 and 3. Note that this insertion is in pairs, so you will make 4 insertions in all for the chest (y). For the sleeves (z), I'll make one insertion between rays 1 and 2, just like for the front and back.

This is the front and back insertion (x). Although it's not shown here, don't forget the back. A total of two pattern repeats added.

This is the paired chest insertion (y). A total of four pattern repeats added.

These are the sleeve insertions (z). A total of two pattern repeats added.

And of course, this illustrates all the insertions, if you ever have to resort to this route!

I hope that this has cleared up any doubts about customizing Bergère de France's cabled yoke pullover for you. It's a beautiful design spoiled unfortunately by confusing instructions (or perhaps my bad French!). If you do knit this, let me know. I'd love to see your version!