Meet Sophie, The Knit Purl Girl, and her Orla Sweater
We love all the timeless wardrobe staples our friend Sophie, The Knit Purl Girl, designs, and so we were thrilled to bits when she chose our Harvest Hues Worsted for her gorgeous colourwork yoke pattern, the Orla Sweater!
The Orla Sweater is now available on Sophie's website and in her Ravelry shop, and you can get kits for it from us!
I took the chance to ask Sophie about her design process, what inspired the Orla Sweater, and how knitwear design has changed over the past few years. It's a fantastic deep dive into the mind and thoughts of a fantastic knitwear designer – grab a cuppa and cosy up for a good read!
We all really love your designs here at JAT - they’re super wearable wardrobe staples with very thoughtful details! Could you tell us a little about how you got started with knitwear design and your journey as a designer?
With the extra time at home during lockdown, I began to play with modifying existing patterns until I felt confident enough to start working on my own ideas and writing patterns. Knitwear design scratched an itch in my brain as it struck a balance between creative expression and technical demands. I began self-publishing my designs whilst continuing to work on my thesis. Over time, I began to experiment more with different construction methods and to improve my pattern writing skills by hiring an editor.
By 2023, I knew I had to make a decision about whether to finish the PhD or not. It was making me incredibly miserable and I knew my career options in academia were limited at best and non-existent at worst. But, at the same time, I was making enough money from my patterns to seriously consider leaving without finishing the thesis. I gave myself 6 months to try to make pattern writing work on a full-time basis and, by some miracle, that’s what happened. I have been very lucky to be able to maintain it since then and still pinch myself regularly that this has become my job.
One of the things that I find so intriguing about your patterns is that you put a lot of thought into the construction method you use. You have a lot of sweater, cardigan and T-shirt patterns that just fit really, really well! How do you choose and adjust the construction method for a new pattern, and do you have a favourite one that you keep coming back to?
Grading patterns can feel like a labour of love but it is by far the most satisfying part of my job. When I choose a construction method, I tend to be led by the time of year and then the yarn. If I want a super warm and cosy jumper for mid-Winter, I’ll probably opt for a modified drop shoulder construction so that I can get away with a bit more positive ease. For more transitional weather, I’ll opt for a closer-fitting raglan construction to make layering a bit easier.
Left to right: Sophie's Juno Sweater, Shell Tee and Lise Top
Once I’ve decided on the construction method, I spend a lot of time thinking about how I want a pattern to sit on the body and then deciding which measurements on a size chart will be relevant for a given design. I probably enjoy grading top-down raglan patterns the most, as you can be so precise in getting the exact combination of stitch counts you end up with to maintain a consistent look across the full size range.
I’m really lucky to have a fantastic tech editor who has taught me so much about garment construction, and I try to spend as much time as I can reading books about different methods. People spend a lot of time working on knitting projects, so whilst I accept that I can’t please everyone I do want to do my best to provide them with a well-fitting garment.
That being said, I think the biggest misconception about pattern writing and knitwear design is that you have to be good at maths. In fact, I think you need to be good at logic puzzles. Grading a pattern is a lot like filling out a giant sudoku (which, incidentally, is my favourite way to unwind..!), as you have to be able to think about multiple logical constraints at once. You may need to have one increase rate in one part of the pattern but another one elsewhere whilst also keeping a stitch pattern in mind. It’s less about the numbers themselves and more about the bigger picture. My dad was a mechanic and was very good at thinking through technical problems, so I think I inherited this from him.
You usually give us knitters quite a few options with a pattern - a sweater pattern might have a cardigan version in it too, and you often have multiple samples, showing different colour palettes or yarns. I feel like this is something that has shifted in the knitwear design industry over the past few years - previously, a designer might have had only one sample, and published the patterns separately. I’d love to hear how you think about this - is this something knitters expect from a pattern now?
Yes, I agree that there has been a shift in designers’ output over the past couple of years. I’ll talk about making multiple samples first as I think it’s a less controversial subject but, apologies, this is going to be a long answer..!
I’m very fortunate to be a full-time knitwear designer, and I don’t yet have any children. This means I have a lot of time to knit, and I feel my time is best used making multiple samples. Sometimes I need to make a second sample to remind myself of the technical aspects of a construction method, or to adjust something that has gone slightly awry. For instance, I’ve just been working on a top-down sweater with a button detail along one of the raglan lines and I hadn’t taken great notes whilst working on my first sample as I was in the zone (/foolishly thought I’d be able to remember my workings!). I cast on a second sample to make it easier to write the pattern up. Other times, I want to be able to show the design off in a range of colours so that it’s easier for people to imagine themselves in that design. I also think it’s good to show that you can make beautiful knitwear with yarns at all different price points, and so I try to make at least one sample with more budget-friendly yarn when I have the time to do so.
Left to right: Sweater, Cardigan and Vest options of Sophie's Lucy Cardigan and Sweater
With regard to pattern writing, I think it’s good marketing to provide multiple design options within one pattern from a supply-side perspective. At the risk of sounding very cynical, if you can direct would-be customers to one listing that suits a variety of preferences, you’re better positioned to sell more patterns. It also adds an extra level of challenge for me, which keeps the design process feeling fresh. From the demand side, I think a lot of knitters have come to resent having to pay for multiple iterations of the same design (for instance, worked at different tensions or graded for feminine vs. masculine body types), and so they have welcomed this shift. The joy of a knitting pattern is that you can come back to it multiple times, and if the designer has made the pattern with multiple options in mind then it’s a better investment.
I think there has been some pushback to this multi-option model, as some people feel it devalues knitting patterns which are already relatively inexpensive compared to sewing patterns. I understand this argument but I’m not entirely sure I agree since the cost of making knitwear with good quality yarn is generally higher and more time intensive than a sewing project. I therefore see why people are hesitant to spend a lot of money on a knitting pattern, or multiple pattern, particularly when there are so many good free options out there. As such, I think comparing the economics of knitting with sewing is like comparing apples with oranges, and I am more inclined to see this shift as a way to offer more value to my customers where possible.
As for whether knitters can expect multiple options in patterns going forward, I think it really depends. I recently published a pattern that had a sweater, a cardigan, and a vest option. I decided to place them altogether because it didn’t translate to much additional work for me or my tech editor, but it made the pattern really versatile. All the versions were all effectively the same pattern, just with a few small tweaks to how you work the garment up. However, this workflow wouldn’t be applicable for all of my designs. I’m planning on making a cardigan version of a different sweater in the new year, for example, but the way I’m planning the construction is sufficiently different that there won’t actually be much overlap between the two garments, despite them sharing a lace motif. For me, it has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The thing I love the most about designing knitted garments is that it’s a mix between technical skill and creative self-expression, so playing with colours and design adjustments in my sample knitting brings me a lot of joy.
Shifting gears a little, I’d love to chat a bit about your Orla Sweater! This gorgeous colourwork sweater is knit from the top down with a classic circular yoke that you modified to include raglan increases for a better fit. Could you tell us a little about the inspiration and design process behind Orla?
Gladly! When I’m coming up with a new design, I tend to be led by the yarn. That sound awfully pretentious written down, but all it really means in practice is that I try to find ways to show the yarn off to the best of my ability. I think the Harvest Hues shade range is so lovely and so harmonious, so I wanted to try to come up with something that could really make the colours pop together.
I bought the yarn for my first Orla sample at unravel… a festival of yarn back in February. I was really drawn to the lustrous colours and couldn’t decide which one I liked most, so I grabbed as many as I could! I was still feeling quite frazzled after planning our wedding last year, and so I wanted to find a way to have a bit of fun with my knitting which, for me, usually means colourwork. I always enjoy stranded colourwork because I have to concentrate that much harder on maintaining good tension and working through the chart. It’s challenging and rewarding in equal measure.
When I was designing the motif, I wanted to let the colours speak for themselves and to keep the actual pattern quite simple. I tend to prefer more abstract colourwork designs, but sometimes it’s nice to pair things back a bit and I wanted to play into the clean look of a circular yoke, too. I also thought it would be fun to add a mini-motif to the cuffs, because there’s nothing I love more than a jazzy cuff!
I love the two different colourwork options - when I first saw your second sample, I couldn’t believe that that was the same pattern! What’s the difference between those two options, and do you have a secret favourite?
It’s amazing how such a simple adjustment can really change the look, isn’t it! The basic motif that’s repeated through the yoke and the cuffs is worked over 4 rounds. For the first sample, I kept that motif contained to Rounds 1 and 4 of each repeat. For the second sample, I extended it into the middle 2 rounds and played a bit with the colour placement (hopefully this makes sense!).
I think the colours I chose for the first sample create a chic, clean look, but the motif in the second sample reminds me a bit of a wisteria vine as it somehow looks quite floral in those colours. I think the second sample might just be my favourite, but don’t make me choose!
For your rainbow sample (that’s our nickname for it here at JAT), you used our Harvest Hues Worsted, a blend of Bluefaced Leicester, Falklands Merino and Zwartbles. How did you like working with this yarn and what made it a good fit for your Orla Sweater?
I love that name for it, and will absolutely be adopting it too haha! I think Harvest Hues worsted is fabulous. The blend of fibres make it feel silky and soft, but still distinctly sheepy. It flows over your fingers really nicely, which is very useful for colourwork. That being said, I’ve also used the 4-ply version in a cable project and it worked really nicely there too as the stitch definition is excellent.
However, my favourite thing about Harvest Hues is the colour range. I’ve used 10 shades across these projects in total, and every shade has so much depth and lustre. The lighter colours are really vibrant whilst the darker shades almost glow. JAT are obviously well known for being able to produce amazing tonal yarns, and I really think Harvest Hues demonstrates this expertise as the range of colours is so pretty. I think there’s something to suit most preferences, and it’s amazing how different the FOs made with the various colours can look.
I also really appreciate that Harvest Hues Worsted (and so many other JAT yarns) come in mini-skeins. It’s really helpful when designing, because it allows me to play with more options without having to purchase a whole 100 g hank. This is especially useful when designing for a wide range of sizes from 75-155 cm / 29.5-61 in, as it offers more flexibility when working out the yardage.
Last, but not least, I am always curious to hear what comes next for you. Do you have anything coming up that you’d love to share?
I’m always up to something..! I have my designs locked in until March ’26 with a few in mind for next autumn/winter, too. I really need to start thinking about next summer as I find warm-weather designs tend to be more labour intensive. I’m going to start teaching some workshops next year (including at your Mill Open Weekend!), which I’m very excited about as it’ll be a new challenge for me.
Thank you so much, Sophie, for sharing your thoughts with us – and we're so glad we can start telling people now you're coming to the Mill Open Weekend 2026! If you want to find out more about Sophie, head over to her website, Ravelry store and Instagram.
The Orla Sweater is now available on Sophie's website and in her Ravelry shop, and you can get kits for it from us!
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