Introducing Donner—the perfect warm-weather garment. Knit in Quince and Co's wonderfully drapey Sparrow, and designed to fit with a bit of positive ease, this modern drop-shoulder pullover stays cool and breezy, even when the mercury rises.
Donner is worked from the top down, starting with a wide rectangle for the upper back. The shoulders are shaped with short rows, angling them downward for a better fit. Front and back are joined at the underarms and the body is then worked in the round to the hem. Three-quarter length sleeves are picked up from the armholes and worked to the cuff in the round. A simple, easily memorized, slip-stitch pattern keeps the knitting moving along, adding a refined texture that resemblies a chain of tiny mountain peaks.
Like my other drop-shoulder designs, Donner features a lateral braid across the back. As well as being decorative, the braid serves a practical purpose. Its firm stitches help to stabilize the fabric across that long shoulder line, giving the shoulders some needed structure—a thing that's especially helpful with linen.
The design is named for Donner Summit, a piece of the Sierra Nevada that is close to my home, and even closer to my heart. Donner is granite crags sprinkled with day-glo green lichen, towering western white pines and wind-sculpted junipers—a place of incredible natural beauty that always calls to me.
