Introducing Wychwood, an Asymmetric Compound Raglan
- Susanna
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
Inspired by quiet woodland walks and the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet, Wychwood is a cozy top-down pullover that blends simple stockinette with a touch of lace. Worked in aran or bulky-weight, this quick-to-knit design features a graceful twin-leaf lace panel that flows like a forest path from neckline to hem.
In this blog post you'll learn more about the design features in this pattern, the unique asymmetric compound raglan construction, and the inspiration behind the name.
At first glance, Wychwood is delightfully simple: a clean silhouette, a cozy yarn, and the comfort of (mostly) stockinette. But what makes this sweater special is how that first-glance simplicity is elevated with purposeful design choices. The sweater is worked from the top down in one piece which means there are no seams to sew and you can try it on as you go.
The project begins with a twisted-rib neckline worked in the round, establishing a crisp, tidy edge that sets the tone for the rest of the sweater. After the ribbing is complete, the upper yoke is worked back and forth to shape the crew neck. This is the trickiest part of the knitting process: doing short rows to create a front-neck drop and, at the same time, working raglan increases following an asymmetric compound raglan shaping construction. More on that in a bit.
Once the neckline shaping is finished, the remainder of the sweater is worked in the round. The front of the sweater is adorned with a twin-leaf lace panel that begins right below the neckline and flows all the way to the hem. The panel blends seamlessly into twisted ribbing at the hem, creating a visual transition and bringing the twin leaves into pointy ends. The lace motif both draws the eye and offers just the right amount of knitting interest to offset the rest of the sweater.
The curved leaves and the wiggly paths running alongside may look cable-y at first glance but I can ensure you, no cable needle is needed! There's nothing going on other than knits, purls, yarnovers, and decreases. As always, both charted and written instructions are given for the lace panel, so you can follow whichever format suits you best.
Everywhere else, the garment is worked in stockinette, which not only makes the lace panel stand out but also ensures that the majority of the knitting is simple, relaxing, and meditative. The sleeves are long and tapered, and worked in stockinette in the round, echoing the simplicity of the body. They, too, are finished with twisted ribbing, mirroring the hem and neckline for a cohesive look.
One of the most innovative aspects of Wychwood is its asymmetric compound raglan construction. Unlike traditional raglan sweaters where all four raglan lines increase evenly, this shaping method arranges the increases in a way that more closely mirrors the shape of real bodies.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a lengthy post about the asymmetric compound raglan shaping and how it differs from the conventional raglan construction. In brief, here are the key differences:
raglan increases are worked in an S-curve pattern instead of a constant rate of 8 stitches on every other round
body and sleeves grow at different rates
back raglan lines are longer than those on the front
These three changes — compound increase rates, separate body and sleeve increase rates, and asymmetric shaping — create a better overall fit through the yoke and upper body and help in fine-tuning the shaping in all sizes of the size range. They may seem like subtle tweaks but make a big impact in how the sweater sits on your frame.
Unlike what you usually see on top-down raglan patterns, the short-row shaping on Wychwood starts in the sleeves as opposed on the front. First covering only two of the four raglan markers, raglan shaping starts with increases made on the back shoulders only before transitioning into compound raglan increases along all four seams. Raglan increases alternate between every other round and every fourth round, creating a gentle S-curved slope that fits more naturally over the shoulders and upper chest.
To ensure a good fit in the shoulders and upper body, pick a size based on upper-bust circumference. Beyond the shoulders, the shaping continues with optional vertical bust darts that provide extra room in the front without distorting the lace panel. These darts are worked with increases and decreases placed at the sides of the bust, helping the sweater contour naturally over the chest.
The pattern includes instructions for B-cup (sizes XS to M), D-cup (sizes L to 4X), or F-cup (sizes 5X and 6X) darts but you can calculate custom bust shaping based on your own measurements. You may also skip bust shaping if your upper and full bust circumference is less than 5 cm or 2 inches. The built-in ease included in the pattern ensures the garment fits over your chest without additional increases.
The pattern also includes instructions for waist shaping, subtly tapering the sweater for an hourglass silhouette that's narrower at the waist and again flares out in the hem. However, both bust and waist shaping can be omitted entirely if you prefer a straight, casually relaxed look. The result is a highly customizable garment that adapts to different body types and preferences.
Wychwood is designed to fit a wide range of sizes, with instructions provided for 10 sizes from XS to 6X. For a cozy, comfortable look, the pullover is intended to be worn with a moderate amount of positive ease, about 5–7.5 cm or 2–3 inches. Finished body circumferences — omitting bust and waist shaping — range between 76–167 cm or 29¾–65¾ inches. Finished bust circumferences including the suggested bust darts range between 80–181 cm or 31½–71½ inches but this can be adjusted based on your body measurements.
The pattern is written for slightly fluffy aran to bulky-weight yarns with a gauge of 14 stitches to 10 cm or 4 inches. The total yardage required is approximately 700–1450 meters or 760–1580 yards — size-by-size yardages are available on the pattern page.
My minty-green sample was knit in Novita Halaus (100 m/50 g, 109 yd/1.76 oz) in the colorway 307 verse, a unique blend of 40% cotton, 35% alpaca, and 25% wool. Understanding that this yarn might be a bit difficult to get a hold of, here are a few similar yarns along with colorway suggestions for the same cool blue-green look:
Adlibris Alpaca Cloud (colorway light mint) offers a lovely halo
CaMaRose Snefnug (colorway 7994 lys mint) is a soft cotton-blend option
Gepard Garn Puno (colorway 822 lichen) for a light but warm option
Holst Garn Cielo (colorway 11 icy mint) provides a excellent stitch definition with a soft hand
Sandnes Garn Poppy (colorway 5811 arctic ice) gives a plush and airy feel
Oh, and the name? I was watching the new BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder Is Easy on the telly during the Christmas break (as one does) while working on the then-yet-unnamed design. The murder mystery is set in the fictional village of Wychwood under Ashe. That location was made up for the TV drama shot in Scotland but there is a real place called Wychwood Forest in Oxfordshire. Although pronounced the same way, the 'wych' part of the name has nothing to do with witches.
The pattern for Wychwood is now available for purchase in my pattern shops on Payhip, LoveCrafts, and Ravelry (seizure warning). Whether you choose a classic neutral, a rich jewel tone, or a playful pastel, this pattern is a lovely choice for a cozy pullover that knits up in no time.
I’d love to see what you make with the pattern! Share your sweater on Instagram using the hashtags #wychwoodsweater and #talviknits. Instagram makes it difficult to find all posts belonging to a hashtag so you can also tag me so I can admire your work. I hope you enjoy every stitch of this pattern as much as I did designing it.
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