The Wool Shop Knit-Along: Novice Slipover

If you’ve ever wanted to knit your first garment… but felt a bit unsure where to start, this is for you.

We’re running our very first knit-along (KAL), and we’re all making the same piece together: the Novice Slipover.

We cast on June 14.

And you’re absolutely invited to join us.

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What is a knit-along?

A knit-along is exactly what it sounds like.

We’re all knitting the same project, at the same time… together.

Some people will move quickly. Some will take their time. Some will start late and quietly catch up.

There’s no pressure to keep up.

The point is:
you’ve got others doing the same thing
you can see how it’s meant to look
and if you get stuck, you’re not figuring it out alone

I’ll be knitting mine alongside you and sharing as I go.

I’ll be posting first on TikTok, but everything will be reposted across other platforms so you can follow along wherever you like.

If you’ve got questions, ask them in the comments.

That’s intentional.

Because when you ask something, someone else is probably wondering the exact same thing. This way, everyone learns together.

You don’t have to be a “garment knitter” to join this.
You just have to be willing to give it a go.

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How to join

1. Get your pattern
   → Novice Slipover (printed pattern)
2. Choose your yarn (I’ll guide you below)
3. Add your yarn to cart and use the code
   SLIPOVERKAL10 (or click here to get the discount automatically applied)
4. Cast on with us on June 14

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The yarn (and how the discount works)

For this KAL, we’re knitting with two strands held together:

• Woolly Red Hut 8 Ply (your main yarn)
• plus a laceweight “fluff” yarn

UPDATE: We've hit some supply issues for some colours. Alternative yarns could be Heirloom Merino magic

Or Heirloom Fleck 

or Countrywide Naturals

To keep it simple:

Add 6 or more balls of Red Hut/ spend $27 or more on your base yarn
Add your laceweight yarn
Use the code SLIPOVERKAL10

You’ll get 10% off the laceweight yarn

Important:
You need BOTH the Red Hut yarn and the laceweight yarn in your cart for the discount to work.

Why this yarn works so well

The pattern is designed to be knitted with two strands held together.

That’s what gives it that soft, slightly fluffy finish.

Our Red Hut yarn is:

• 100% NZ wool
• spun in China to keep it more accessible in price

That means you can make a beautiful garment without it becoming a high-cost project.

Each ball is 50g / 100m.

The laceweight yarn adds:

• softness
• warmth
• that light halo look

Most laceweight options are 25g balls with around 200–225m, so they work beautifully held together with Red Hut.

Yarn quantities (done for you)

You don’t need to work anything out, we’ve done that part.

Red Hut + laceweight

If you’re between sizes or think you might want extra length, go up a ball in Red Hut. It’s much nicer to have a little extra than to run out.

Laceweight options

You’ve got a few beautiful directions you can go depending on the finish you want.

• Soft Silk Mohair → soft, fluffy, classic halo
• Tilia → light, airy, very wearable
• alpaca lace → softer, less fluffy
• wool lace → more structure, less halo

We’ve chosen yarns with similar meterage to keep things simple.

Want a simpler option?

iif holding two strands feels like too much, you can absolutely knit this using a single yarn instead.

A great option is
Rebel Worsted

It’s:

• 250m per 100g hank
• worked on its own (no laceweight needed)

(there is no discount applied for this option)

Rebel Worsted quantities

If you’re adding length or want a safety buffer, going up a hank is a good idea.

Needles and tools (what you’ll actually need)

This pattern uses a few different needle sizes, but don’t let that put you off. Each one has a purpose, and I’ll guide you through when to use them.

Needles

You’ll need:

• 5mm circular needles (60, 80 or 100cm cable)
  This is your main needle. You’ll use this for most of the knitting.
• 4.5mm circular needles (40cm and 80cm cable)
  Used for parts of the yoke and shaping.
• 4mm circular needles (40cm cable)
  Used for the ribbing around the neck and armholes.

If you’re holding Red Hut and laceweight together, the 5mm needle is the right size.

Do I have to use circular needles?

Yes.

The slipover is worked:

• flat at the beginning
• then joined and worked in the round

Circular needles make this much easier and more comfortable.

What if I don’t have all these lengths?

Don’t stress about having every exact cable length.

• longer cables (80–100cm) are great for the body
• shorter cables (40cm) are ideal for neck and armholes

If you use magic loop, you can manage with fewer needles, but that’s optional.

Other tools you’ll want nearby

• stitch markers
• tapestry needle
• scissors
• measuring tape

Optional:

• row counter

Sizing (and a real example)

The pattern is designed with about 15cm of positive ease.

That means the finished garment is meant to be quite a bit bigger than your body measurement.

For context:

I’m a 109cm bust.

I knitted the XL first, and it’s lovely… but too loose for how I like to wear things.

So this time, I’m knitting a M for a closer fit.

If you love a relaxed, oversized look, follow the pattern.
If you prefer something closer, you can size down.

The most important thing is to measure yourself before deciding.

You don’t have to follow the yarn rules

You can absolutely still join if you:

• want to use yarn from your stash
• prefer a more premium yarn
• want to try something slightly different

This KAL is about making the garment, not doing it perfectly.

Care

This is not a machine-washable garment.

Because it’s made from natural fibres, it’s best to:

• hand wash
• dry flat

It will soften beautifully over time and wear really well.

Final note

You don’t need to be perfect at knitting to join this.

You don’t need to know every technique.

You just need to start.

We’ll figure the rest out together.

Ready to join?

Grab your yarn, get your pattern, and we’ll cast on together on June 14.

I can’t wait to see what you make.