Free Knitting Pattern for a Child’s Striped Sweater, featuring a top-down construction, short rows, and colorwork.
This colorful children’s sweater is inspired by the vibrant houses of Sverrigsgade in Copenhagen. The design features a top-down construction, starting with a ribbed neckband and incorporating short rows to shape the shoulders. The yoke includes raglan increases and a bold striped pattern. The body and sleeves continue the striping, and the sweater is finished with ribbed cuffs and hem. It is designed for boys, but is suitable for any child.
This design features colorwork, short-rows, and picking up stitches.
This pattern is rated as intermediate. It includes the following techniques:
- Top-Down Construction: The sweater is worked seamlessly from the neck down.
- Short Rows (German Short Rows): Used to shape the shoulders and neckline. Detailed instructions for the GSR technique are provided.
- Ribbing: The neckband, cuffs, and hem are worked in a k2, p2 rib.
- Colorwork: The pattern involves frequent color changes to create stripes. A tip for avoiding “jogs” in the color changes is included.
- Raglan Increases: M1R (Make 1 Right) and M1L (Make 1 Left) increases are used to shape the yoke.
- Picking Up Stitches: Stitches are picked up along the shoulder edges to create short rib sections (button band and buttonhole band).
- Buttonholes: The pattern includes instructions for creating buttonholes.
- Decreases: K2tog and sl1, k1, psso decreases are used on the sleeves.
- Kitchener Stitch (Optional): Not used for this particular design.
- Backward Loop Cast-On: A drawing of the technique is present.
You’ll need Arwetta Classic yarn in multiple colors, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, and 4 mm circular needles (and optionally double-pointed needles), stitch markers, stitch holders, elastic thread (optional), and 3 buttons.
Skill Level: Intermediate (Top-down construction, short rows, colorwork, raglan increases, picking up stitches, buttonholes)
Sizes: (2 years/92 cl) 4 years/104 cl (6 years/116 cl) 8 years/128 cl (10 years/140 cl) 12 years/152 cl
Measurements:
- Body, chest: approx. (56-60) 61-66 (67-70) 71-74 (75-78) 79-83 cm
- Sweater, chest: (64) 69 (74) 80 (84) 89 cm
- Total length: (37) 41 (44) 48 (51) 57 cm
- Sleeve length: (25) 27 (29) 34 (38) 41 cm
Materials Used:
- 3 buttons
- Arwetta Classic by Filcolana:
- Colour A (main colour): (100) 150 (150) 150 (200) 200 g in colour 977 (Marzipan)
- Colour B: (50) 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 g in colour 352 (Red Squirrel)
- Colour C: (50) 50 (50) 100 (100) 100 g in colour 141 (Alaskan Blue)
- Colour D: (50) 50 (50) 100 (100) 100 g in colour 270 (Midnight Blue)
- Colour E: (50) 50 (50) 50 (50) 100 g fv 252 (Chok Orange)
- Two strands of yarn are held together throughout.
- 3 mm, 3.5 mm, and 4 mm circular needles, 60 or 80 cm
- Optionally 3 mm and 4 mm double-pointed needles (if the Magic Loop technique is not used)
- 8 stitch markers
- 2 stitch holders
- Elastic thread (optional)
Pattern Considerations:
- Gauge: 22 sts and 27 rows in stockinette stitch on 4 mm needles with 2 strands of Arwetta Classic held together = 10 x 10 cm. The pattern notes that you may need to adjust needle size for the colorwork sections if your tension changes.
- Yarn Substitution: If substituting, ensure it is a sock/fingering weight yarn.
- Short Rows: The pattern uses the German Short Row (GSR) technique. Detailed instructions are provided.
- Color Changes: A tip is provided for minimizing the “jog” that can occur when changing colors in the round.
- Button Placement: The buttonholes are worked on one of the short rib sections added to the shoulders.
- Stretchy Rib: The pattern notes that the ribbing might not be as stretchy as usual due to the knitted rows/rounds at each color change. An optional elastic thread can be added to the neckband for extra stretch.
- Chart: There is a colorwork chart.
- Increases/Decreases: The pattern uses M1R, M1L, K2tog, and Sl1, K1, Psso.
