Easy Peasy Pullover Knitting Pattern

This is my first attempt at both knitting and designing a jersey (you might say “sweater”). So I wanted something really simple, hence the Easy Peasy Pullover. I was inspired by a pattern in Trui magazine and my initial idea was to try and knit their jersey.  But the pattern in the mag was in Dutch and I couldn’t quite understand the instructions even with the help of Google translate, which doesn’t have a knitting filter.  But I had the general idea. So I started from there and played around.

A sideways sweater is a great concept for a beginner sweater knitter because there isn’t very much shaping.  This one is knit on big needles (mostly) so it’s quite quick and easy, and the fit is slouchy and relaxed, so it’s pretty forgiving of mistakes.

When choosing the yarn I wanted something that would be appropriate for the bigger needles, hence the Merino DK. The Kidsilk combines beautifully with the wool giving it some textural interest and making it wonderfully soft and warm.

I hope you’ll like it enough to give it a try yourself.

Ps Modelling my own pattern was not my plan, especially not when the weather was 25 degrees Celsius!!

Materials:
2 x 25g Kidsilk (we used Silver Fox)
5 x 50g Merino DK (we used Charcoal)
6mm circular needle
12mm straight knitting needles
Several stitch holders

Gauge:
7 stitches and 10 rows gives 10x10cm in garter stitch on 12mm needles

Finished product:
This is a loose and stretchy knit so the measurements are approximations, taken with the pullover laid flat.
Neck opening: 24cm across
Arms: 44cm from underarm to cuff
Length: 45cm from underarm to hem
Hip Width: 50cm
Chest: to fit 36inch chest

Overview:
This pullover is knit from sleeve to sleeve as a single flat piece which is joined together under the arms and down the sides once you’ve finished. The “rib” on the neck and hem is knit at the end by picking up stitches and working in the round.
The whole pullover is knit using two strands of yarn, one kidsilk and one DK and it’s all in garter stitch (knit every row).

Pattern:
Using 6mm needle cast on 32 stitches with two strands of yarn
Knit 44 rows
Transfer stitches to 12mm needle and knit 24 rows
At the beginning of the next row cast on 20 additional stitches for the front of your pullover. Any cast on method will do, I like the knit or cable cast on. Now knit the row of 52 stitches.
At the beginning of the following row cast on another 20 stitches for the back. Then knit a row in the new stitch complement of 72 stitches.
Knit another 16 rows.

To make the neck hole:

• Knit 36 stitches and place the remaining stitches on your stitch holders
• Continue to knit another 35 rows on these stitches for the pullover front then place these on stitch holders
• Return the other stitches to your needles and knit 36 rows on these stitches for the back
• Put all the stitches back onto your needles to continue

Continue knitting with all 72 stitches for another 16 rows
Row 17: cast off 20 stitches (front side) then knit to end
Row 18: cast off 20 stitches then knit to end
Knit 24 rows with the remaining 32 stitches
Change to 6mm needles and knit 44 rows.
Cast off.

Sewing up the side seams:

• Lay your knitting out flat and fold it in half left to right, like turning the page of a book.
• On both sides, sew the side seams together and continue under the arm to the cuff.

Knit the hem “rib”

• Using the 6mm needles work around the edge and pick up one stitch on every row as you work your way around, this should give you 72 stitches
• Join your stitches into the round
• On round one (Knit 2, Make 1) all the way around to create 108 stitches
• Knit 4 rounds (or longer, depending on your preference)
• Cast off

Knit the neck “rib”

• Using the 6mm needles work around the edge and pick up one stitch on every row as you work your way around, this should give you 36 stitches
• Join your stitches into the round
• On round one (Knit 2, Make 1) all the way around to create 72 stitches
• Knit 4 rounds (or longer, depending on your preference)
• Cast off

Sew away your loose ends, wash gently, block and wear!

Variations on the theme:
This is quite an easy pattern to adapt to a different size:
– if you’d like it longer in the body cast on extra stitches once you’ve finished your first sleeve
– to make it wider knit more rows on either side of the neck hole, just remember to do the same thing on each side of the neck
– for longer sleeves knit more rows either in the “rib” or in the sleeve itself, again remember to do the same thing on both sleeves