Easy Sweater Knitting Patterns

It’s definitely the season for knitting sweaters if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere. I feel like I’ve shared a lot of roundups of sweater knitting patterns through the years, and this time I wanted to highlight a few different construction methods used on easy to knit sweaters, so whether it’s your first ever sweater, or just your first sweater of that style, these are all good options.

For your first sweater ever, the Caron Let’s Go Beginner Stripes sweater is a great option. It uses a multicolored yarn to make the striping easy, and the front and back are worked flat with no shaping. Stitches are picked up for the sleeves, but they are also worked flat. The seed stitch makes it more interesting than your standard garter stitch first sweater, but if you know how to knit and purl it’s totally easy. Grab the free pattern, which comes in seven sizes, from Yarnspirations.

Speaking of garter stitch, though, this fun Sideways Sweater uses garter stitches and is worked from side to side for a different look. It’s knit in one piece and only has two seams to sew, and very like shaping. It offers 18 sizes, for kids and adults, including slim, regular and curvy sizing. You can get the pattern, which includes video tutorials, from 10 Rows a Day.

If you’re looking for a full kit to help you make your first garter stitch sweater, check out the Chewing Gum sweater from We Are Knitters. It comes in four sizes and uses bulky yarn.

Or add a little more texture with the Space Heater Sweater from Kirsten Hipsky via WEBS. The texture on the inside helps to trap heat and the pieces are worked flat and seamed for an easy knitting experience. It comes in seven sizes.

Ready to make a simple stockinette sweater? Mama in a Stitch has a simple, boxy pullover with wide sleeves that’s available in five sizes. The pieces are worked flat and all you need to know is how to knit, purl and do a knit 2 together decrease (as well as casting on and binding off, of course!).

This top down, bulky knit sweater from Caidree on Etsy reminds me of one of my favorite beginner sweater knitting patterns that I’ve shared before (Nutmeg, mentioned in the top down sweater knitting patterns post linked above). If you’ve never worked a raglan sweater before, this is a good place to start. This one comes in nine sizes, and while it is cropped you can make it longer if you like.

A similar pattern in a smaller gauge (sport weight yarn instead of bulky) is the Elizabeth Sweater from Heidi Hennessy Designs on Etsy. It has eight sizes and the little rolled neckline is so cute!

Next Pattern:

Many times when I write these posts I will say something like “you can use any yarn you want” or “this would be a great stash-busting project.” That’s just how my mind works. And my stash, too, since I probably have sweater quantity of two or three yarns at most, but tons of singles and odd balls and leftovers.

Blankets are generally a really good way to use up those bits, but in this case, I think you’re going to want to plan it out a bit better.

Looking at photos of the Color Study Blanket from Purl Soho, it looks like it’s made with two yarns held together, and that block in the center is worked with one of each color from the adjoining sides to make a mixed up color.

But that’s not actually how it’s done. This is three separate colors (four, really, with the neutrals in the corners) chosen form a yarn with an expansive palette so they play off each other. The project calls for a worsted weight superwash wool, which is a great choice for a blanket that’s both warm and washable.

This pattern was originally designed by Laura Ferguson and was updated by Hiromi Glover. It is worked in one piece in garter stitch intarsia, which is a great way to learn the intarsia technique if you don’t already know it. It comes in crib or throw sizes.

Despite the introduction to this post, I am going to go ahead and say that, yes, of course you could do this blanket with scraps or odd balls or even just choose five colors that don’t blend together so easily. But I really do love the look of the color play, and I think it would be worth your time to find colors that play well together to get a similar effect.

This pattern is available for free from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]

Next Pattern:

Have you read?