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!

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It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.

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