My Favorite Knit Sweater Pattern

Years ago, I bought a Lane Bryant sweater that I loved and loved and loved. As a designer, many things inspire me, including clothes I love to wear. So, taking what I loved most about that sweater and tweaking it, I have a new sweater design for you. This is my favorite knit sweater pattern ever! It’s a two-color striped knit sweater. You work it flat in stockinette, so it’s super easy for beginners. But I designed it with extra-flattering A-line shaping enhanced by the offset design of the striped colors. Eeeeee. I love it. I hope you do too.

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8 Reasons This Is My Favorite Knit Sweater Pattern

Of course, it’s easy to love a new design when fresh from the needles. But a favorite sweater inspired me, so I love this design for longer-lasting reasons. And there are certain things I’m really proud of that make it My Favorite Knit Sweater Pattern. Here they are:

1. Offset Stripes Are Slimming and Attractive

Yes, my favorite knit sweater has horizontal stripes, but I offset them. As you can see in the images, Color A is on the left, and Color B is on the right, and then in the next row, it’s the opposite. The result is super flattering for all body types. The eye doesn’t get stuck in one place but instead roams with the movement of the colors. It creates a very slimming effect, which you don’t always get with horizontal stripes.

2. There Are So Many Options for Your Two Colors

Go bold like mine for a design that really pops. I love this! However, you can use any two colors that you love together to create a style that works well for you. This is the kind of pattern that works as well in neutrals (a tan and olive, for example, or black and gray stripes) as it does in bold colors.

3. Knit Flat So It’s Beginner Friendly

You knit this sweater flat rather than in the round. And you knit it in pieces then seam together with mattress stitch. This is really perfect for those offset stripes because it allows you to make sure you’re matching the stripes up perfectly as you work. This creates a really beginner-friendly design.

4. Stockinette Stitch With Smart Shaping

Knit My Favorite Knit Sweater Pattern in stockinette stitch. This is also beginner-friendly. Or great for relaxing, meditative stitching. And yet, I’ve incorporated smart shaping into the design. The shaping happens along the side edges. It is negative ease at the upper body and positive ease at the lower body. The result is a very flattering A-line shape that works with many different body types.

5. V-Neck Is Also Flattering

I’ve designed my Favorite Knit Sweater with a V-neck. I love how that looks on me. Plus, I think it’s really flattering for lots of people. It’s not just that it’s a V-shape but, more specifically, that it’s a really flattering depth of the V. And it works well geometrically and visually with the offset striping.

6. Super Versatile Yarn Options

In addition to different color options for your yarn, you can actually play with different fiber types for making this sweater. Knit the sweater in pieces and seam it together. The seaming helps hold the weight of the yarn. Therefore, you get the drape and shape you want regardless of the yarn type.

While there might be some exceptions, you can use pretty much any worsted weight yarn that holds the weight. So, if you want to make this sweater in cotton, linen, acrylic, wool, or some blend, go for it. The sweater will work!

7. Broken Ribbing For Even Better Fit

Sometimes a whole sweater is almost perfect … except that the ribbing around the hem and cuffs isn’t quite right. Sadly, you pinch in at those places and end up looking like a balloon. Not so with My Favorite Sweater Pattern. The broken ribbing around the hem and the cuffs don’t pull in, so this piece won’t make you look like a balloon!

8. Great For Gifting!

You can make it for others since this sweater is flattering for all types of people. Plus I wrote the pattern for seven sizes. It’s especially great for beginner knitters ready to start gifting handmades to people!

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My Favorite Sweater Pattern Details

By Marly Bird

Sizes

XS (S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X) 

Gallery of pictures below show 48″ bust wearing the pink sweater shown in 3xl, or the gray is size L

*Designed to be 2” negative ease at bust and positive ease at hips. 

Finished Measurements

Bust: 26.5 (30, 33.75, 39, 42.5, 46, 49.75)”

Length: 28.75” (all sizes; to lengthen, add depth to the hem of each body piece)

Gauge

18 sts = 4″ (10 cm); 27 rows = 4″  in stockinette stitch AFTER BLOCKING!

Yarn

Red Heart Chic Sheep by Marly Bird™, Art. R170 100% Merino Wool

available 3.5 oz (100 g), 186 yd (170 m) balls

MC: Dragonfruit 3 (3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6) 

CC: Sterling 3 (3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6) 

Needle

Size 8 (5mm) 24” (61 cm) circulars, or any size to achieve gauge. 

ABBREVIATIONS

approx – approximate(ly)

dec – decrease

K – Knit

k2tog – knit 2 togther

P – Purl

patt – pattern

pm – place marker

rem – remain(ing)

RS – Right Side

sl – slip

ssk – slip, slip, knit

ssp – slip, slip, purl

St(s) – Stitch(es)

WS – Wrong Side

SPECIAL STITCHES

M1 (Make 1 Increase): With tip of left-hand needle, pick up the horizontal strand between sts from front to back. Knit this strand through the back leg, twisting it into a loop in the process. (see https://youtu.be/nT1e-WgynUc for a Video Tutorial)

CDD (center double decrease): Slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit one stitch, pass the slipped stitches over [2 stitches decreased] (see https://youtu.be/0NobbFd__LE for a Video Tutorial)

STITCH GUIDE

Broken Ribbing (odd number of sts)

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): P1, *k1, p1; repeat from * to end.

repeat Rows 1-2 for patt.

Stripe Sequence (any number of sts)

Working in stockinette stitch, alternate MC and CC every 20 rows as indicated in pattern. Cut yarn after each Stripe.

Sloped Bind-Off: On the row before the bind-off, slip the last stitch of the row purlwise without working it. On the bind-off row: slip the first 2 stitches purlwise, pass the first slipped stitch over the second slipped stitch (1 st bound-off), bind off rem sts as usual.

SCHEMATIC

MY FAVORITE KNIT SWEATER PATTERN

Left Front

Hem

With MC, cast on 45 (49, 53, 59, 63, 67, 71) sts. repeat Rows 1 & 2 of Broken Ribbing patt, 10 times. 

Note: If you wish to add length to the sweater, work more Hem rows.

Main Front

Note: Switch to CC and begin Stripe Sequence. Cont in Stripe Sequence throughout the remainder of the piece. Not including the hem, there will be a total of 9 stripes throughout.

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Dec row (RS): K2, k2tog, knit to end — 1 st dec’d. Continuing in Stripe Sequence, repeat Dec row every 10 (10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 8) rows, 3 (1, 1, 11, 10, 9, 8) more time(s), then repeat Dec row every 8 (8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6) rows, 10 (12, 12, 2, 3, 4, 5) times — 14 total sts dec’d, 31 (35, 39, 45, 49, 53, 57) sts rem. 

Work even in Stripe Sequence and stockinette stitch until 132 (130, 126, 122, 120, 118, 116) rows in Stripe Sequence have been worked (6 (6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5) full Stripes + 12 (10, 6, 2, 0, 18, 16) rows from the next Stripe. Piece measures approx 22.75 (22.25, 21.75, 21.25, 21, 20.5, 20.25)”.

Shape Left Front Armhole

Note: Read through remainder of Left Front before proceeding. Neck Shaping is introduced for some sizes before Armhole Shaping is complete.

Bind off 2 (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next RS row — 29 (32, 35, 40, 43, 46, 49)  sts rem. Work a WS row even.

– (-, -, L, 1X, 2X, 3X) Sizes only:

Dec row (RS): K2, k2tog, knit to end — 1 st dec’d.

Dec row (WS): Purl to last 4 sts, p2tog, p2 — 1 st dec’d.

Cont to work a Dec row every row, for – (-, -, 0, 0, 0, 2) more rows.

All Sizes:

Dec row (RS): K2, k2tog, knit to end — 1 st dec’d.

Next row (WS): Purl.

Cont to work a Dec row every RS row, 0 (0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 6) more times.

At the same time, when Armhole measures .5 (.5, .75, 1, 1, 1, 1)”, begin Neck Shaping:

Neck Dec row (RS): Work as est’d to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 — 1 st dec’d at Neck Edge. repeat Neck Dec row every RS row, 14 (14, 15, 15, 13, 14, 13) more times, then repeat Neck Dec row every other RS row, 2 (3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6) times.

After all Armhole and Neck decs are complete, 11 (13, 14, 16, 17, 17, 18) sts rem for Shoulder. Work even in Stripe Sequence until 8 full Stripes + 14 rows of a ninth stripe have been worked. Armhole meas approx 6.25 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.25, 8.5)”.

Shape Shoulder

Using the sloped method, bind off 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next RS row, 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6) sts at beg of next RS row, and rem 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6) sts at beg of next RS row.

Right Front

Hem

With MC, cast on 45 (49, 53, 59, 63, 67, 71) sts. repeat Rows 1 & 2 of Broken Ribbing patt, 10 times. 

Note: If you wish to add length to the sweater, work more Hem rows.

Main Front

Note: Begin Stripe Sequence, continuing with MC and then switching to CC after 20 rows. Cont in Stripe Sequence throughout remainder of piece. Not including the hem, there will be a total of 9 stripes throughout.

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Dec row (RS): Knit to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 — 1 st dec’d. Continuing in Stripe Sequence, repeat Dec row every 10 (10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 8) rows, 3 (1, 1, 11, 10, 9, 8) more time(s), then repeat Dec row every 8 (8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6) rows, 10 (12, 12, 2, 3, 4, 5) times — 14 total sts dec’d, 31 (35, 39, 45, 49, 53, 57) sts rem. 

Work even in Stripe Sequence and stockinette stitch until 133 (131, 127, 123, 121, 119, 117) rows in Stripe Sequence have been worked (6 (6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5) full Stripes + 13 (11, 7, 3, 1, 19, 17) rows from the next Stripe. Piece meas approx 22.75 (22.25, 21.75, 21.25, 21, 20.5, 20.25)”.

Shape Left Front Armhole

Note: Read through remainder of Left Front before proceeding. Neck Shaping is introduced for some sizes before Armhole Shaping is complete.

Bind off 2 (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next WS row — 29 (32, 35, 40, 43, 46, 49) sts rem. 

– (-, -, L, 1X, 2X, 3X) Sizes only:

Dec row (RS): Knit to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 — 1 st dec’d.

Dec row (WS): P2, ssp, purl to end — 1 st dec’d.

Cont to work a Dec row every row, for – (-, -, 0, 0, 0, 2) more rows.

All Sizes:

Dec row (RS): Knit to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 — 1 st dec’d.

Next row (WS): Purl.

Cont to work a Dec row every RS row, 0 (0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 6) more times.

At the same time, when Armhole meas .5 (.5, .75, 1, 1, 1, 1)”, begin Neck Shaping:

Neck Dec row (RS): K2, k2tog, work as est’d to end — 1 st dec’d at Neck Edge. repeat Neck Dec row every RS row, 14 (14, 15, 15, 13, 14, 13) more times, then repeat Neck Dec row every other RS row, 2 (3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6) times.

After all Armhole and Neck decs are complete, 11 (13, 14, 16, 17, 17, 18) sts rem for a Shoulder. If necessary, work even in Stripe Sequence until 8 full Stripes + 15 rows of a ninth Stripe have been worked. Armhole measures approx 6.25 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.25, 8.5)”.

Shape Shoulder

Using the sloped method, bind off 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next WS row, 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6) sts at beg of next WS row, and rem 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6) sts at beg of next WS row.

Right Back

Work as for Left Front until 165 rows in Stripe Sequence have been worked 8 full Stripes + 5 rows from the next stripe. Armhole measures approx 5 (5.25, 5.75, 6.25, 6.75, 7, 7.25)”

, ending with RS row—28 (31, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38) sts.

Shape Neck

Using the sloped method, bind off 7 (8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10) sts at beg of next WS row, 5 sts at beg of next WS row, 3 sts at beg of next WS row, and 1 st at beg of next 2 WS rows — 11 (13, 14, 16, 17, 17, 18) sts rem for Shoulder. 

If necessary, work even in Stripe Sequence until 8 full Stripes + 14 rows of a ninth Stripe have been worked. Armhole measures approx 6.25 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.25, 8.5)”.

Shape Shoulder

Work as for Left Front.

Left Back

Work as for Right Front until 166 rows in Stripe Sequence have been worked 8 full Stripes + 6 rows from the next stripe. Armhole measures approx 5 (5.25, 5.75, 6.25, 6.75, 7, 7.25)”, ending with WS row—28 (31, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38) sts.

Shape Neck

Using the sloped method, bind off 7 (8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10) sts at beg of next RS row, 5 sts at beg of next RS row, 3 sts at beg of next RS row, and 1 st at beg of next 2 RS rows — 11 (13, 14, 16, 17, 17, 18) sts rem for Shoulder. 

If necessary, work even in Stripe Sequence until 8 full Stripes + 15 rows of a ninth Stripe have been worked. Armhole measures approx 6.25 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.25, 8.5)”.

Shape Shoulder

Work as for Right Front

Sleeve (make 2)

With MC, cast on 37 (39, 39, 41, 41, 43, 43) sts. 

Cuff

Work in Broken Ribbing patt until piece measures 5” from cast-on edge, ending with WS row.

Main Sleeve

Note: Switch to CC and begin Stripe Sequence on left sleeve, continue in MC on right sleeve. Cont in Stripe Sequence throughout the remainder of pieces. See photos for help with color placement

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Inc row (RS): K2, m1, knit to last 2 sts, m1, k2 — 2 sts inc’d. repeat Inc row every 8 (8, 6, 6, 4, 4, 4) rows, 5 (9, 7, 9, 4, 6, 12) more times, then repeat Inc row every 10 (-, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6) rows, 3 (-, 4, 3, 11, 10, 6) times — 55 (59, 63, 67, 73, 77, 81) sts. Work even in stockinette stitch and Stripe Sequence until piece measures 18.5 (19, 19, 19.5, 19.5, 20, 20)” from cast-on edge, ending with WS row.

Shape Cap

Bind off 2 (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows — 51 (53, 55, 57, 61, 63, 65) sts rem.

Work 0 (0, 2, 4, 2, 2, 2) rows even.

Dec row (RS): K2, k2tog, knit to last 4 sts, ssk, k2 — 2 sts dec’d. repeat Dec row every RS row, 18 (19, 20, 21, 23, 23, 23) more times—15 (15, 15, 15, 15, 17, 19) sts rem. Bind off rem sts.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Block pieces to finished measurements. Sew center front seam, aligning Stripes from Right and Left Front pieces. Sew center back seam, aligning Stripes from Right and Left Back pieces. Sew Shoulder seams. Sew Sleeve Caps into armholes. Sew Sleeve and side seams.

Neck Edging

With circular needle, beg at Right Shoulder seam, pick up and knit 45 (47, 51, 51, 53, 55, 55) sts along Back Neck, 37 (39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 47) sts along Left Front Neck, 1 st in center seam (place removable marker on this st), and 37 (39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 47) sts along Right Front Neck — 120 (126, 134, 138, 144, 150, 150) sts. PM and join to work in the rnd.

Set-up Rnd: * K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Dec Rnd: Work in est’d rib to 1 st before marked center st, cdd (marked center st will be in the middle of this decrease), work in est’d rib to end — 2 sts dec’d.

repeat Dec rnd every rnd, 3 more times—112 (118, 126, 130, 136, 142, 142) sts rem. Bind off all sts in patt.

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