Spring Fling Sweater Knitting Pattern

Welcome to the Spring Fling Sweater knitting pattern! She’s perfect for feeling like a spring meadow whilst it’s cold and gloomy outside or if you want to feel super cute and warm on the cooler summer evenings.

This sweater is designed to be quite oversized and it is easily adjusted for taller or shorter bodies. It’s knitted in the round, with raglan shaping and the arm stitches are held on waste yarn whilst the body is knitted and then picked up separately. It’s the perfect sweater if you’ve never knitted a raglan before! The embroidery is completely optional and suitable for beginners so don’t be afraid to give it a go!❤

Difficulty:
Intermediate (can you make left and right leaning increases? If so, you can do raglan shaping!!).

Techniques used:
1) Cast on
2) Knit
3) Purl
4) Left leaning increase
5) Right leaning increase
6) Placing stitches on waste yarn
7) Knitting two stitches together
8) Cast off
9) Magic loop

Needles required: 12 mm circular needles

Suggested yarn:
Lauren Aston Designs Super Chunky Merino - available here.

Please note: I have tried to cover a range of sizes however if you feel none of these are right for you, please do contact me and I'd be happy to work out stitch counts and yardage so you can enjoy this pattern! Writing patterns is still new to me so this is very much a learning process. In the images, I’m wearing a size medium.

This jumper is knitted on circular needles top down with raglan increases. Sleeve stitches are then put on hold using waste yarn and picked up after the body is finished. The neckline and hems are knitted in 1 x 1 rib and the remainder of the jumper in seed stitch.

Measurements and stitch counts are indicated as below - Stitch counts are indicated in size order so make sure to follow your size.
Sizes:
XS, (S), M, (L), XL, (2XL), 3XL

Measurements
Measurements are all in cm.
A- Jumper length - 48 cm, (52 cm), 56 cm, (60 cm), 63 cm, (66 cm), 70 cm (If you want your jumper slightly shorter or longer, simply knit more or fewer rows after the arm separation).
B - Chest (measurement taken from under the arms across the chest after the arm and body separation) - 100, (110), 120, (130), 140, (150), 160 cm.
C - Arm length (from neck to end of arm) - Up to you- try on as you go!

Tension:
8 stitches x 11 rows = 10 cm x 10 cm

Yarnage:
390 m, (425 m), 460 m, (520 m), 560 m, (590 m), 620 m of Lauren Aston Designs Chunky Merino or similar.

These are approximate - if you need to increase the length of the body or sleeves, you’ll need more yarn.

Raglan increases:
Each increase round will result in an 8 stitch increase- two either side of your four raglan stitches. Use a stitch marker to mark your raglan stitch. Knit up to the raglan stitch, make one right leaning increase, knit your raglan stitch, make one left leaning increase and then continue the round. Repeat this for each increase round.

Yoke:
Cast on 40, (44), 44, (46), 46, (48), 48 stitches using your preferred cast on method on 12 mm circular needles. Join the first and last stitches in the round ensuring your yarn isn’t twisted when doing so.

Knit 6 rows in 1 x 1 rib (knit one stitch, purl one stitch).

Knit one row and mark your raglan stitches as you go. Your stitch markers should be placed immediately before and after your raglan stitches.

Knit 13, (15), 15, (17), 17, (19), 19, stitches (back piece), place a stitch marker, knit one stitch, place stitch marker, knit 5 stitches (sleeve), place stitch marker, knit one stitch, place stitch marker, knit 13, (15), 17, (17), 18, (19), 19, stitches (front piece), place stitch marker, knit one stitch, place stitch marker, knit 5 stitches, place stitch marker, knit one stitch, place stitch marker. I recommend using a different colour stitch marker for the start of the round.

The next row will be your first raglan increases (see instructions above).

Repeat the two following rows 12, (13), 14, (15), 16, (17), 18 times.
1) Knit one row
2) Knit one row with raglan increases

At this point you will have 136, (148), 156, (168), 170, (182), 194 stitches on your needles.

Your sweater will measure approximately 30, (30), 32, (34), 36, (38), 40 cm measured from the first row of knit stitches to your current row.

Body and arm separation
Knit 38, (42), 44, (48), 50, (54), 56 stitches (this is your back piece). Place the next 30, (32), 34, (36), 38, (40), 42 stitches on some waste yarn or stitch holder. Cast on 6, (6), 6, (6), 8, (8) 8 stitches for under the sleeve, knit 38, (42), 44, (48), 50, (54), 56 (front of sweater). Place the next 30, (32), 34, (36), 38, (40), 42 stitches on waste yarn or yarn holder and cast on 6, (6), 6, (6), 8, (8) 8 stitches. Insert a stitch marker here to indicate the beginning of the round.

You should now have 88, (96), 100, (108), 116, (124), 128 stitches on your needles.

Knit in continuous rounds until you have the desired length for your sweater. I am 5“5 and I knitted 22 rounds which measures 20 cm but this is completely up to you. As a guide, knit 22, (24), 26, (28), 30, (32), 34 rows. The suggested number of rows assume that those knitting the larger sizes are taller which won’t always be the case so please feel free to deviate from the pattern to make your sweater fit you!

Knit 6 rounds in 1 x 1 rib.
Cast off.

Arms
Sleeves are worked in continuous rounds. Dependent on the length of your circular needles, you may need to use the magic loop method.
Place the stitches you put on hold onto your 12 mm circular needles. Pick up the 6, (6), 6, (6), 8, (8), 8 stitches you cast on for the body to join the sleeves and body. You should now have 36, (38), 40, (42), 46, (48), 50 stitches on your needles. Place a marker to mark the beginning of the round. Knit every stitch.

Every 2nd row, knit together the first and second, and the second to last and last stitches of the round. Repeat this until you have 18, (20), 22, (22), 24, (24), 26 stitches left (this should be after 18, (18), 18, (20), 22, (24), 24 rows. Knit until your sleeves reach just short of your desired length (try on as you go!).

Knit 2 stitches, knit 2 stitches together. If you have stitches left over (sizes XS, M, L and 3XL), knit the remaining stitches. You’ll now have 14, (15), 17, (17), 18, (18), 20 stitches left on your needles.

Knit 6 rows in 1 x 1 rib.

Cast off.

Repeat for the other arm.

What makes this sweater special is the embroidery. If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry as it’s simple, doesn’t require too much skill and it’s great for beginners. To do the embroidery, I recommend using a yarn the same weight as the sweater so if you’ve followed this pattern, super chunky. You could also use two strands of aran/worsted together. You’ll need a darning needle and if you fancy it, some sequins.

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