PetiteKnit Novice Sweater - Knitting Kit
Designed by PetiteKnit
The Novice Sweater is the pattern we hand to people knitting their first jumper, and it is the one they come back to afterwards. It is worked seamlessly from the top down: neckband first, then the round yoke, then the body, and the sleeves last. The body is stocking stitch throughout, with rib at the neck, hem and cuffs. The yoke is shaped by increases worked on four evenly spaced rounds, so there is no shaping to follow round by round and nothing to seam at the end.
We have made it up in Sandnes Garn Kos, a chainette spun from 62% baby alpaca, 9% wool and 29% nylon. At 150 m to a 50 g ball it knits quickly on 6 mm needles, and the chainette construction keeps it light rather than dense. It is soft enough to wear against the neck, which matters on a jumper with a ribbed collar.
Skill Level: Beginner ★
Nothing in this pattern goes beyond knit, purl, and an increase. If you can work in the round and follow a stitch count, you can knit this jumper.
Sizes: XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL, to fit a bust of 80-85 (85-90) 90-95 (95-100) 100-110 (110-120) 120-130 (130-140) 140-150 cm.
Finished bust: 91 (98) 103 (109) 116 (128) 138 (149) 161 cm. Designed for 5 to 10 cm of positive ease.
Length: 54 (55) 57 (60) 62 (64) 65 (66) 68 cm, measured mid back without the neckband.
Gauge: 16 stitches and 21 rows = 10 x 10 cm in stocking stitch on 6 mm needles.
The Kit Includes
- Sandnes Garn Kos in your chosen colour, in the quantity for your size
- Office printed pattern in English, plus a PDF download sent to your Ravelry account
Please give us your Ravelry username at checkout so we can send the download. Kits come wrapped in tissue paper.
You'll Also Need
- 5.5 mm and 6 mm circular needles, 40 cm and 80 or 100 cm
- 5.5 mm double pointed needles, unless you prefer the Magic Loop method for the sleeves
-
PetiteKnit stitch holders for the sleeve stitches
- Stitch markers and a wool needle
Choosing your size
Measure around your full bust and pick the size whose to-fit range you land in. If you are between two, the smaller gives you a closer fit and the larger a looser one. Because it is knitted from the top down you can try it on as you go and stop the body and sleeves wherever suits you.
Techniques used
- Knitting in the round
- Knit and purl
- Rib
- Yoke increases
- Picking up underarm stitches
- Working a small circumference in the round
Why You'll Love It
- A genuine first jumper. No charts, no colourwork, no seaming.
- Kos at 6 mm moves quickly, so you see progress from the first evening.
- Top down means you can try it on as you knit and adjust the length.
- Nine sizes, 91 to 161 cm finished bust.
- Alpaca chainette is warm without weight, and soft enough for a ribbed collar.
Yarn Usage
Sandnes Garn Kos is 50 g / 150 m per ball. Each kit contains the quantity PetiteKnit give for that size, so there is no rounding up across a band: M and L genuinely use the same amount, as do XL and 2XL.
What's in each kit
| Size |
Kos |
| XS |
5 balls / 250 g / 750 m |
| S |
6 balls / 300 g / 900 m |
| M, L |
7 balls / 350 g / 1050 m |
| XL, 2XL |
8 balls / 400 g / 1200 m |
| 3XL |
9 balls / 450 g / 1350 m |
| 4XL |
10 balls / 500 g / 1500 m |
| 5XL |
11 balls / 550 g / 1650 m |
These are PetiteKnit's figures. Your own usage will vary with your gauge and with any changes you make to the body or sleeve length. If you plan to lengthen either, add a ball to be safe. Kos is sold separately on the site should you need a top up, though we cannot guarantee a dye lot match once a kit has shipped.