Bargello In Rowan Kaffe Fassett Felted Tweed Knitting

Bargello In Rowan Kaffe Fassett Felted Tweed Knitted Sweater

What Is Being Made

The Bargello In Rowan Kaffe Fassett Felted Tweed is an intermediate-level knitted sweater designed to fit chest measurements ranging from 71–76 cm (28–30 inches) up to 152–157 cm (60–62 inches). This garment showcases the distinctive Bargello pattern, a traditional needlework design characterized by geometric, flame-like shapes created through strategic color placement and stitch arrangement. The sweater is constructed with a shaped back and front, including detailed neck shaping that requires both decreasing and increasing stitches to create a refined neckline.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several intermediate-level shaping techniques essential to garment construction. The pattern requires casting on stitches at the beginning of rows to increase width during body construction. Decreasing stitches at the neck edge over multiple rows creates a gradual, professional-looking neckline rather than an abrupt edge. The pattern also incorporates increasing stitches strategically, particularly when shaping the front neck, where increases are worked on alternating rows and then on every fourth row to maintain pattern integrity. The Bargello pattern itself demands careful color work and stitch placement to achieve the characteristic geometric design. Throughout construction, the knitter must maintain pattern correctness while executing these shaping maneuvers, requiring attention to both the stitch pattern and the garment's structural requirements.

Stitches Used

While the pattern document focuses on shaping instructions and sizing rather than detailed stitch-by-stitch breakdown, the Bargello pattern is created through the strategic use of knit and purl stitches in combination with the multicolored yarn selection. The pattern requires working stitches in the round or flat, with careful attention to keeping the pattern correct as decreases and increases are introduced. The neck shaping involves single stitch decreases and increases worked at specific intervals—next rows, following alternate rows, and following fourth rows—demonstrating the precision required in intermediate knitting.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

This sweater is knitted using Rowan Felted Tweed yarn in seven coordinated colors that create the Bargello pattern. Each color is identified by Rowan's color code system:

• Daffodil (K0012) — used in quantities ranging from 1 to 2 balls depending on size
• Fuchsia (K0011) — 1 to 2 balls
• Marigold (K0013) — 1 to 2 balls
• Delight (K0010) — 1 to 2 balls
• Regal (K0015) — 1 to 2 balls
• Apple (K0014) — 2 to 3 balls
• Cucumber (K0016) — 2 to 3 balls

Felted Tweed is a wool-rich yarn supplied in 50-gram balls, known for its soft texture and excellent stitch definition, making it ideal for color pattern work. The specific needle size is not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, though intermediate knitting projects of this type typically use needles sized to create a fabric with appropriate drape and stitch clarity for the Bargello pattern.

Pattern Complexity and Sizing Range

This pattern accommodates nine different sizes, from extra-small (71–76 cm chest) through to extra-large (152–157 cm chest), with corresponding adjustments to stitch counts, row counts, and yarn quantities. The intermediate skill level reflects the requirement to manage color changes, maintain pattern consistency, and execute precise shaping maneuvers simultaneously. Knitters must be comfortable reading pattern instructions, understanding shaping abbreviations, and adapting their technique as the garment progresses through body, armhole, and neck shaping stages.