Debbie Bliss Kelso Sweater Knitting Pattern

Debbie Bliss Kelso Sweater

What Is Being Made

The Debbie Bliss Kelso Sweater is an advanced-level knitted pullover sweater featuring decorative cable and flag panel detailing. This garment is designed to fit bust measurements ranging from 86cm to 107cm (34 to 42 inches), with finished bust measurements between 91cm and 120cm (35¾ to 47¼ inches). The sweater offers length to shoulder measurements from 56cm to 63cm (22 to 24¾ inches) and sleeve lengths from 45cm to 47cm (17¾ to 18½ inches), providing a classic, wearable fit with intentional ease for comfortable movement.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Kelso Sweater is constructed using a bottom-up, worked-flat approach, meaning pieces are knitted from the lower edges upward and assembled together through seaming. This traditional construction method allows knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and make adjustments before completing the final assembly. The sweater incorporates cable work as a primary design feature, with cables creating textural interest and visual depth throughout the piece.

The design includes strategically placed flat side panels that add approximately 7cm (2¾ inches) of width to each side between sizes. These panels combine flag and cable pattern elements, creating a total of 20 stitches that repeat every 30 rows. This construction approach provides increased movement room on larger sizes while maintaining pattern integrity across the full size range.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Kelso Sweater employs several key stitches and pattern techniques:

• Stockinette Stitch (st st) – The primary fabric base, worked at a gauge of 22 stitches and 30 rows over a 10cm (4-inch) square
• Cable Stitches – Including C6B (slip next 3 stitches onto cable needle, hold at back of work, knit 3, then knit 3 from cable needle) and C3F (slip next stitch onto cable needle, hold at front of work, knit 2, then knit 1 from cable needle) for dimensional twisted effects
• Flag Panel A and Flag Panel B – Decorative panels worked over 7 stitches with alternating knit and purl sequences that create a distinctive geometric pattern
• Cable Panel – Worked over 6 stitches with a 6-row repeat featuring the C6B cable cross
• Ribbing – Used for edge finishing and structure, particularly at cuffs and waistband areas
• Increase and Decrease Techniques – Including make one (m1) increases for shaping and skpo (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over) decreases

The flag and cable panels together measure 8.5cm (3¼ inches) when worked on the larger needles, creating bold textural contrast against the stockinette background.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Kelso Sweater is designed to be knitted in Debbie Bliss Rialto DK yarn in Mint 54, a double-knit weight yarn. The pattern requires 11 to 15 balls of 50g depending on the size being knitted, with larger sizes requiring additional yardage for extended length and width.

The project calls for two sizes of knitting needles: 3.75mm (US 5) needles for ribbed edges and cuffs, and 4mm (US 6) needles for the main body and pattern work. A cable needle is essential for executing the cable crosses throughout the design. The gauge achieved on 4mm (US 6) needles is 22 stitches and 30 rows to a 10cm (4-inch) square over stockinette stitch, with the flag and cable panels measuring 20 stitches across and repeating every 30 rows.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced, reflecting the complexity of managing multiple stitch patterns simultaneously, executing cable crosses accurately, and maintaining pattern alignment across seamed pieces. Knitters should have solid experience with cable work, pattern reading, and garment construction before undertaking this project.