Rowan Forever Sweater Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Forever Sweater by Lisa Richardson

What is Being Made

The Rowan Forever Sweater is a classic V-neck pullover sweater designed by Lisa Richardson. This versatile garment is available in five sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 81-86 cm (32-34 inches) up to 122-127 cm (48-50 inches). The pattern also offers the option of a round neck variation, providing flexibility for different style preferences. The sweater features a fitted silhouette achieved through strategic shaping at the waist and armholes.

Construction Techniques

The Rowan Forever Sweater is constructed using a bottom-up seamed method, meaning pieces are knitted individually from the lower edge upward and then sewn together. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for traditional row-by-row construction. This approach provides excellent control over shaping and finishing details.

The sweater features sophisticated shaping throughout. The waist shaping begins with strategic decreases worked at each side seam on the 8th row and subsequent 6th rows to create a tapered silhouette. After reaching the narrowest point at approximately 25-27 cm depending on size, the sweater widens again through increases worked on the 10th row and following 10th rows, creating a flattering curved silhouette. Armhole shaping is accomplished through a combination of cast-off stitches at the beginning of rows and continued decreases worked in a coordinated pattern to create smooth, well-proportioned armholes.

Stitches Used

• Ribbing (K2, P2): The lower edge begins with a 2x2 rib pattern that provides elasticity and a finished appearance. This rib is worked for 19 rows total, creating approximately 2.4 cm of ribbed fabric that helps the sweater maintain its shape at the hem.
• Stockinette Stitch (St St): The main body of the sweater is worked entirely in stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinct right side and reverse side. This versatile stitch showcases yarn color and texture beautifully.
• Decrease Stitches: The pattern employs slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, K1, psso) and knit two together (K2tog) for right-leaning and left-leaning decreases respectively. These decreases are worked symmetrically at side seams and armholes to maintain balanced shaping. Purl decreases (P2tog and P2tog tbl) are used on wrong-side rows to maintain stitch consistency.
• Make One Increases (M1): Increases are created using the make one technique, which adds new stitches between existing stitches to create invisible increases that blend seamlessly into the fabric.

Materials and Gauge

The Rowan Forever Sweater is designed to be worked in Rowan Felted Tweed yarn, a premium wool blend. The V-neck version requires 6-9 balls of 50-gram yarn depending on size, while the round-neck variation also requires 6-9 balls of 50-gram yarn. The photographed V-neck sample is shown in the colorway Fjord 218, while the round-neck version is pictured in Ultramarine 214, though any colorway of Felted Tweed would be suitable for this design.

Two pairs of needles are required: 3¼mm (US 3) needles for the ribbed cuff and 3¾mm (US 5) needles for the main body in stockinette stitch. The needle size change between ribbing and body creates a subtle transition while maintaining proper fabric density.

The pattern is designed to achieve a tension of 24 stitches and 32 rows to 10 centimeters when measured over stockinette stitch using the 3¾mm (US 5) needles. Achieving proper tension is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements and ensuring the sweater fits as intended across all five size options.