Rowan Braid Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Braid Knitted Sweater by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Braid is a knitted sweater designed by Martin Storey, available in five size options to fit bust measurements from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) up to 122–127 cm (48–50 in). This garment is constructed using a bottom-up knitting method with seamed construction, making it an ideal project for knitters seeking a structured, wearable design with classic shaping.

Techniques Used

This sweater employs several key knitting techniques to create its finished structure:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is knitted from the lower edges upward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and straightforward shaping during the knitting process.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, with seaming required to join the front, back, and sleeve pieces together.
• Cable work: Decorative cable stitches are incorporated throughout the design, adding visual texture and dimension to the finished sweater.
• Seamed assembly: After completing individual pieces, the sweater is assembled through seaming, creating clean, professional-looking joins.
• Shaping techniques: The pattern includes strategic increases and decreases to create fitted armholes, waist shaping, and sleeve caps, resulting in a garment that follows body contours.

Stitches Used

The Rowan Braid incorporates essential knitting stitches to build its structure and texture:

• Stockinette stitch (st st): The primary stitch used throughout most of the garment, creating a smooth, classic fabric base.
• Cable stitches: Twisted stitches worked with a cable needle to create raised, braided patterns that give the sweater its distinctive visual interest and name.
• Purl stitches: Used in ribbed sections and for creating textured details, particularly in the pattern repeats.
• Make one stitches (M1P): Decorative increases used to add stitches while maintaining pattern continuity, visible in the waist shaping sections.

Materials and Needles

The Rowan Braid pattern calls for Rowan Cashmere Tweed yarn in three coordinating colorways, with yardage requirements varying by size:

• Yarn A – Andorra Red (006): 4–6 balls of 25 grams, depending on size selected.
• Yarn B – Granite (003): 3–5 balls of 25 grams.
• Yarn C – Night (004): 7–10 balls of 25 grams, as this shade features prominently in the design.

The pattern requires two pairs of needles in different gauges:

• 3¼mm (US 3) needles: Used for ribbed edgings and cuffs to create elasticity and a neat finish.
• 4mm (US 6) needles: The main needles used for working the body and sleeves in stockinette stitch and cable patterns.
• Cable needle: Essential for manipulating stitches when working cable patterns throughout the sweater.

Gauge and Pattern Details

The pattern is worked to a tension of 22 stitches and 30 rows over 10 centimeters (4 inches) when measured over stockinette stitch using 4mm (US 6) needles. The cable pattern repeats over 12 rows and 14 stitches, creating a consistent, rhythmic texture across the sweater. This gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements and ensuring proper fit across all five size options.

Construction Overview

The sweater begins with ribbed cuffs worked on smaller needles, then transitions to larger needles for the main body. The back and front pieces feature strategic shaping through increases and decreases positioned at regular intervals to create a fitted waist and properly proportioned armholes. The pattern includes detailed row-by-row instructions for armhole shaping, with different decrease sequences for each size to maintain proper garment proportions. Cable patterns are integrated throughout, with specific pattern repeat instructions provided for consistent results across the garment.