Rowan Drifter Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Drifter Knit Sweater by Erika Knight

What Is Being Made

The Rowan Drifter is a knitted sweater designed by Erika Knight, available in six sizes ranging from small to 2XL to fit chest measurements from 102 cm to 127 cm (40 to 50 inches). This garment is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed construction method, making it an ideal project for knitters who prefer building their sweaters from the hem upward and finishing with traditional seaming techniques.

Knitting Techniques

This pattern employs several intermediate to advanced knitting techniques that create visual interest and texture throughout the design:

• Cable Knitting: The Drifter features extensive cable work, including multiple cable crossing techniques. The pattern utilizes cables such as C10B, C16B, and C16F, which involve slipping stitches onto a cable needle and crossing them over other stitches to create the characteristic twisted rope-like texture cables are known for.
• Cable Crosses: Specialized cable crosses including Cr10L, Cr10R, Cr7L, and Cr7R combine knit and purl stitches with cable techniques, creating more complex textural patterns that blend cables with reverse stockinette stitch backgrounds.
• Worked Flat: The sweater is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, meaning each piece is knitted back and forth in rows and later seamed together to form the finished garment.
• Seaming: After completing individual pieces, they are joined together using seaming techniques, which creates a professional finish typical of traditional sweater construction.

Stitches Used

The Drifter pattern incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined with advanced cable techniques:

• Stockinette Stitch (st st): The primary background stitch, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, providing a smooth, classic fabric base.
• Reverse Stockinette Stitch: Used in conjunction with cable panels to create contrast and frame the cable designs, formed by reversing the stockinette pattern.
• Garter Stitch: Created through purl stitches in specific sections, particularly in the cable panel borders where the pattern specifies P5 at the edges.
• Cable Stitches: Multiple cable variations including 10-stitch cables (C10B), 16-stitch cables (C16B and C16F), and crossed cables that integrate knit and purl elements for dimensional texture.

Cable Panel Details

The pattern includes detailed cable panel construction, specifically Cable Panel B, which works over 28 stitches that increase to 34 stitches. This panel features an intricate 120-row repeat that showcases multiple cable crossing techniques. The panel is framed by purl stitches (P5) on each side, creating a defined border that separates the cable work from the surrounding fabric. The cable panel incorporates forward crosses (C16F) and backward crosses (C16B) strategically placed throughout the repeat to create a dynamic, flowing cable pattern.

Materials Required

Yarn: The Drifter is designed to be knitted using Rowan Cocoon yarn. The yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 9 balls of 100-gram skeins for smaller sizes (S and M) to 12 balls for the largest size (2XL). The pattern was photographed in the colorway Alpine 802. Rowan Cocoon is a bulky-weight yarn that works up quickly and creates a warm, textured fabric ideal for sweater construction.

Needles and Accessories: Knitters will need one pair of 7mm needles (US size 10½) for the main fabric, along with a cable needle for executing the cable crosses throughout the pattern. The cable needle is essential for temporarily holding stitches while crossing them over other stitches to create the cable texture.

Gauge and Tension

The pattern specifies a gauge of 14 stitches and 16 rows to 10 centimeters when measured over stockinette stitch using 7mm (US 10½) needles. Achieving the correct gauge is crucial for ensuring the finished sweater fits properly across the chest and maintains the intended proportions of the cable panels and overall garment shaping.