Rowan Ilfracombe Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Ilfracombe Knitted Sweater by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

Ilfracombe is a knitted pullover sweater designed by Martin Storey for Rowan. This garment is available in seven sizes ranging from XS to 2XL, with finished chest measurements from 38 inches (97 cm) to 50 inches (127 cm). The sweater features a sophisticated construction combining textured stitch patterns with decorative cable panels, making it suitable for intermediate to advanced knitters.

Techniques Used

This sweater is constructed using several key knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is worked from the lower edge upward, beginning with ribbed edging at the hem
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring seaming to join pieces together
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces (front, back, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then seamed together to create the finished garment
• Cable work: Decorative cable panels are incorporated using a cable needle to create twisted stitch effects that add visual interest and texture
• Chart-based patterning: The design uses written charts (Chart A and Chart B) to guide the placement and execution of cable panels and stitch patterns

Stitches Used

The Ilfracombe sweater employs a variety of stitches to create its distinctive appearance:

• Ribbing: A K2, P2 (knit 2, purl 2) rib pattern forms the foundation at the lower edge, providing elasticity and shape retention
• Moss stitch: Also known as seed stitch, this alternating knit and purl pattern creates a textured, bumpy fabric that frames the cable panels and forms the side sections of the sweater
• Cable stitches: Two primary cable techniques are used: C4B (cable 4 back) and C4F (cable 4 front), created by slipping stitches onto a cable needle and crossing them over subsequent stitches to form twisted rope-like patterns
• Bind 3 stitch: A decorative decrease technique using yarn forward, purl 3, and passing the yarn forward over the purled stitches

Materials and Tools

The Ilfracombe sweater requires specific materials to achieve the intended drape and finished appearance:

• Yarn: Rowan Super Fine Merino Aran weight yarn in the photographed colorway of Sage 011. The pattern requires 24 to 30 balls of 50-gram skeins depending on the finished size, providing approximately 1,200 to 1,500 meters of yarn for larger sizes
• Needles: Two pairs of straight needles are required—3¾mm (US 5) needles for the ribbed edging and 4½mm (US 7) needles for the main body and patterned sections
• Cable needle: A cable needle is essential for executing the cable stitches that form the decorative panels

Construction Details

The sweater begins with a ribbed cuff worked on smaller needles (3¾mm) to create a snug, elastic edge. After the ribbing measures 8 centimeters, the work transitions to larger needles (4½mm) and the main stitch pattern. The body is worked in a combination of moss stitch and cable panels, with Chart A and Chart B providing the specific stitch instructions for the cable sections. The cable panels measure 49 centimeters in width across the 152 stitches designated for this section. The back piece continues straight until reaching the desired length (58 to 69 centimeters depending on size), at which point shoulder shaping begins by casting off stitches at regular intervals. The tension is measured at 18 stitches and 31 rows per 10 centimeters over moss stitch using the 4½mm needles, ensuring proper fit and drape of the finished garment.