Rowan Issey Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Issey Knitted Sweater by Martin Storey

What Is Being Made

The Rowan Issey is a children's knitted sweater designed by Martin Storey, available in four size options to fit ages 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 years. The finished garment chest measurements range from 80.5 cm to 105 cm (31¾ to 41¼ inches), making it suitable for growing children. This is a classic pullover-style jumper featuring prominent cable panel detailing as the primary design element.

Techniques Used

The Issey sweater is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create visual interest and structure:

• Bottom-up construction: The sweater is knitted from the lower edge upward, allowing for straightforward sizing adjustments and a logical progression through the pattern
• Worked flat: Pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring seaming to join the finished pieces together
• Seamed construction: Individual knitted pieces are carefully seamed together to create the finished garment, a traditional approach that provides clean, professional finishing
• Cable panels: Decorative cable patterns are integrated throughout the design using chart-based instructions, creating dimensional texture and visual movement across the front and body of the sweater

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Issey pattern incorporates a variety of fundamental and decorative knitting stitches:

• Ribbing: The pattern begins with a knit-purl ribbed cuff, worked in a K2, P2 (knit 2, purl 2) repeat over 16 rows total. This elastic ribbing provides stretch and helps the cuffs sit snugly on the wearer
• Stockinette stitch: Forms the base fabric between and around the cable panels, creating a smooth, classic knitted surface
• Cable stitches: The pattern features two distinct cable chart panels (Chart A and Chart B) that are worked simultaneously across the body. These cables are created using cable stitches including C4F (cable 4 front) and C4B (cable 4 back), which involve crossing groups of stitches over one another to form twisted, rope-like textures. Chart A contains a 45-stitch cable panel, while Chart B is a 20-stitch cable panel, allowing for multiple cable repeats depending on the size being knitted
• Garter stitch edging: Knit-purl combinations frame the cable panels, providing definition and preventing the cables from appearing to float on the fabric

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The Issey is knitted using Rowan Softyak DK, a double knitting weight yarn. The yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 10 to 15 balls of 50-gram skeins (500 to 750 yards total, depending on the child's size). The photographed sample is shown in the colorway Jaune 252, a yellow shade that showcases the cable texture beautifully.

Needles: The pattern requires two pairs of needles in different sizes to create proper gauge and fabric characteristics. A pair of 3¼mm (US 3) needles is used for the ribbed cuffs and edgings, which are worked at a tighter gauge to create elasticity. A pair of 4mm (US 6) needles is used for the main body and cable panels, allowing the stitches to sit at a more relaxed gauge suitable for the stockinette and cable work. A cable needle is also required to hold stitches while executing the cable crosses.

Pattern Structure and Design Elements

The sweater features a symmetrical cable panel layout, with Chart A panels appearing on both sides of the body and Chart B positioned as a central motif. The cable panels are surrounded by smaller repeating knit-purl sequences that create a framed effect, drawing attention to the dimensional cable work. The pattern is worked in rows with clear row-by-row instructions, making it accessible to knitters with intermediate cable experience. The use of multiple size options within a single pattern allows the design to be knitted for different ages while maintaining consistent stitch counts and pattern placement relative to the garment's proportions.