Rowan Lexy Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Lexy Striped Sweater by Marie Wallin

What is Being Made

Lexy is a classic knitted sweater designed by Marie Wallin for Rowan. This garment is constructed as a seamless, pullover-style jumper worked in the round from the bottom up. The sweater features a striking striped color pattern created by alternating between eight different yarn colors throughout the design. Available in five sizes ranging from small to extra-extra-large to fit bust measurements from 81-127 cm, this versatile piece offers options for various body types and preferences.

Techniques Used

The Lexy sweater employs several key knitting techniques that create both its structural integrity and visual appeal:

• Seamless construction: The entire garment is worked in one continuous piece using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Worked in the round: Using circular needles, the knitter works continuously in rounds rather than flat rows, which is particularly efficient for creating a tubular garment like a sweater body.
• Bottom-up construction: The sweater is begun at the lower edge and worked upward toward the neckline, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and modifications as the piece progresses.
• Striped colorwork: A repeating 42-round stripe sequence is established and repeated throughout the body, creating a bold horizontal striped pattern using the eight available yarn colors.
• Ribbed edging: The lower edge features a knit-purl ribbed pattern (K1, P2, K2 repeat) that provides elasticity and helps the sweater maintain its shape.

Stitches Used

The Lexy pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches that are accessible to intermediate knitters:

• Knit stitch (K): The primary stitch used throughout most of the sweater body.
• Purl stitch (P): Used in combination with knit stitches to create the ribbed texture at the lower edge and potentially in the stripe pattern.
• Ribbed pattern: A K1, P2, K2 repeat creates vertical columns of texture that provide stretch and recovery, essential for a well-fitting sweater.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Lexy sweater is designed to be knitted with Rowan Pure Wool Worsted, a durable and versatile yarn that provides excellent stitch definition and drape. The pattern requires eight different yarn colors:

• Yarn A (Navy): 2-3 x 100gm balls depending on size
• Yarn B (Apple): 1 x 100gm ball for all sizes
• Yarn C (Toffee): 1 x 100gm ball for all sizes
• Yarn D (Raspberry): 1 x 100gm ball for all sizes
• Yarn E (Rust): 1-2 x 100gm balls depending on size
• Yarn F (Jade): 1 x 100gm ball for all sizes
• Yarn G (Rosy): 1 x 100gm ball for all sizes
• Yarn H (Satin): 1 x 100gm ball for all sizes

Needles Required

The pattern calls for specific needle sizes to achieve the correct gauge and fabric characteristics:

• 3¾mm (US 5) circular needle: Used for the ribbed lower edge and initial cast-on. Length varies by size from 80-120 cm depending on the garment size being knitted.
• 4½mm (US 7) circular needle: Used for the main body of the sweater after the ribbed section. Length ranges from 70-110 cm based on size.
• Double-pointed needles: Sets of 4 needles in both 3¾mm (US 5) and 4½mm (US 7) sizes are required for working the smaller circumference sections such as the neckline and sleeve cuffs.

Construction Details

The sweater body begins with casting on between 244 and 372 stitches depending