Rowan Ophelia Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Ophelia Knit Sweater by Sarah Hatton

What is Being Made

Ophelia is a knitted sweater designed by Sarah Hatton for Rowan. This garment is available in four sizes: Small (to fit bust 81-86 cm), Medium (91-97 cm), Large (102-107 cm), and Extra Large (112-117 cm). The sweater features long sleeves and is constructed using a bottom-up knitting method with seamed construction, making it an ideal project for knitters seeking a classic, wearable design.

Techniques Used

The Ophelia sweater employs several key knitting techniques to create its finished structure. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing knitters to work individual pieces that are later seamed together. Lace patterning is incorporated throughout the design, adding visual interest and texture to the fabric. The construction follows a bottom-up approach, meaning the knitter begins at the lower edge and works upward toward the shoulders and neckline. Seaming techniques are used to join the various pieces—front, back, and sleeves—together to create the finished sweater.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with decorative lace elements. Stocking stitch (knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows) forms the base fabric. The lace pattern incorporates yarn forwards (abbreviated as yfwd) to create eyelet details, combined with strategic decreases that lift multiple stitches over a single stitch to form the characteristic openwork of lace knitting. The long sleeves feature a repeating lace motif that begins with K2 [1: 2: 1], followed by *yfwd, K5, lift 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th sts on right needle over first st and off right needle, yfwd, K1, rep from *. This creates an elegant, textured appearance throughout the garment.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Ophelia sweater is designed to be knitted using Rowan Cotton Glace, a lightweight cotton yarn. The pattern requires 12, 13, 15, or 16 balls of 50-gram weight yarn depending on the size being made. Cotton Glace is photographed in the colorway Candy Floss 747 for the original design reference.

Two pairs of needles are required for this project. 23/4mm (US 2) needles are used for ribbed edgings and initial cast-on rows, while 31/4mm (US 3) needles are used for the main fabric. The recommended tension is 23 stitches and 32 rows to 10 centimeters measured over stocking stitch using the larger 31/4mm needles, ensuring proper garment fit and drape.

Construction Details

The back and front pieces are shaped with armhole decreases worked over multiple rows, creating a fitted silhouette. Neck shaping involves casting off center stitches and working each shoulder separately with strategic decreases at the neck edge. The long sleeves are cast on with a generous stitch count (81 to 91 stitches depending on size) and feature the lace pattern from the cuff upward. Shoulder seams are formed by casting off stitches at the beginning of rows, and the garment is completed by seaming all pieces together for a polished, professional finish.