Rowan Retro Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Retro Sweater by Martin Storey

What Is Being Made

The Rowan Retro is a classic knitted sweater designed by Martin Storey, available in five sizes to fit bust measurements from 81–127 cm (32–50 inches). This garment features a timeless construction with raglan armholes and a shaped neckline, creating a fitted silhouette with vintage appeal. The sweater is photographed in the Brick colorway and represents a sophisticated, everyday knit suitable for various occasions.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its structured, professional finish:

• Bottom-up construction: The sweater is knitted from the lower edge upward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and intuitive progress tracking.
• Worked flat: The body pieces are created on straight needles using flat knitting, which is then seamed together for a polished appearance.
• Worked in the round: Circular needles are used for certain sections, including neckline finishing, providing seamless integration at key points.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces are carefully seamed together, creating clean, professional seams that contribute to the garment's refined look.
• Cable work: Decorative cable stitches are incorporated throughout the pattern, adding textural interest and visual depth to the design.
• Raglan shaping: The armholes are shaped using raglan decreases, which create diagonal lines from the underarm to the neckline, a hallmark of vintage sweater design.

Stitches Used

The Rowan Retro utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with more complex stitch patterns. Core techniques include knit and purl stitches for stockinette stitch fabric, slip stitches for decreasing, and cable stitches for textural patterning. The pattern incorporates decreases such as K1 psso (knit one, pass slipped stitch over) and K2tog (knit two together) for shaping the raglan armholes and neckline. Purl decreases including P2tog (purl two together) and P2tog tbl (purl two together through back loop) are used on wrong-side rows to maintain pattern continuity. Cable stitches, worked with a cable needle, create the distinctive textured elements that define this classic design.

Materials and Specifications

The Rowan Retro is designed to be knitted using Alpaca Soft DK yarn, a lightweight double-knit weight that provides softness and drape. Yarn requirements vary by size, ranging from 18 to 24 x 50-gram balls depending on the chosen bust measurement. The pattern specifies two sizes of needles: 3¼mm (US 3) needles for ribbed edgings and initial setup, and 4mm (US 6) needles for the main fabric. A 3¼mm circular needle no longer than 40 cm is required for neckline finishing, and a cable needle is essential for working the cable pattern sections. The recommended tension is 32 stitches and 30 rows to 10 centimeters, measured over the pattern stitch using 4mm needles, ensuring proper garment fit and drape.