Rowan Rosedale Jumper Knitting Pattern

Rowan Rosedale Knitted Sweater by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Rosedale is a knitted sweater designed by Martin Storey, available in five size options to fit bust measurements from 81-86 cm (32-34 inches) up to 122-127 cm (48-50 inches). The finished garment features actual bust measurements ranging from 107 cm (42¼ inches) to 147 cm (57¾ inches), providing comfortable ease across the size range. This is a classic pullover-style jumper suitable for everyday wear.

Construction Techniques

The Rosedale is constructed using bottom-up knitting methodology, meaning the garment is worked from the lower edge upward. The sweater is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring seaming to join the pieces together after completion. This traditional construction method allows for straightforward shaping and modification opportunities throughout the knitting process.

The pattern incorporates strategic shaping techniques including armhole decreases, shoulder shaping, and neck shaping. The back and front pieces are worked separately with detailed instructions for decreasing stitches at specific intervals to create proper garment fit and structure. The neckline features a curved front neck shaping that requires gradual decreasing over multiple rows, while the shoulders are shaped through a series of cast-off rows to create proper sleeve cap depth.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch used throughout the Rosedale is stockinette stitch (abbreviated as st st), which creates the classic smooth, V-textured fabric characteristic of traditional knitwear. The pattern employs a special abbreviation of sl 1 P (slip next stitch purlwise with yarn at back of work), indicating selective use of slipped stitches for edge definition or decorative purposes.

Shaping is achieved through standard knitting decreases worked at armhole edges and neck edges. The pattern uses cast-off techniques at the beginning of rows to shape shoulders and create proper garment structure, combined with single-stitch decreases worked within rows for gradual, invisible shaping at neck edges.

Materials and Gauge

The Rosedale is designed to be worked in Rowan Moordale yarn, a worsted-weight option, with the sample photographed in the colorway Feather 001. The pattern requires 6 to 10 balls of 100-gram yarn depending on the size selected, with specific yardage information available on knitrowan.com.

Two needle sizes are required for this project: 3¾mm (US 5) needles and 4mm (US 6) needles. The working tension is 23 stitches and 30 rows to 10 centimeters measured over stockinette stitch using the larger 4mm needles. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements across all size options.

Pattern Details

The back piece begins with a cast-on, followed by armhole shaping that involves casting off stitches at the beginning of rows and then decreasing one stitch at each end over multiple alternate rows. Armhole depth varies by size, ranging from 21 cm to 27 cm. Shoulder shaping is completed through a series of cast-offs, with simultaneous neck shaping that requires decreasing stitches at the neck edge while casting off at the shoulder edge.

The front piece follows a similar construction to the back until it reaches the neck shaping point, which occurs 18 to 24 rows before the back shoulder shaping begins. The front neck features a deeper, more gradual curve created through progressive decreases: an initial cast-off of 6 stitches, followed by single-stitch decreases over consecutive rows, then decreases on alternate rows, and finally decreases on every fourth row. This multi-phase decreasing technique creates a smooth, professional-looking neckline.

The pattern reference number is ZB246-00009 v.1, and additional pattern support and yarn information can be found on the official Rowan website at knitrowan.com.