Seam Sweater Jumper Knitting Pattern

Seam Sweater in Rowan Pure Alpaca

What is Being Made

The Seam Sweater is a knitted pullover garment designed by Lisa Richardson. This advanced beginner-level sweater is constructed with a distinctive seamed construction method that combines separately worked sections. The design features a fitted body with shaped armholes and shoulders, available in nine sizes ranging from 71-76 cm to 152-157 cm chest measurement (28-30 inches to 60-62 inches). The finished garment chest measurements range from 96.5 cm to 178.5 cm (38 inches to 70¼ inches), providing options for various body proportions and fit preferences.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several intermediate to advanced knitting techniques that justify its advanced beginner difficulty rating. The sweater begins with a cast-on edge and uses stockinette stitch as the primary fabric throughout. The construction method involves working the body in the round initially, then dividing sections to work backwards and forwards in rows for shaping the back armhole and shoulder sections. The pattern incorporates seaming techniques where front and back sections are joined together using a knit-together method, where stitches from a safety pin are knitted together with stitches from the front section to create the seams. Armhole shaping is achieved through strategic decreases worked at each end of rows using slip stitch, knit together, and purl together through the back loop techniques. The sweater also features circular needle knitting for the body sections worked in rounds.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Stockinette Stitch (St St): The foundation stitch used throughout the garment, created by knitting every round when working in the round, and alternating knit and purl rows when working backwards and forwards
• Slip Stitch, Knit, Pass Slipped Stitch Over (sl 1, K1, psso): Used for left-leaning decreases at armhole edges
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): Used for right-leaning decreases at armhole edges
• Purl Two Together (P2tog): Used for decreases on wrong-side rows
• Purl Two Together Through Back Loop (P2tog tbl): Used for decreases on wrong-side rows to maintain stitch alignment
• Cast Off: Used to bind off stitches at the beginning of armhole divisions
• Knit Together (K tog): Used to seam the front and back sections by knitting corresponding stitches together

Materials and Yarn

The Seam Sweater is designed to be knitted using Rowan Pure Alpaca yarn. This yarn comes in 50-gram balls, with yardage requirements varying by size. The pattern specifies quantities ranging from 11 to 20 balls depending on the chosen size, allowing crafters to select the appropriate amount for their intended finished measurements. Pure Alpaca is a luxurious natural fiber yarn known for its softness and drape characteristics, making it an excellent choice for a fitted sweater design.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires two sets of needles in different sizes to achieve proper tension and fabric control. 3¼mm (US 3) needles are used for ribbing or initial cast-on sections, while 3¾mm (US 5) needles are used for the main body fabric. Both needle sizes are required in both straight needle and circular needle formats. The circular needles must be appropriately sized: the 3¼mm circular needle should be no more than 40 cm long, while the 3¾mm circular needle should range from 90 to 170 cm long depending on the garment size being knitted. These needle specifications ensure proper stitch distribution and comfortable knitting throughout the construction process.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this garment to fit properly. The pattern specifies a tension of 23 stitches and 29 rows to 10 centimeters, measured over stockinette stitch using the 3¾mm (US 5) needles. Knitters should swatch before beginning the project to ensure their personal tension matches this specification, as variations in tension will significantly affect the finished measurements of the sweater.

Construction Overview

The Seam Sweater uses a seamed construction method that differs from seamless top-down or bottom-up approaches. The body is initially worked in rounds of