Easy striped sweater from leftover yarn—you can even skip weaving in the ends
This scrap-yarn sweater is a fun, colorful knitting project made from leftover skeins. Stripes knit from scraps bring different shades together in a relaxed, one-of-a-kind everyday sweater.
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5) (6, 7, 8).
Finished measurements:
- Bust circumference: 89 (101, 110, 120, 131) (141, 153, 165) cm
- Length from underarm to hem: 30 (31, 31, 32, 33) (34, 35, 36) cm
- Upper arm circumference: 34 (35, 38, 41, 44) (48, 52, 55) cm
- Wrist circumference: 20 (21, 21, 22, 25) (28, 29, 31) cm
Ilo leftover-yarn sweater—supplies:
- Various Aran-weight leftover yarns totaling 455 (520, 550, 640, 720) (800, 900, 1000) g or about 911 (1025, 1100, 1281, 1425) (1618, 1803, 2010) m. Weight and yardage can vary depending on the yarns used.
- 4 mm (US 6) and 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needles, 100 cm. For the sleeves and neckline, you can also use double-pointed needles if you prefer. Choose needles according to your gauge if needed.
- Stitch marker, waste yarn or stitch holders, and a tapestry needle
Gauge:17 sts = 10 cm in stockinette stitch. Row gauge is not crucial for this pattern.
Tip!
Plan your color palette by placing your yarns side by side before you start knitting, so you can see how they look together.
Abbreviations:
- rnd: round
- p: purl on RS, knit on WS
- WS: wrong side
- k: knit on RS, purl on WS
- RS: right side
- st(s): stitch, stitches
- MDS: make double stitch (see DS)
- DS: double stitch: Bring the yarn to the front, slip 1 st purlwise and tighten the yarn to the back so that the loops from the previous row come up onto the needle, forming a double stitch. In subsequent rows, always knit or purl this pair of loops as one stitch.
- k2tog: decrease by knitting 2 sts together (1 st decreased)
- ssk: slip, slip, knit; slip two stitches one by one as if to knit, slip them back to the left needle, and knit them together through the back loops (1 st decreased).
Ilo leftover-yarn sweater—instructions:
Construction of the sweater
The sweater is worked from the top down. The back piece is worked first, with the shoulders shaped using short rows, and then the back is worked flat to the underarms. The front stitches are picked up from the shoulders, and the shoulders are shaped with short rows. The front is worked flat to the underarms. The front and back are then joined, and the body is worked in the round to the hem. The sleeves are picked up around the armholes and worked in the round. Finally, stitches are picked up around the neckline for the collar.
Back
Cast on 76 (86, 94, 102, 112) (120, 130, 140) sts on 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needles. Do not join, but work flat: knit on the RS, purl on the WS. Work 3 rows in stockinette. On the next RS row, begin shoulder shaping using short rows (always knit or purl the TS as one stitch on the following row):
- Short Row 1 (RS): Knit 58 (65, 73, 78, 85) (90, 97, 104) sts, turn work.
- Short Row 2 (WS): Make a DS, purl 41 (43, 51, 53, 57) (59, 63, 67) sts, turn work.
- Short Row 3 (RS): Make a DS, knit 47 (50, 58, 61, 66) (69, 74, 79) sts, turn work.
- Short Row 4 (WS): Make a DS, purl 53 (57, 65, 69, 75) (79, 85, 91) sts, turn work.
- Short Row 5 (RS): Make a DS, knit 59 (64, 72, 77, 84) (89, 96, 103) sts, turn work.
- Short Row 6 (WS):Make a DS, purl 65 (71, 79, 85, 93) (99, 107, 115) sts, turn work.
- Short Row 7 (RS): Make a DS, knit 71 (78, 86, 93, 102) (109, 118, 127) sts, turn
- Next row (NP): P 76 (86, 94, 102, 112) (120, 130, 140) s.
Continue knitting in stockinette st flat until the piece measures 19 (20, 21, 22, 23) (24, 24.5, 25) cm from the shoulder at the edge. Leave the back piece on a stitch holder.
Left shoulder
Place the back piece in front of you with the RS facing up and the cast-on edge at the top. Pick up and k 24 (28, 28, 32, 36) (40, 44, 48) sts along the left shoulder with 4.5 mm (US 7) needles. Do not join, work flat: knit on the RS, purl on the WS. Work 3 more rows. On the next RS row, begin shoulder shaping with short rows (knit or purl the DS as one stitch on the following row):
- Short Row 1 (RS): K 6 (7, 7, 8, 9) (10, 11, 12) sts, turn.
- Short Row 2 (WS): MDS, neulo n 5 (6, 6, 7, 8) (9, 10, 11) sts, turn.
- Short Row 3 (RS): K 12 (14, 14, 16, 18) (20, 22, 24) sts, turn.
- Short Row 4 (WS): MDS, neulo n 11 (13, 13, 15, 17) (19, 21, 23) sts, turn.
- Short Row 5 (RS): K 18 (21, 21, 24, 27) (30, 33, 36) sts, turn.
- Short Row 6 (WS): MDS, neulo n 17 (20, 20, 23, 26) (29, 32, 35) sts, turn.
- Short Row 7 (RS): K 24 (28, 28, 32, 36) (40, 44, 48) sts.
Turn work and continue in stockinette st for 7 (9, 9, 11, 11) (11, 13, 13) rows. If you want a smaller neckline, work fewer rows.
On the next RS row, begin the neckline increases at the right edge. Work these increases on every RS row a total of 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) (6, 6, 6) times. You now have 28 (32, 33, 37, 41) (46, 50, 54) sts. Leave them on waste yarn or a spare cable.
Right shoulder
Place the back piece in front of you with the RS facing up and the cast-on edge at the top. Pick up and k 24 (28, 28, 32, 36) (40, 44, 48) sts along the right shoulder. Do not join, work flat: knit on the RS, purl on the WS. Work 2 more rows. On the next WS row, begin shoulder shaping with short rows (knit or purl the DS as one stitch on the following row):
- Short Row 1 (WS): P 6 (7, 7, 8, 9) (10, 11, 12) sts, turn.
- Short Row 2 (RS): MDS, k 5 (6, 6, 7, 8) (9, 10, 11) sts, turn.
- Short Row 3 (WS): P 12 (14, 14, 16, 18) (20, 22, 24) sts, turn.
- Short Row 4 (RS): MDS, k 11 (13, 13, 15, 17) (19, 21, 23) sts, turn.
- Short Row 5 (WS): P 18 (21, 21, 24, 27) (30, 33, 36) sts, turn.
- Short Row 6 (RS): MDS, k 17 (20, 20, 23, 26) (29, 32, 35) sts, turn.
- Next Row (NP): P 24 (28, 28, 32, 36) (40, 44, 48) sts.
Turn work and continue in Stockinette st flat for 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows. (Or, if you decreased for the neckline, work 1 row more than on the left side.)
On the next RS row, begin the neckline increases at the left edge. Work the increases on RS rows only, 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) (6, 6, 6) times in total. You have 28 (32, 33, 37, 41) (46, 50, 54) sts. After the last increase, CO20 (22, 28, 28, 30) (28, 30, 32) sts at the center front, then continue by working the left shoulder sts. You will have 76 (86, 94, 102, 112) (120, 130, 140) sts.
Continue in Stockinette st flat until the piece measures 19 (20, 21, 22, 23) (24, 24.5, 25) cm from the shoulder edge.
Body
Join the front and back stitches to work in the round. You will have 152 (172, 188, 204, 224) (240, 260, 280) sts.
Continue inSt stuntil the piece measures 25 (26, 26, 27, 28) (29, 30, 31) cm from the underarm.
Change to 4 mm circular needles and work (k1, p1) rib for 5 cm. BO the sts.
Sleeves
Pick up and knit 58 (60, 64, 70, 74) (82, 88, 94) sts around the armhole edge with 4.5 mm circular needles, starting at the underarm. Pick up the sts between the edge stitch and the next stitch. Place a marker at the underarm to indicate the beginning of the round. Join to work in the round.
When the sleeve measures 3 cm from the underarm, begin the decreases.
Decrease rnd: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, ssk. (2 sts decreased.)
Continue in St st and repeat the decrease rnd approx every 3 (3.5, 3, 2.5, 2.5) (2.5, 2, 2) cm a total of 12 (12, 14, 16, 16) (17, 19, 21) times. You will have 34 (36, 36, 38, 42) (48, 50, 52) sts. Work in St st until the sleeve measures 41 (42, 42, 43, 43) (44, 44, 45) cm from the underarm.
Change to 4 mm circular needles and work (k1, p1) rib for 6 cm. BO the sts.
Work the other sleeve the same.
Neck Finishing
Pick up and knit 28 (30, 38, 38, 40) (40, 42, 44) sts from the back neck edge with 4 mm circular needles. Along the side and curved section, skip picking up 1 st every 3 rows (pick up the sts 1 st in from the edge so the decreases sit neatly under the ribbing). Pick up and knit 20 (22, 28, 28, 30) (28, 30, 32) sts from the center-front cast-on sts of the front piece, and on the other side pick up the same number as before. Work (k1, p1) rib for 4 cm. BO the sts.
Finishing
Gently wet the garment, lay it flat on a surface and shape it to the measurements, then leave to dry.
