Easy Knit Sweater Pattern – Jack & Jill

Cold weather is coming soon – be ready with this easy, knit sweater! Varying textures, stripes, and colorblocking create a timeless look with modern appeal. It was originally designed with Jack in mind, but the straight, relaxed fit means it’s great for Jill too! Either way, it’s sure to be a favorite.

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Plymouth Homestead Yarn

This yarn has a great texture and comes in lots of different color choices! I love the combination of a heathered neutral and a solid color. It is a 100% wool yarn, which means it blocks beautifully, but needs to be hand washed. If you want a machine washable sweater, any plain, worsted weight yarn should work for this pattern.

Jack & Jill Sweater

Materials:

• Yarn: Plymouth Homestead medium / worsted weight, 100% wool
  • [4, 4, 4, 5] skeins Brick (A)
  • 2 skeins Brown Heather (B)
    (for the XL size, 2 skeins should be enough but it will be close. You may want to get 3 to be safe). 
• Needles:
  • Size 9 (5.5 mm) needles, or size needed to match gauge.
  • Size 8 (5mm) needles, or 1 size smaller than the other needles used.
• Notions:
  • Yarn or tapestry needle
  • Stitch markers or scraps of yarn (optional)

Project Level:

Easy – Limited shaping. All stockinette and garter stitch.

Sizes:

Pattern is written for size S, with changes for M, L, and XL in [ ]

Gauge:

• 13 sts x 20 rows = 4 inches in stockinette (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
• 13 sts x 29 rows = 4 inches in garter (knit every row)

Abbreviations used:

• k = knit
• p = purl
• sl = slip
• ssk = slip-slip-knit
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• kfb = knit front and back
• pm = place marker
• sm = slip marker
• CO = cast on
• BO – bind off
• RS = right side
• WS = wrong side

Recommended Resources:

• How to Pick Up Stitches by The Underground Crafter
• Picking up Stitches Tutorial by Knits’ End

Instructions:

Back:

With A, and larger needles, CO 61 [68, 74, 81] sts

Rows 1-10: K to last st, p1

Change to B. With B:

Row 11 (RS): Sl 1, k to last st, p1

Row 12 (WS): Sl 1, p across.

Change to A.

Rows 13-18: With A, repeat rows 11-12 three times. Change to B.

Rows 19-22: With B, repeat rows 11-12 twice. Change to A.

Rows 23-26: With A, repeat rows 11-12 twice. Change to B.

Rows 27-32: With B, repeat rows 11-12 three times. Change to A.

Rows 33-34: With A, repeat rows 11-12 once. Change to B.

Rows 35-84 [90, 90, 90]: With B, repeat rows 11-12 25 [28, 28, 28] times. Change to A.

Row count starts over here, so mark last row for reference when counting rows. Work should now measure about 16.5 [17.25, 17.25, 17.25] inches and you should have just finished a wrong side row. 

Armhole:

Rows 1-2: With A, BO 2 [3, 4, 5] k across. (57 [62, 66, 71] sts)

Rows 3-4: Repeat row 11

Rows 5-6: BO 1 [2, 2, 2], k across. (55 [58, 62, 67] sts)

Rows 7-8: Repeat row 11

Rows 9-10: Ssk, k across (53 [56, 60, 65] sts)

Rows 11-12: Repeat row 11

Rows 13-14: Ssk, k across (51 [54, 58, 63] sts)

Rows 15-64 [67, 71, 75]: Repeat row 11

Divide for neckline

Row 65 [68, 72, 76] (RS [WS, WS, WS]): Sl 1, k 22 [23, 25, 27], BO 5, [6, 6, 7], k 23 [24, 26, 28]. (23 [24, 26, 28] sts on each side of BO)

Row count starts over here, so mark last row for reference when counting rows. Work should now measure approximately 25.5 [26.5, 27, 27.5] inches from beginning.

Left [Right, Right, Right] shoulder:

Row 1: BO 4 [4, 4, 5], k to last 2 sts, k2tog (18 [19, 21, 22] sts)

Leave the other 23 [24, 26, 28] sts for the other shoulder on the needle, but ignore them for now.

Row 2: BO 3, k to last 2 sts, k2tog (14 [15, 17, 18] sts)

Row 3: BO 4 [4, 5, 5], k to last 2 sts, k2tog (9 [10, 11, 12] sts)

Row 4: BO 2, k to last 2 sts, k2tog (6 [7, 8, 9]  sts)

BO all sts and cut yarn.

Right [Left, Left, Left] shoulder:

With WS [RS, RS, RS] facing, join A to work into the remaining 23 [24, 26, 28] sts from row 65 [68, 72, 76]. You should be starting from the neckline edge (center), not the armhole edge.

Row 1: BO 3, k to last 2 sts, k2tog (19 [20, 22, 24] sts)

Row 2: BO 4 [4, 4, 5], k to last 2 sts, k2tog (14 [15, 17, 18] sts)

Row 3: BO 2 [2, 2, 3], k to last 2 sts, k2tog (11 [12, 14, 14]  sts)

Row 4: BO 4 [4, 5, 5], k to last 2 sts, k2tog (6 [7, 8, 8] sts)

BO all sts and cut yarn.

Back should measure about 26 [27.25, 27.75, 28.25] inches from shoulder to hem.

Front:

Work same as back up to armhole shaping.

Armhole:

Rows 1-42 [46, 49, 53]: Work same as back.

Divide for Neck:

Row 43 [47, 50, 54] (RS [RS, WS, WS]): Sl 1, k 23 [25, 27, 29], BO 3 [2, 2, 3] k 23 [25, 27, 29] p1 (24 [26, 28, 30] sts on each side of BO)

Row count starts over here, so mark last row for reference when counting rows. Work should now measure approximately 22.5 [23.5, 24, 24.5] inches from beginning.

Right [Right, Left, Left] shoulder:  

Decrease every row for 5 rows:

Row 1: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (23 [25, 27, 29] sts)

Leave the other 24 [26, 28, 30] sts for the other shoulder on the needle, but ignore them for now.

Row 2: Ssk, k to last st, p 1. (22 [24, 26, 27] sts)

Row 3-5: Repeat rows 1-2, then repeat row 1 once more. (20 [21, 23, 25] sts on last row)

Decrease every 2nd row for 6 rows:

Row 6: K to last st, p 1. (20 [21, 23, 25] sts)

Row 7: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (19 [20, 22, 24] sts)

Rows 8-11: Repeat rows 6-7 twice. (17 [18, 20, 22] sts on last row)

Decrease once in 3 rows:

Row 12: K to last st, p 1. (17 [18, 20, 22] sts)

Row 13: Sl 1, k across. (17 [18, 20, 22] sts)

Row 14: Ssk, k to last st, p 1 (16 [17, 19, 21] sts)

Work even for 8 rows:

Row 15-21: Sl 1, k to last st, p 1. (16 [17, 19, 21] sts)

Row 22: Sl 1, k across. (16 [17, 19, 21] sts)

Start shoulder shaping:

Row 23: BO 4 [4, 4, 5], k to last st, p 1. (12 [13, 15, 16]  sts)

Row 24: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog (11 [12, 14, 15] sts)

Row 25: BO 4 [4, 5, 5], k to last st, p 1. (7 [8, 9, 10] sts)

Row 26: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (6 [7, 8, 9] sts)

BO all sts and cut yarn.

Left [Left, Right, Right] shoulder:

With WS [WS, RS, RS] facing, join A to work into the remaining 24 [26, 28, 30] sts from row 43 [47, 50, 54]. You should be starting from the neckline edge (center), not the armhole edge.

Decrease every row for 5 rows:

Row 1: Ssk, k to last st, p 1. (23 [25, 27, 29] sts)

Row 2: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (22 [24, 26, 27] sts)

Row 3-5: Repeat rows 1-2, then repeat row 1 once more. (20 [21, 23, 25] sts on last row)

Decrease every 2nd row for 6 rows:

Row 6: Sl 1, k across. (20 [21, 23, 25] sts)

Row 7: Ssk, k to last st, p 1 (19 [20, 22, 24] sts)

Rows 8-11: Repeat rows 6-7 twice. (17 [18, 20, 22] sts on last row)

Decrease once in 3 rows:

Row 12-13: Sl 1, k to last st, p 1 (17 [18, 20, 22] sts)

Row 14: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (16 [17, 19, 21] sts)

Work even for 8 rows:

Row 15-22: Sl 1, k to last st, p 1. (16 [17, 19, 21] sts)

Start shoulder shaping:

Row 23: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog (15 [16, 18, 20] sts)

Row 24: BO 4 [4, 4, 5], k to last st, p 1. (11 [12, 14, 15] sts)

Row 25: Sl 1, k to last 2 sts, k2tog (10 [11, 13, 14] sts)

Row 26: BO 4 [4, 5, 5], k to last st, p 1. (6 [7, 8, 9] sts)

BO all sts and cut yarn.

Front should measure the same length as back. 

Sleeve (make 2):

Cuff:

With smaller needles, CO 24 [24, 26, 26] sts. Join to work in the round.

Rnd 1-10 [10, 12, 12]: (K 1, p 1) around.

Row count starts over here, so mark last row for reference when counting rows. Work should now measure approximately 1.5 [1.5, 1.75, 1.75] inches from beginning.

Arm:

Switch to larger needles.

Rnd 1 (RS): P 12 [12, 13, 13], pm, P 12 [12, 13, 13]. (24 [24, 26, 26] sts)

Rnd 2 (increase rnd): Kfb, k to marker, kfb, k around. (26 [26, 28, 28] sts)

Slip marker as you come to it, unless otherwise specified.

Rnd 3: P around

Rnd 4: K around

Size S only: 

Rnds 5-13: Repeat rnds 3-4 four times, then repeat rnd 3 once more.

Rnds 14 -123: Repeat rnds 2-13 nine times, then repeat rnds 2-3 once more. (46 sts)

Size M only: 

Rnds 5-11: Repeat rnds 3-4 three times, then repeat rnd 3 once more.

Rnds 12-102: Repeat rnds 2-11 nine times, then repeat rnd 2 once more (46 sts)

Rnds 103-113: Repeat rnds 3-4 five times, then repeat rnd 3 once more

Rnd 114 (increase rnd): Repeat rnd 2. (48 sts)

Rnds 115-126: Repeat rnds 43-54. (50 sts)

Rnd 127: P around.

Size L & XL only: 

Rnds 5-9: Repeat rnds 3-4 twice, then repeat rnd 3 once more.

Rnds 10-42 [114]: Repeat rnds 2-9 four [thirteen] times, then repeat rnd 2 once more (38 [56] sts)

Rnds 43-51 [115-123]: Repeat rnds 3-4 four times, then repeat rnd 3 once more

Rnd 52 [124] (increase rnd): Repeat rnd 2. (40 [58] sts)

Rnds 53-132 [125-134]: Repeat rnds 43-52 eight [one] times. (56 [60] sts)

Rnd 133 [135]: P around.

Sleeve should now measure approximately 18.5 [19, 20, 20.5] inches from beginning.

Sleeve Cap (worked back and forth in rows)

Row 1-2: BO 2 [3, 4, 5] k across. (42 [44, 48, 50] sts)

Row 3 (decrease row): Ssk, k to last two sts, k2tog. (40 [42, 46, 48] sts)

Size S & M only: 

Rows 4-5: K across.

Rows 6-14 [20]: Repeat rows 3-5 three [five] times. (34 [32] sts)

Row 15 [21]: Repeat row 3. (32 [30] sts)

Rows 16-18 [22-24]: K across.

Rows 19-34 [25-28]: Repeat last 4 rows four [one] times. (24 [28] sts)

Rows 35-48 [29-48]: Repeat rows 3-5 four [six] times, then repeat rows 3-4 once more. (14 sts)

BO all sts and cut yarn.

Size L & XL only: 

Row 4: K across.

Rows 5-10 [14]: Repeat rows 3-4 three [five] times. (40 [38] sts)

Row 11 [15]: Repeat row 3. (38 [36] sts)

Rows 12-13 [16-17]: K across.

Rows 14-40 [18-35]: Repeat last 3 rows nine [six] times. (20 [24] sts)

Rows 41-48 [39-47]: Repeat rows 3-4 four [six] times. (12 sts)

BO all sts and cut yarn.

Sleeve should now measure approximately 25 [25.5, 26.5, 27] inches from beginning.

Finishing:

Seaming

• Sew front and back together at shoulder seams
• Sew side seams
• Sew sleeves into armhole openings – I find it helpful to pin sleeves into place before trying to sew them, to make sure everything is aligned and even.

Collar Ribbing

With RS facing and with smaller needles, pick up 99 [99, 99, 102] stitches around the collar edge and join to work in the round.

Rnds 1-5: (K 2, p 1) around.

Bind off and sew in all ends

Rate this easy knit sweater pattern!

I hope you enjoy the pattern. Big thanks to Lynn Hensley for testing it, and Kathy Dimmick for suggesting the name!

A downloadable pdf of this pattern is available on Ravelry for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.

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