Color Theory: Kenwood Sweater
THE KENWOOD SWEATER IS AN EXCLUSIVE PATTERN MADE IN MY BRAND NEW YARN, COLOR THEORY, PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LION BRAND YARN. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE YARN AND COLLABORATION HERE!
This casual crewneck pullover works up before you know it with two strands held together. The relaxed fit and loose knit makes this the perfect companion for summer nights.. Scroll down for the free pattern, purchase a printer-friendly PDF of the Kenwood Sweater pattern, or purchase the kit with all the Color Theory yarn you’ll need!
As soon as I see a new yarn that grabs my attention, I instantly picture it used in a cozy, relaxed sweater. It’s my go-to project. Anyone else? As such, the Kenwood Sweater was the first pattern I designed with Color Theory and it’s def one of my faves! :)
Even though sweaters sound intimidating, as long as you can knit and purl and do a couple decreases, they are totally suitable for a newbie. This sweater is beginner level, so if you’ve never taken the plunge into sweater world, this might be the one for you!
The Kenwood Sweater is worked up on big needles with the yarn held doubled, so it’s suuuuuuuper quick to make which makes the whole process even more satisfying! I designed the whole palette of Color Theory to be mix-and-matchable, so you can either hold two strands of the same color together for a solid look, or you can pair ANY two colors like I have here for a marled vibe. Good luck choosing a pair though - there are over 150 two-color combos possible! WOW!
This is a beginner level knitting pattern and the techniques involved are knitting and purling, KFB increase, K2tog and SSK decreases, picking up stitches along an edge, and seaming.
MATERIALS
3 (3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5) skeins each Lion Brand Color Theory in Provence (619-152AI) for color A and Bee Pollen (619-158AI) for color B
(worsted, weight 4; 246yds/225m per skein)
Size US 11 (8mm) straight knitting needles (larger sizes may require circulars to accommodate stitches)
Size US 11 (8mm) circular knitting needles, 16”/40cm long
Size US 15 (10mm) straight knitting needles (larger sizes may require circulars to accommodate stitches)
Stitch holders or scrap yarn
Tapestry needle
GAUGE
11 sts + 14 rows = 4”/10cm in stockinette on size US 15 (10mm) needles with yarn held double
FINISHED DIMENSIONS
Suggested positive ease: 7-9”/18-23cm
Pictured in a size S on model with 34”/86cm bust
ABBREVIATIONS
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms.
CO – cast on
Dec – decrease
K – knit
K2tog – knit 2 together
KFB – knit front and back
P – purl
Rep – repeat
RS – right side
SSK – slip, slip, knit
Sl – slip (purlwise)
St(s) – stitch(es)
WS – wrong side
Notes: Sweater body is worked flat from the bottom up, and sleeves are worked flat from the top down. Two strands are held together throughout. All sts are slipped purlwise with yarn in back on right side rows and with yarn in front on wrong side rows. Pattern is written for eight sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL).
Back:
With size US 11 (8mm) straight needles and one strand each of colors A and B, CO 52 (58, 64, 70, 74, 80, 86, 92) sts.
Rows 1-8: *K 1, P 1, rep from * to end of row.
Change to size US 15 (10mm) needles.
Row 9 (RS): K.
Row 10 (WS): P.
Rep rows 9 and 10 until work measures 11.5 (11.5, 12, 12, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 12.5)”/29 (29, 30.5, 30.5, 30.5, 32, 32, 32)cm from CO, ending with a WS row.
Begin underarm shaping:
Next row (RS): Bind off 3 sts, K to end of row. (49 (55, 61, 67, 71, 77, 83, 89) sts)
Next row (WS): Bind off 3 sts, P to end of row. (46 (52, 58, 64, 68, 74, 80, 86) sts)
Next row: K.
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows until work measures 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 10.75, 11)”/20.5 (21.5, 23, 24, 25.5, 26.5, 27.5, 28)cm from underarm bind offs, ending with a WS row.
Begin shoulder shaping:
Row numbers will restart for simplicity.
Row 1 (RS): Bind off 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) sts, K to end of row. (43 (48, 54, 59, 63, 68, 73, 79) sts)
Row 2 (WS): Bind off 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) sts, P to last st, sl last st. (40 (44, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 72) sts)
Row 3: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st (1 st bound off), bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7) sts normally, K to last st, sl last st. (37 (40, 45, 49, 52, 56, 59, 64) sts)
Row 4: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7) sts normally, P to last st, sl last st. (34 (36, 40, 44, 46, 50, 52, 56) sts)
Row 5: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7) sts normally, K to last st, sl last st. (31 (32, 35, 39, 40, 43, 45, 48) sts)
Row 6: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7) sts normally, P to last st, sl last st. (28 (28, 30, 34, 34, 36, 38, 40) sts)
Row 7: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 3 (3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7) sts normally, K to last st, sl last st. (24 (24, 25, 28, 28, 29, 31, 32) sts)
Row 8: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 3 (3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7) sts normally, P to last st, sl last st. (20 (20, 20, 22, 22, 22, 24, 24) sts)
Bind off remaining sts for back neck.
Front:
Work as for back to underarm shaping.
Begin underarm shaping:
Next row (RS): Bind off 3 sts, K to end of row. (49 (55, 61, 67, 71, 77, 83, 89) sts)
Next row (WS): Bind off 3 sts, P to end of row. (46 (52, 58, 64, 68, 74, 80, 86) sts)
Next row: K.
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows until work measures 6 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 8.75, 9)”/15 (16.5, 18, 19, 20.5, 21.5, 22, 23)cm from underarm bind offs, ending with a WS row.
Begin front neck shaping:
Row numbers will restart for simplicity.
Row 1 (RS): K 19 (22, 25, 27, 29, 32, 34, 37), KFB, K 1, pass extra st from KFB over, bind off 6 (6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10) sts, K to end of row.
Place sts worked BEFORE the bind off on a holder and begin working only the sts on the needles to form the right side. (20 (23, 26, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38) sts on needles)
Right side:
Row 2 (WS): P to last st, sl last st.
Row 3: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 1 st normally, K to end of row. (18 (21, 24, 26, 28, 31, 33, 36) sts)
Rows 4 -7: Rep rows 2 and 3, 2 more times. (14 (17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 32) sts)
Begin shoulder shaping:
Row 8: Bind off 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) sts, P to last st, sl last st. (11 (13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25) sts)
Row 9: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, K to last st, sl last st. (10 (12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 24) sts)
Row 10: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7) sts normally, P to end of row. (7 (8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 16) sts)
Row 11: K to last st, sl last st.
Row 12: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7) sts normally, P to end of row. (4 (4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) sts.
Row 13: Rep row 11.
Row 14: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off remaining sts.
Place sts from holder back on needles and rejoin yarn at the neckline edge to begin a WS row for the left side.
Left side:
Row 2 (WS): P.
Row 3: K to last st, sl last st.
Row 4: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 1 st normally, P to end of row. (18 (21, 24, 26, 28, 31, 33, 36) sts)
Rows 5+6: Rep rows 3 and 4. (16 (19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31, 34) sts)
Row 7: Bind off 3 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) sts, K to last st, sl last st. (13 (15, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 27) sts)
Row 8: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 1 st normally, P to last st, sl last st. (11 (13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25) sts)
Row 9: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7) sts normally, K to last st, sl last st. (8 (9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 15, 17) sts)
Row 10: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, P to last st, sl last st. (7 (8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 16) sts)
Row 11: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off 2 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7) sts normally, K to end of row. (4 (4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) sts)
Row 12: P to last st, sl last st.
Row 13: Sl 2, pass 2nd st over the 1st, bind off remaining sts.
Sleeves:
With size US 15 (10mm) straight needles and one strand each of colors A and B, CO 46 (48, 50, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) sts.
Row 1 (RS): K.
Row 2 (WS): P.
Rep rows 1 and 2 until work measures 3”/7.5cm from CO, ending with a WS row.
Next row (RS): (Dec) K 1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K 1. (44 (46, 48, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60) sts)
Next 5 (5, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3) rows: Work in stockinette (K the RS rows, P the WS rows).
Rep last 6 (6, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4) rows 1 (1, 10, 8, 8, 7, 6, 6) more time(s). (42 (44, 28, 36, 38, 42, 46, 48) sts)
Sizes XS (S, -, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL) only:
Next row: (Dec) K 1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, SSK, K 1. (40 (42, -, 34, 36, 40, 44, 46) sts)
Next 3 (3, -, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1) row(s): Work in stockinette.
Rep last 4 (4, -, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) rows 7 (7, -, 3, 3, 5, 7, 7) more times. (26 (28, -, 28, 30, 30, 30, 32) sts)
All Sizes:
If necessary, continue in stockinette until work measures 18”/46cm from CO. (26 (28, 28, 28, 30, 30, 30, 32) sts)
Change to size US 11 (8mm) needles.
Next 6 rows: *K 1, P 1, rep from * to end of row.
Bind off with a tubular bind off or in rib.
Construction:
Seam shoulders, lining up the shaping.
Line each sleeve up to the armholes, fitting the tops of them between the underarm bind offs of the front and back. Seam the top of each sleeve first at the horizontal underarm, then up and over the shoulder, then at the underarm on the other side.
Fold at shoulders and, starting at bottom edge, seam sides up to the underarm and then down the underside of the sleeves.
Neckband:
With size US 11 (8mm) circular needles, one strand each of colors A and B, RS facing, and starting at back right neck, pick up and K 20 (20, 20, 22, 22, 22, 24, 24) sts across back neck, 10 sts down to center front bind off, 6 (6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10) sts across center front, and 10 sts up to 1st st cast on for a total of 46 46 (46, 50, 50, 50, 54, 54) sts. Place marker for beginning of round.
Rounds 1-5: *K 1, P 1, rep from * around.
Bind off with a tubular bind off or loosely in rib.
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