If you are looking for a free knitting pattern for a girls sweater, here goes. This is a classic stocking stitch sweater with rolled edges around the neck and the cuffs. There is a drawstring threaded through the hem which can be tied in a bow in the front.
If you don’t have knitting stitch holders or a French knitting spool, you can find out how to get one by clicking on the pictures of the products. (If you decide to purchase, I will get a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you)
Free Knitting Pattern For A Girls Sweater
Sizes: 4, 6 and 8 years
Yarn: 6 balls of 40% worsted wool, 30% acrylic, 30% polyamide 50g/125m. We used Ideal yarn.
Needles: 3 mm & 3.5 mm
Type of Stitches Used: Stocking Stitch
Tension: 24 sts x 31 rows in stocking stitch using 3.5mm needles = 10cm square.
Let’s Start Knitting Our Girls Sweater
Back:
*Using 3mm needles cast on 82(88, 96) sts.
Beg with a k row, work 7 rows st st.
Next row (ws): k to end to form a fold line.
Change to 3.5mm needles.
Cont in st st until back measures 22(25, 28) cm from cast-on edge, ending with a ws row.
Armholes:
Cast off 3 sts at beg of next row twice, then 2 sts at beg of foll row 4(4,6,) times.
Next row: k2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, sl 1, k1, psso, k2
Work 1 row straight.
Rep last 2 rows 3(4,3) times. 60(64, 70) sts.*
Cont straight until armholes measure 13(14,15) cm from beg, ending with a ws row.
Shoulders and Neck:
Next row: Cast off 4 sts, k17(18,20) including st used to cast off and place these sts on a stitch holder like the ones below.
Complete the 2 sides separately from this point.Cast off next 18(20,22) sts for neck and k to end.
Cast off at beg of next and every row 4 sts once, 3 sts(= neck edge) once, 4(4,5) sts once, 2 sts once and 4(4,5) sts once. Work 1 row straight.
Cast off rem 4(5,5) sts.
With ws facing, pick up the sts from the stitch holder and complete the other side, reversing the shaping.
Front:
Work as for back from * to *.
Cont straight until armholes measure 10(11,12)cm from beg, ending with a ws row.
Shoulders and Neck:
Next row: k24(25,27) and place these sts on a stitch holder; complete the 2 sides separately from this point.
Cast off next 12(14,16) sts for the neck and k to end.
Work 1 row straight. Cast off at beg of next (= neck edge) and every foll alt row 3 sts once, 2 sts once and 1 st twice.
Next row: Cast off 4 sts (= shoulder edge), p to end.
Next row: Cast off 1 st, k to end.
Cast off at beg of next (= shoulder edge) and foll alt row 4(4,5) sts once and 4(4,5) sts once. Work 1 row straight. Cast off rem 4(5,5) sts.
With ws facing, pick up sts from stitch holder and complete the other side, reversing the shaping.
Sleeves:
Using 3mm needles cast on 46(48, 50) sts.
Beg with a k row, work 8 rows st st.
Change to 3.5 mm needles.
Next Row: K2, inc 1, k to last 2 sts, inc 1, k2. Cont in st st, rep from last row every 12(12,10) rows 4(4,9) times, then every 10(10, 0) rows 2(3,0) times. 60(64, 70) sts.
Cont straight until sleeve measures 27(30,34) cm from cast-on edge, ending with a ws row.
Shape top:
Cast off 3 sts at beg of next row 2 times, then 2 sts at beg of foll row 4(6,*) times.
Next row: k2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, sl 1, k1, psso, k2.
Work one row straight.
Rep last 2 rows (5,3) times. Cast off 2 sts at beg of next row 6 times, then 3 sts at beg of foll row 2(2,4) times.
Cast off rem 16 sts.
Finishing
Pin the sections out to size and press lightly under a damp cloth. Backstitch the right shoulder seam.
Neckband: Using 3mm needles, beg at the left front shoulder with rs facing, pick up and k 88(94,100) sts around the front and back neck.
Work 13 rows in st st, cast off.
Backstitch the left shoulder and neckband seam. Backstitch a sleeve top into each armhole, then backstitch the side and sleeve seams.
Allow the neckband and the sleeve edges to roll on to the rs and hold in place with a few tiny stitches. fold a 2 cm hem to the inside along the fold line and slipstitch in place, leaving a small gap for threading the cord.
Using a french knitting spool like the one below, work a cord 115(121,127) cm long. thread the cord through the gap in the hem and tie in a bow. Alternatively, you could make a twisted cord or use a length of bought silky cord.
Read about the embellish knitter here. This is an excellent tool for making cords and other embellishments for your knitting.
