3 FREE Knitting Patterns for Sweaters that are very easy!

I’m sharing my favorite go to Knitting Patterns for Sweaters that are FREE and easy to complete for beginners.

I enjoy Knitting Blankets because they are simple and rectangle in shape. So when it comes to quick and easy Knitting Patterns for sweaters I look for simple and no piecing designs. My go to design is a Top Down Sweater Pattern that is knit in one piece. It works every time! And these make a great home made gift idea for a new baby or toddler.

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3 Knitting Patterns for Sweaters

1. Knitting Pattern Cardigan 4 Year Old

For this Knitting Pattern Cardigan 4 year old size, I used 3 balls of the Loops &Threads Kaleidoscope Yarn with a Size 11 Circular Needle. This is a 100% Wool Yarn, but you can easily substitute

knitting patterns for sweaters

I followed the Bug Warmer pattern (which you can find here on Ravelry) for this sweater. It’s a free pattern and as simple as can be. I started with 38 stitches. The large needles and the fact that the sleeves are so short make quick work of knitting this up. If you are looking for something to knit as a gift this holiday season- this pattern is great choice!

ravelry_sweater

2. One Day Knit Baby Sweater

Of all the knitting patterns for sweaters I have tried, this is the fastest. You can quickly finish this one night. It takes about 2 hours I would say. So if you are ever in need of a quick last-minute gift keep this sweater in mind.

I actually made this with the left over yarn from my Corner to Corner baby blanket. For this easy baby sweater I used this Wee Speedy pattern that is a free pattern on Ravelry. This pattern is a top down cardigan- we start knitting at the neck and then the entire sweater is knit in one piece.

easy baby sweater to knit

For my sweater, I did make a few pattern changes. First one, I made my sweater in garter stitch, I simple knit all the rows. Second, I made my sweater color blocked using two colors of yarn instead of just one (as the pattern calls for). And lastly, I moved the button hole up a few rows.

Once the sweater was finished, I added a simple crochet border around the neck and center with a soft pink colored yarn. I sewed in a button and my easy baby sweater was done!

3. Knitted Cardigan for Girls

For this cardigan, I used a Bulky 5 yarn from my stash, along with a Size 11 circular knitting needles. The pattern I followed is the Lion Brands “Neck Down Cardi”– I resized it to be larger in size.

Knitted Cardigan for Girls Modern

I have knit this in the newborn size various times before, but this time I wanted to use bulky yarn and larger needles and make a 5T- 6T size cardigan. Here is how I adapted the pattern to make what I needed.

Altering the pattern gauge: I knitted a sample swatch and determined my gauge. I’m using a bulkier yarn than what the pattern calls for and thus a larger needle size. And here comes a little bit of math:

The pattern calls for a 16sts=4inch gauge. My gauge was about 11.5 sts=4inch. For the 6yr size, the pattern says to cast on  62 stitches, so how many stitches should I actually cast on now?

The answer= (62 x 11.5) divided by 16. Which happens to be 44.5

After finishing the sweater yoke, I changed the yarn color from the neutral gray/beige to a rich ochre color. The pattern calls for just one color of yarn, but I like to mix up things.

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Is Knitting a Sweater Hard?

The patterns I’ve knitted above are all knitting patterns for sweaters on circular needles so there is no need to join any pieces! While knitting a blanket is definitely easier, knitting a sweater isn’t too difficult either. Try using any one of the knitting patterns for sweaters linked above and you will see how easy it can be to knit a sweater with the right patterns!

Hi I’m Smitha! I live in Minnesota with my husband and two daughters. You’ll always find me painting florals in my sketchbook. And I love the sheer joy of making something with just my hands! But my bigger love is capturing it all on camera Read more.

Thanks for stopping by today! If you learnt something from this tutorial, do share this post with a friend or on social media! Tag me @smithakatti #smithakatti I’d love to see what you create!

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10 Comments

  1. This is super cool. I do crochet but yet to start knitting. Currently I am working on a cardigan and poncho project. Love the color combinations that you used. Awesome

  2. Such an adorable sweater. Knitting is a skill I wish I had but have never taken the time to learn. This is making me want to take up a new hobby!

  3. I love the sweater! I wish I could make it, it’s definitely a skill I would love to have. Your daughter is lucky girl

  4. I have already made your rainbow afghan — 2 of them in fact for a birthday present and graduation present. I’d love to make this Bug Warmer too but the yarn you used is discontinued. I love variegated yarn. Can you recommend any other yarn to use?

    • That yarn was from my stash, so I’m not surprised it’s discontinued. Maybe try a Hometown USA by lion brand yarn again? And yay for the afghans you’ve knit!!! So happy for u!

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