Free Chunky Knit Sweater Pattern

Its almost September, which means sweater weather is just around the corner! To help you get ready for the cooler months ahead, I wanted to come up with a sweater pattern that is easy, flattering, modern, and most of all comfy! I hope you find that this free chunky knit sweater pattern fits all of this criteria!

This top-down raglan style sweater pattern is a quick and fun knit if you can already knit in the round. Since it requires Knit Picks Biggo Bulky Weight Yarn, your sweater will work up super quick too for instant gratification! I chose Biggo to work with because I’ve been a fan of this yarn for years when making chunky winter accessories. It’s so soft and squishy, and feels luxurious against the skin.

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Chunky Knit Sweater Pattern: The Lazy Day Pullover

Materials:

To make this cozy sweater, you will need the following supplies:

• US Size 15 (10mm) circular (min 32” cord) and/or double pointed knitting needles.
• Knit Picks Biggo Bulky Weight Yarn (Colours in photos are Bare & Raspberry Heather).
  • Approx. 450–495-560-630–700–790–850 yards or 5–5-6-6–7–8 skeins.
• Scissors.
• Stitch markers or scrap yarn.
• Tapestry/yarn needle.

Gauge:

9.5 stitches X 18 rows = 4” in garter stitch.

Sizes:

XS–S-M-L–XL–2X–3X.

Abbreviations & Special Stitches:

K: Knit.

P: Purl.

M1L: Make one left increase stitch.

M1R: Make one right increase stitch.

K2Tog: Knit two stitches together decrease stitch.

P2Tog: Purl two stitches together decrease stitch.

PM: Place a new stitch marker on your needle.

SM: Slip the stitch marker (move the marker from one needle to the other).

Sts: Stitches.

Garter Stitch: Worked over two rounds, where the first round is knit all sts, and the second round is purl all sts.

Finished Measurements:

Bust Circumference: 34–36-39-44–46–50-53 inches.

Body Length: 14.5–15-15.5-16–16.5–16.5–17 inches.

Arm Circumference: 13.5–15-15-17–17–17–18.5 inches.

Sleeve Length to Underarm: 16.5–17-17-17.5–17.5–18–18 inches.

Notes:  

How to knit this sweater: 

The Lazy Day Pullover is a raglan style sweater, which means that it is knit in the round, from the top down. Increases are made every other round to create a slanted seam running from the neckline down to the underarm.  After several rounds of increases, there will be enough stitches to cover the bust and shoulders. The stitches for the arms are then transferred to scrap pieces of yarn to be worked after the body rounds are complete. 

Needles: 

The sweater body and sleeves can be knit with circular needles using the magic loop technique, or you can start with double pointed needles, and then switch to circular needles if there are enough stitches for the cord length of the circular needles.

Stitch Markers:

Stitch markers are used to mark the segments of the sweater where increases will be made along the yoke (the part of the sweater that covers the shoulders and bust), as well as to mark the beginning of the round.  It’s a good idea to use a different stitch marker for the beginning of the round so that you do not accidentally increase in that spot.  If you don’t have stitch markers large enough for your needles, you can make them from scrap pieces of yarn.

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More Free Knitting Patterns from Leelee Knits!

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Chunky Knit Sweater Pattern (Free):

Yoke:

With circular or double pointed needles, cast on 38–40–40–44–44–48–50 sts.  Work in the round.

Round 1: Knit all stitches.

Round 2: P6–6-7-8–8–10–11, PM, P8–8-6-6–6–4–4, PM, P11–12-14-16–16–20–21, PM, P8–8-6-6–6–4–4, PM, P5–6-7-8–8–10–10 PM. Use a different colour marker to mark the end of the round.

Round 3: *K to marker, M1R, SM, K1, M1L; repeat from * to remaining 4–5-6-7–7–9–9 sts before end of round marker; K remaining sts.

Round 4: Purl all sts.

Repeat rounds 3 and 4 (stopping on a repeat of round 3 for the last round -do not complete the last purl round) until you have 19–20-22-24–25–27–29 sts (first half of back), marker, 34–36-36-38–40–38–40 sts (sleeve 1), marker, 37–40-44-48–50–54–57 sts (front), marker, 34–36-36-38–40–38–40 sts (sleeve 2), marker, 18–20-22-24–25–27–28 sts (second half of back).

Total stitches:  142–152-160-172–180–184–194.

Continue to Body.

Body:

P19–20-22-24–25–27–29, transfer 34–36-36-38–40–38–40 stitches to scrap piece of yarn for first sleeve, cast on 2–2-2-4–4–6–6, P37–40-44-48–50–54–57, transfer 34–36-36-38–40–38–40 sts to scrap piece of yarn for second sleeve, cast on 2–2-2-4–4–6–6, P18–20-22-24–25–27–28.

Total body stitches: 78–84-92-104–108–120–126.

Work continuously in the round in garter stitch until sweater measures 12.5–13-13.5-14–14.5–14.5–15” from top to bottom. Work 6 rounds K1, P1 ribbing.

Cast off and continue to Sleeves.

Sleeves:

Transfer 34–36-36-38–40–38–40 sleeve stitches from the scrap yarn for one side of the body onto circular or double pointed needles. Knit up 1 stitch in each of the 2–2-2-4–4–6–6 sts cast on under the arm (place a marker to mark beginning of round). Total sts = 36–38-38-42–44–44–46. 

Work in the round in garter stitch for 2 inches and then decrease 2 sts evenly on the next knit round.  To decrease evenly by two sts, divide the number of sts by 2 and then subtract two from that number.  That is the number of sts to knit before you make each K2Tog decrease.   For example, for size XS: K16, K2Tog, K16, K2tog (36/2 -2=16). 

Total remaining sts = 34–36-36-40–42–42–44.

Sizes XS/XL/2X only (other sizes skip to all sizes below):

Knit in the round in garter stitch for another 2 inches and then decrease 2 sts evenly on the next knit round.  Total sts = 32–36-36-40–40–40–44.

All Sizes:

Continue to knit in garter stitch until sleeve measures: 13–13.5-13.5-14–14–14.5–14.5” from underarm. 

Next round (begin cuff shaping): *K2Tog, P2Tog; repeat from * to end of round.  Total sts = 16–18-18-20–20–20–22.

Work 6 more rounds in K1, P1 ribbing as follows: *K1, P1; repeat from * to end of round.

Cast off and repeat the above steps for the second sleeve.

Finishing:

Weave in all ends on the inside of the sweater and enjoy your new Lazy Day Pullover!