Colour Block Sweater and Vest Top - Knitting Pattern for Women in Debbie Bliss Nell by Debbie Bliss

Colour Block Sweater and Vest Top – Knitting Pattern for Women in Debbie Bliss Nell by Debbie Bliss

This intermediate-level knitting pattern by Debbie Bliss offers two stylish women's designs worked in chunky-weight yarn: a colour block sweater with long sleeves and a colour block vest top. Both garments share the same bold, graphic approach to colour, using three contrasting shades of Debbie Bliss Nell to create striking colour-blocked sections. The pattern is a downloadable PDF and is sized to fit a wide range of chest measurements, from 82–87 cm (32–34 in) up to 132–137 cm (52–54 in), making it an inclusive and versatile project for many body types.

What Is Being Made

The pattern includes full instructions for two separate garments:

• Colour Block Sweater: A women's pullover with long sleeves, worked in three colours to produce bold horizontal or blocked colour sections. Finished chest measurements range from 109 cm (43 in) to 166 cm (65¼ in), with lengths from 52 cm (20½ in) to 62 cm (24½ in) and sleeve lengths from 43 cm (17 in) to 48 cm (19 in) depending on size.
• Colour Block Vest Top: A sleeveless version sharing the same colour-block aesthetic and identical chest and length measurements to the sweater, offering a lighter, warmer-weather alternative or a layering piece.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: Both garments are worked from the lower edge upward, a traditional approach that gives knitters good control over length adjustments before shaping the armholes and neckline.
• Worked flat (back and forth in rows): Pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, producing separate panels that are later joined.
• Seamed finishing: The individual pieces — front, back, and sleeves for the sweater — are sewn together, a classic construction method that adds structure and durability to the finished garment.
• Colour blocking and stripes: The use of three distinct yarn colours in each design creates the signature colour-block effect. Colour changes are worked at defined points in the pattern to produce clean, bold sections of contrasting colour.
• Shaping techniques: The pattern employs a range of standard knitting shaping methods including k2tog (knit two together), ssk (slip, slip, knit), kfb (knit into the front and back), and m1 / m1p (make one) increases, used to shape armholes, sleeves, and necklines.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (stockinette stitch): The primary stitch pattern used across both garments, creating a smooth, classic fabric. Tension is given as 14 stitches and 20 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over stocking stitch on 6mm needles.
• Linen stitch: A textural stitch pattern also featured in the designs, producing a woven-looking, slightly denser fabric. Tension over linen stitch is given as 15 stitches and 23 rows to 10 cm / 4 in on 6mm needles.
• Standard knit and purl stitches are used throughout, along with slip stitches as part of the linen stitch pattern and shaping sequences.

Yarn and Colour Choices

Both garments are knitted in Debbie Bliss Nell, a chunky-weight yarn sold in 50g / 1¾oz balls, exclusively available at LoveCrafts. The yarn's chunky weight means these projects knit up relatively quickly and produce a cosy, substantial fabric well suited to colour-block designs.

Each garment uses a different palette of three colours, labelled A, B, and C in the pattern:

• Sweater: Corn 12 (A),