Gioia Sweater in Adriafil Regina - Downloadable PDF

Gioia Sweater Knitting Pattern in Adriafil Regina Yarn – Free Downloadable PDF

The Gioia Sweater is a classic, elegantly structured pullover designed for knitters who enjoy combining simple and textured stitch patterns into a polished, wearable garment. This free downloadable PDF pattern is published by Adriafil Yarns and is worked in their luxurious Regina yarn, an aran-weight yarn specified here in violet shade no. 93. The result is a fitted, feminine sweater with a folded hem, shaped sides, armhole shaping, and a neatly finished neckline — making it a rewarding project for intermediate knitters.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a complete pullover sweater constructed in two main pieces — a back and a front — which are seamed together. The sweater features a folded knitted hem at the lower edge, which is secured using a clever pick-up technique with a cable needle to create a clean, double-layered finish. The body is shaped at the sides with decreases and increases to create a subtly fitted silhouette, and the armholes are fully shaped with stepped bind-offs. The front neckline is scooped and shaped with centre cast-offs and gradual decreases, while the shoulders are slanted with stepped bind-offs for a professional finish. An elastic band is threaded through the hem to provide additional structure and fit at the lower edge.

The pattern is sized for sizes 42, 44, and 46, making it accessible to a range of adult knitters. Instructions for all three sizes are given throughout, with alternate size figures shown in parentheses.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Adriafil Regina in violet no. 93 — 550 grams required
• Knitting needles: size 4.5 mm (no. 4½)
• Cable needle: size 4.5 mm (no. 4½) — used for the folded hem technique
• Elastic band: 50 cm of 1 cm wide elastic for the hem
• Tapestry needle for seaming and finishing

Adriafil Regina is an aran-weight yarn well suited to structured garments like this sweater. Its weight and stitch definition make it ideal for showing off both the smooth knit stitch sections on the back and the textured fancy row pattern used on the front.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for a well-fitting garment. The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 29 rows to 10 x 10 cm, measured over knit stitch using 4.5 mm needles. Knitters are advised to work a tension swatch before beginning and to adjust needle size if necessary to match this gauge.

Stitches and Techniques Used

Elastic Rib

An elastic rib is worked at the beginning and end of certain sections to provide stretch and structure. Ribbing is a foundational knitting technique that alternates knit and purl stitches within a row, creating a fabric that contracts and expands naturally — ideal for hems and cuffs.

Knit Stitch (Stockinette / Plain Knitting)

The knit stitch — worked flat as knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows to produce a smooth stockinette fabric — is used throughout the back of the sweater and for the folded hem sections on both pieces. It creates a clean, smooth fabric surface that drapes well in aran-weight yarn.

Fancy Rows (Textured Stitch Pattern)

The front of the Gioia Sweater is worked in a distinctive fancy row pattern, which creates a subtle, rhythmic texture through a specific sequence of knit and purl rows. The repeat works as follows:

• Row 1: Knit stitch
• Row 2: Purl stitch
• Row 3: Knit stitch
• Rows 4,