Alberta In Rowan Kid Classic - Downloadable PDF

Alberta in Rowan Kid Classic – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Alberta pattern, published by Quail Studio and worked in Rowan Kid Classic yarn, is a classic fitted sweater or jumper designed for advanced beginner knitters. It is a beautifully structured pullover featuring a colourwork panel, a shaped neckline, and set-in sleeves, making it an ideal step-up project for those who have mastered basic knitting and are ready to explore stranded colourwork and garment shaping.

What Is Being Made

Alberta is a knitted sweater or jumper worked in the round and flat sections. It features a front and back body with a decorative Fair Isle colourwork chart panel, shaped shoulders, a back neck, a front neck with separate side shaping, and set-in sleeves. A neat neckband finishes the garment. The pattern is available in nine sizes, fitting chest measurements from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) up to 152–157 cm (60–62 in), with actual garment chest measurements ranging from 100 cm to 180 cm, offering a comfortable range of fits.

Techniques Used

• Stranded Fair Isle colourwork: A 50-row chart is worked across the front and back using multiple colours simultaneously. Knitters carry yarns across the back of the work, a classic technique associated with traditional Fair Isle knitting. Maintaining an even tension across the colourwork section is specifically highlighted in the pattern.
• Flat knitting: The body and sleeves are worked back and forth in rows on straight needles.
• Circular knitting: A 4.5mm circular needle measuring 40 cm is used specifically for working the neckband, allowing stitches to be picked up and worked in the round for a smooth, professional finish.
• Neck shaping: Both the front and back necks are shaped separately. The front neck involves decreasing 1 stitch at the neck edge on the next and 5 following rows, then on 2 following alternate rows, creating a gradual, elegant neckline. Remaining back neck stitches are placed on a stitch holder.
• Shoulder shaping: Stitches are cast off knitwise to create clean, structured shoulder seams.
• Stitch holders: Used to hold live stitches at the front and back neck while each side is worked separately.
• Tension/gauge management: The pattern specifically instructs knitters to ensure tension remains correct over the Fair Isle section, as colourwork can naturally tighten the fabric.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (stockinette stitch): The main body fabric, worked as knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows. The tension is measured over this stitch: 19 stitches and 25 rows to 10 cm using 5mm (US 8) needles.
• Stranded colourwork: Worked in stocking stitch using the Fair Isle chart over 50 rows, incorporating multiple yarn colours within the same rows.
• Decrease stitches: Including P2tog (purl two together) used during neck and shoulder shaping to reduce stitch counts neatly.
• Knitwise cast-off: Used at the shoulders and neck edges for a tidy, structured finish.

Colours and Colourwork Chart

The Fair Isle panel uses four colours of Rowan Kid Classic, each designated a letter in the pattern:

• Yarn A – Feather 828 (the main colour, used throughout the body in stocking stitch and as the background in the colourwork section)
• Yarn B – Champagne 898
• Yarn C – Pumice 888
• Yarn D – Smoke 831

The colourwork chart is worked over 50 rows, beginning at a specified point on the front once the