Girl Sweater in Bergere de France Ideal - M1154 - Downloadable PDF

Girl's Sweater Knitting Pattern – Bergère de France Idéal (M1154)

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Bergère de France presents a charming girl's pullover sweater, known in French as a Pull côtes fantaisies, meaning a sweater worked in fancy rib stitch. Designed for young girls, the pattern is offered in five sizes covering ages 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 years, making it a versatile project that can grow with your child or be knitted as a gift across a wide age range. The finished garment features a playful two-colour design and is finished with a decorative grey cat patch (écusson chat gris, reference 50302) — a sweet embellishment that gives the sweater a whimsical, child-friendly character.

Design Overview

The sweater is a classic pullover construction with a front, back, and set-in sleeves. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping techniques such as armhole decreases and sleeve increases, but who are ready to take on a textured stitch pattern with colour changes. The two-colour scheme uses Lièvre (shade 54695) as the main colour (colour A) and Citronnier (shade 23040) as the contrast colour (colour B), creating a warm and lively palette typical of Bergère de France's seasonal collections.

Techniques and Construction

The pullover is constructed in separate pieces — back, front, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. Key construction techniques include:

• Flat knitting worked back and forth in rows on straight or circular needles
• Armhole shaping beginning at a specified total height (28–40 cm depending on size), with stitches cast off at each side followed by gradual decreases worked 4 stitches in from the edge
• Sleeve shaping with increases worked at regular intervals to create the tapered sleeve silhouette
• Colour changes integrated within the fancy rib stitch pattern, requiring careful management of two yarn colours across rows
• Patch application — the grey cat écusson (patch reference 50302) is applied to the finished garment as a decorative embellishment

Stitches Used

The defining feature of this sweater is the côtes fantaisies, or fancy rib stitch, which gives the fabric its distinctive texture and visual interest. The stitch pattern is worked over a repeating sequence of rows:

• Row 1 (right side): Establishes the knit and purl arrangement
• Row 2: Worked as 2 knit stitches, 1 purl stitch, then a repeat of 1 knit stitch and 1 purl stitch, ending with 2 knit stitches
• Row 3: Worked as 2 purl stitches, 1 maille endroit double (a double knit stitch), then a repeat of 1 purl stitch and 1 double knit stitch, ending with 2 purl stitches

The maille endroit double — a double knit stitch — is a slightly more advanced technique that adds a raised, textured quality to the ribbing, distinguishing it from a standard 1×1 or 2×2 rib. This stitch, combined with the two-colour yarn changes, creates the decorative, almost woven-looking surface that characterises this design. Knitters new to this stitch will find it a rewarding technique to learn, as it adds professional-looking detail with relatively straightforward execution once the rhythm is established.

Materials Required

The pattern calls for Bergère de France Idéal yarn, a DK weight (double knitting) yarn that is manufactured in France in the heart of the Lorraine region, where Bergère de France has been producing yarn since 1946. The quantities required vary by size:

• Colour A – Lièvre (54695): 4 balls (age 4), 5 balls (ages 6 and 8), 6 balls (age 10), 7 balls (age 12)
• Colour B