Leopard Sweater in Lion Brand - L90248 - Downloadable PDF

Lion Brand Truboo Leopard Sweater – Free Knitting Pattern L90248

The Lion Brand Truboo Leopard Sweater (Pattern Number L90248) is a free, downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn Company that produces a bold, fashion-forward pullover sweater featuring a striking leopard print colorwork design. Worked in a generous, relaxed silhouette with a finished bust measurement of approximately 45 inches (114.5 cm) and a finished length of approximately 25 inches (63.5 cm), this sweater is offered in one size and is rated as an intermediate skill level project — making it an excellent challenge for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore multi-color knitting and in-the-round construction.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a women's pullover sweater with an eye-catching leopard spot motif rendered through colorwork knitting. The oversized, relaxed fit gives the finished garment a contemporary, wearable aesthetic that pairs the organic irregularity of a leopard print with the cozy drape of a bamboo-blend yarn. The sweater is designed to be knitted in the round using circular needles, which creates a seamless, professional finish and eliminates the need for extensive seaming.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls exclusively for Lion Brand Truboo® (Art. #837), a DK weight yarn made from a bamboo-blend fiber known for its soft, silky drape and subtle sheen. Three colorways are used to achieve the leopard print effect:

• #123 Tan — the primary background color, requiring 6 balls (Color A)
• #150 Slate — used for the leopard spot outlines and contrast details, requiring 5 balls (Color B)
• #122 Mushroom — used for the inner spot fill, requiring 2 balls (Color C)

Notably, the yarn is worked with two strands held together throughout, which builds the fabric up to a satisfying weight and drape while also affecting gauge significantly. Knitters should take care to swatch with doubled yarn before beginning.

Needles and Notions

Because the sweater is constructed in the round, circular knitting needles in size 9 (5.5 mm) are required in two lengths:

• A 40-inch (101.5 cm) circular needle for the body sections
• A 16-inch (40.5 cm) circular needle for the smaller circumference sections such as the neckline

Additional notions specified by the pattern include Lion Brand stitch markers, Lion Brand stitch holders, and a Lion Brand large-eyed blunt needle for finishing and weaving in ends.

Gauge

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this pattern. The specified gauge is 22 stitches and 27 rows/rounds over approximately 4¾ inches (12 cm) and 5 inches (12.5 cm) respectively, measured in the chart pattern with two strands of yarn held together. Because the colorwork chart pattern affects stitch tension differently than plain stockinette, knitters are strongly advised to work their gauge swatch in the actual chart pattern rather than in a simple stitch.

Techniques and Construction

This is an in-the-round sweater construction, meaning the body is knitted as a continuous tube on circular needles, which avoids purling on the wrong side and keeps the colorwork chart easy to read. Key techniques used in this pattern include:

• Colorwork knitting — working with multiple colors (A, B, and C) simultaneously to create the leopard spot chart pattern, which requires carrying unused yarn strands across the back of the work (stranded knitting / Fair Isle-style technique)
• Knitting in the round on circular needles, using stitch markers to denote round beginnings and section divisions
• M1 (Make 1) increase — an increase technique worked by lifting the horizontal strand