Pullover mit Zopfmuster in Schachenmayr Universa - S7456 - Downloadable PDF

Schachenmayr Universa Cable-Knit Pullover – Pattern S7456 (Free Downloadable PDF)

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Schachenmayr, design reference S7456, guides knitters through the construction of a classic cable-knit pullover (Pullover mit Zopfmuster). Worked in the beloved Schachenmayr original Universa yarn in a warm grey marl (Fb 00197 grau melange), this sweater is a timeless wardrobe staple that showcases the enduring appeal of traditional Aran-style cable textures. The pattern is published by Coats PLC under the Schachenmayr brand and is available as a PDF download at no cost.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a cable-knit pullover — a classic over-the-head sweater featuring prominent Zopfmuster (cable patterns) as the primary decorative and structural element. The design is offered across multiple sizes, with yarn quantities and stitch counts listed sequentially from the smallest to the largest size, separated by hyphens — a standard European pattern convention that allows a single printed document to serve a wide range of body measurements.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Schachenmayr original Universa in colour 00197 grau melange (grey marl). Quantities range from 400 g up to 600 g depending on the size being knitted, in increments of 50 g (400–450–500–550–600 g).
• Yarn Weight: DK weight — a versatile medium-light weight that produces a fabric with excellent stitch definition, making it particularly well suited to showing off cable crossings and textured patterns.
• Needles: Milward circular needles in three cord lengths — 80 cm, 60 cm, and 40 cm — as well as a double-pointed needle set (Nadelspiel 3–4) for working smaller circumferences such as the neckband. The specific needle size should be confirmed against the tension/gauge swatch as described in the pattern.
• Cable Needle: One Zopfnadel (cable needle) is required for executing the cable crossings that form the signature Zopfmuster texture.

Techniques Used

• Circular knitting (Rundstricken): The use of multiple circular needle lengths and a double-pointed needle set indicates that sections of this pullover are worked in the round, a technique that eliminates seams and creates a smooth, continuous fabric — ideal for body and sleeve tubes.
• Flat knitting (Hinreihen and Rückreihen): Certain sections are worked back and forth in rows, with right-side (Hinreihe) and wrong-side (Rückreihe) rows treated differently according to the stitch pattern instructions.
• Cable knitting (Zopfmuster): The defining technique of this pattern. Cables are created by temporarily holding a set of stitches on a Zopfnadel (cable needle), knitting the next stitches from the left needle, and then knitting the held stitches — producing the characteristic twisted rope or braid effect. The cable pattern follows a charted stitch diagram (Strickschrift) and repeats over an 8-row sequence (rows 1 through 8 are repeated throughout).
• Gauge/Tension Swatching (Maschenprobe): The pattern specifies a tension swatch worked im Zopfmuster — in the cable pattern itself — which is essential because cables draw in the fabric horizontally more than stocking stitch does. Knitters are encouraged to swatch carefully to ensure accurate sizing.

Stitches Used

• Glatt rechts (Stocking stitch / Stockinette): Worked as knit stitches on right-side rows and purl stitches on wrong-side rows when knitting flat; every round is knitted when working in the round. This smooth fabric forms the background and structural areas of the pullover.
• Glatt links (Reverse st