Knitting Patterns for Men

Knitting for men, realistically

Two things make men's knitting different, and neither is difficulty. The first is scale: a size 46 inch chest jumper in DK is a great deal of plain fabric, and knowing that in advance stops the project stalling somewhere around the second sleeve. The second is taste. Most men wear a narrow range of things repeatedly, so the useful question is not which pattern is prettiest but which one resembles something already in his wardrobe. Look at what he actually reaches for: the neckline, the sleeve length, the colour, the weight.

What tends to get worn

• Plain jumpers in stocking stitch or a simple all-over texture, with a crew or half-zip neck.
• Aran cabled jumpers, the classic, and more interesting to knit than to describe.
• Beanies and watch caps, deep ribbed, quick, and endlessly lost and replaced.
• Long scarves in ribbing or garter stitch, which lie flat and look the same on both sides.
• Socks and fingerless mitts, hard-wearing and always useful.
• Waistcoats and gilets, less common but often the most worn thing you make.

Getting the size right without asking

Borrow a jumper he wears often, lay it flat and measure across the chest, then double the number. That figure is the finished chest measurement to look for on the pattern, and it already includes whatever ease he likes. Measure the sleeve from the underarm to the cuff and the body from the underarm to the hem while you have it out. These three numbers will get you closer than any size chart, and they let you adapt a pattern rather than hoping.

Yarn choices

Aran and DK dominate, being warm enough for outdoor wear without becoming heavy. Wool and wool blends hold ribbing and recover their shape, which matters for cuffs and hems that get pushed up all day. Superwash and wool-acrylic blends are worth considering for anyone who does their own laundry carelessly. Keep colours in the range he already owns; a beautifully knitted jumper in a shade he never wears is a wasted month. Buy to the pattern's stated metreage for the size and add a ball, because larger sizes and longer sleeves eat yarn.

Tension and construction

Swatch, wash the swatch and measure the middle. On a 46 inch chest, half a stitch out over 10cm shifts the finished garment by several centimetres. For construction, a drop-shoulder or top-down raglan keeps things simple over a large piece of knitting; set-in sleeves give the neatest shoulder line and take longer. Deep ribbing at hem, cuff and neck, worked on smaller needles, is the detail that makes a hand-knitted men's jumper look bought rather than homemade.

Finishing and care

Block pieces before seaming, use mattress stitch for side and sleeve seams, and backstitch across the shoulders for firmness. Weave ends securely, since men's knitwear takes rough treatment. Wash by hand or on a wool cycle if the yarn is superwash, dry flat, and fold rather than hang. Keep leftover yarn for elbow repairs, which is where a well-loved jumper always goes first.

Men's knitting pattern questions

What is the easiest jumper for a man? A plain drop-shoulder in aran weight with deep rib. Simple to knit, and the shape most men prefer anyway.

How do I choose a size without measuring him? Measure an existing jumper across the chest and double it.

How much yarn does a men's jumper take? Considerably more than a women's version, so follow the pattern's yardage for the size and add a spare ball.

Are there free men's patterns? Yes, see the free men's pattern collection for downloadable PDFs.

What makes a good first gift knit? A ribbed beanie or a plain scarf, both quick and reliably worn. Browse all knitting patterns.