Embrace Sweater in Rowan Kid Classic

Embrace Sweater in Rowan Kid Classic – Knitting Pattern Summary

About This Pattern

The Embrace Sweater is a beautifully designed knitted pullover created by Sarah Hatton for Rowan. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this pattern produces a classic fitted sweater featuring a striking fairisle yoke, making it a rewarding project for knitters who want to explore colourwork techniques. The pattern is published by MEZ Crafts UK Ltd. and carries the reference ROWWEBD-01039.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a women's pullover sweater with cap sleeves and a fairisle yoke. The body of the sweater is worked in a straightforward structure, while the yoke introduces a repeating 26-row colourwork chart worked entirely in stocking stitch. The sweater is designed to fit a range of bust sizes:

• Small (S): 81–86 cm / 32–34 in
• Medium (M): 91–97 cm / 36–38 in
• Large (L): 102–107 cm / 40–42 in
• Extra Large (XL): 112–117 cm / 44–46 in

The cap sleeve shaping is achieved through a series of carefully structured increases, and armhole markers are placed to clearly denote the base of each armhole, helping knitters track their progress through the shaping rows.

Techniques Used

The Embrace Sweater draws on several classic knitting techniques that make it both an engaging and educational project:

• Fairisle (stranded colourwork): The yoke is worked using the traditional fairisle technique, in which two or more yarn colours are carried across the row, creating a woven-in float on the wrong side of the fabric. This produces a dense, warm, and beautifully patterned fabric. Knitters follow a dedicated colourwork chart with a 26-row pattern repeat.
• Cap sleeve shaping: Stitches are increased at each end of specified rows — including every 4th row, every alternate row, and consecutive rows — to create the gentle, structured shape of a cap sleeve.
• Stocking stitch (st st): The yoke section is worked entirely in stocking stitch, beginning with a knit row, which provides a smooth, even base for the fairisle colourwork pattern to stand out clearly.
• Marker placement: Stitch markers are used at both ends of a designated row to clearly indicate the base of the armholes, a practical technique for keeping shaping accurate across multiple sizes.
• Chart reading: Knitters work from a printed colourwork chart, reading right-side rows from right to left and wrong-side rows from left to right, following size-specific start and end points as indicated on the chart.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (st st): The primary stitch used throughout the yoke and likely the body, creating a smooth knitted fabric on the right side.
• Increases (Inc 1 st): Used during cap sleeve shaping to add stitches at each end of the needle at specified intervals.
• Fairisle patterning: Multi-colour stranded stitches following a charted 26-row repeat, worked in stocking stitch throughout the yoke section.

Materials – Yarn

This pattern is designed specifically for Rowan Kid Classic, a luxurious yarn blend known for its softness, warmth, and beautiful stitch definition — qualities that make it particularly well suited to both plain knitting and colourwork. Three colourways are used across the sweater:

• Colour A – Peat 832: 6 (7, 8, 9) x 50g balls — the main colour, used for the body and as the dominant shade throughout.
• Colour B – Feather 828: 1 x 50g ball across all sizes — used as a contrast colour within the fairisle yoke.
• Colour C – Straw 851: 1 x 50g ball across all sizes — a further contrast