Novita Akvarelli-Nordic Patterned Knitted Sweater in 7 Novita Veljestä - Downloadable PDF

Akvarelli Nordic-Patterned Knitted Sweater in Novita 7 Veljestä by Pirjo Iivonen

The Akvarelli Nordic-Patterned Knitted Sweater is a beautifully crafted, intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Pirjo Iivonen and published by Novita. The word akvarelli is Finnish for "watercolor," a name that perfectly captures the soft, painterly quality of this garment. According to the designer herself, it is "a delicate sweater with a round yoke whose stylized flowers appear on the body, on the sleeves and on the round yoke." This free downloadable PDF pattern produces a stunning, wearable piece of Scandinavian-inspired knitwear that blends classic Nordic colorwork traditions with an elegant, modern silhouette.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a round-yoke pullover sweater featuring an all-over Nordic colorwork motif with stylized floral designs. The sweater is worked bottom up in one piece, meaning the body and sleeves are constructed separately and then joined for the seamless round yoke — a construction method beloved by knitters for its clean finish and minimal seaming. The finished garment is available in five sizes: XS/S, M, L, XL, and XXL, with chest circumferences ranging from 88 cm to 122 cm (34 to 48 inches). The front length from neckline to hem ranges from 61 cm to 69 cm (24 to 27 inches), and the underarm length ranges from 44 cm to 48 cm (17.3 to 19 inches), making this a generously sized, wearable sweater suitable for a wide range of body types.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The sweater body and sleeves are worked from the cast-on edge upward, which allows for easy length adjustments before joining for the yoke.
• Working in the round: The entire sweater — body, sleeves, and yoke — is worked in the round on circular needles, eliminating the need for flat seaming and creating a smooth, continuous fabric.
• Seamless round yoke: After the body and sleeves reach the underarm, all pieces are joined and worked together in the round to shape the characteristic round yoke, a hallmark of Scandinavian sweater design.
• Stranded colorwork (Fair Isle-style): The Nordic floral motif is created using two colors — Magician and White — carried across the row simultaneously. This technique, often associated with Scandinavian and Fair Isle traditions, creates a double-layered fabric that is both warm and visually striking.
• Ribbing: The cuffs, hem, and neckline are finished with 3/1 ribbing (three knit stitches followed by one purl stitch), worked over approximately 5 cm (2 inches) using smaller needles. This ribbing provides a neat, stretchy edge that holds its shape over time.
• Chart reading: The colorwork pattern is presented in chart format. Knitters follow Chart I, working a pattern repeat of 10 stitches across the designated number of rounds, making chart-reading skills an important part of this project.
• Stitch markers: The pattern recommends placing markers after each 10-stitch pattern repeat to help track the colorwork chart, as well as at the beginning of each round at the center back.
• Increases: Strategic increases are worked when transitioning from the smaller ribbing needles to the larger main needles, ensuring the correct stitch count for each size.

Stitches Used

• 3/1 Ribbing: Used for the hem, cuffs, and neckline edging. This slightly unusual rib ratio — three knit stitches to one purl stitch — gives a subtly textured, stretchy border with a slightly different visual rhythm than standard 2/2 ribbing.
• Stockinette stitch (stocking stitch) in the round: The main body of the sweater, outside of the colorwork sections, is worked in stockinette stitch in the round (knitting every round). This creates a smooth, flat fabric that serves as the perfect backdrop for the Nordic motif.