Stars and Stripes Pullover in Caron United - Downloadable PDF

Stars and Stripes Pullover in Caron United – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Stars and Stripes Pullover is a patriotic-themed knitted pullover sweater worked in a bold red, white, and navy colorway. Designed for intermediate knitters, this free downloadable PDF pattern from Caron produces a classic, comfortable pullover with striking horizontal stripes across the body and sleeves. The design is available in six sizes ranging from Extra-Small/Small through 4/5 X-Large, with finished bust measurements spanning from 37 inches up to 64 inches, making it an inclusive and versatile pattern for a wide range of body types.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a seamless pullover sweater knitted primarily in the round. The finished garment features a ribbed hem and cuffs, a striped body worked in two contrast colors, and sleeves worked separately on double-pointed needles before being joined to the body. The construction method keeps seaming to a minimum, resulting in a clean, polished finish. The sweater is designed with a relaxed, classic silhouette suited to everyday casual wear.

Colorwork and Stripe Design

The pullover's visual impact comes from a straightforward but effective two-color stripe pattern worked across the body. The stripe sequence alternates between Contrast A (Red, shade 06008) and Contrast B (White, shade 06001), each worked over 10 rounds to create bold, even horizontal stripes. These 20 rounds form the repeating Stripe Pattern unit. The sleeves are worked in Main Color (MC) Navy, shade 06014, providing a strong contrast anchor to the vivid striped body and evoking a classic Americana aesthetic.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The body is worked seamlessly in the round on a circular needle, which eliminates side seams and makes stripe knitting particularly clean and efficient.
• Double-pointed needle knitting – The sleeves are cast on and worked in the round using a set of four double-pointed needles, a standard technique for knitting narrow tubular pieces such as sleeves and cuffs.
• Ribbing – Both the body hem and the sleeve cuffs begin with a K1, P1 ribbing section worked over 10 rounds, providing a neat, stretchy edge that helps the garment maintain its shape at the openings.
• Stripe color changes – Colors are changed every 10 rounds in the body, a technique that is straightforward in the round since the color change happens at the same point each time, avoiding the jog that can appear in flat knitting.
• Stitch holder usage – Underarm stitches are slipped onto stitch holders to be worked later, a classic set-aside technique used when joining sleeves to the body in seamless construction.
• Gauge swatching – The pattern specifies a gauge of 17 stitches and 22 rows to 4 inches in stocking stitch, making it important for knitters to swatch before beginning to ensure accurate sizing across the six available sizes.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (K) – The primary stitch used throughout the body and sleeves, worked in rounds to create smooth stocking stitch fabric.
• Purl stitch (P) – Used in combination with the knit stitch to form the K1, P1 ribbing at the hem and cuffs.
• Stocking stitch (in the round) – Achieved by knitting every round when working in the round, this creates the smooth, flat fabric surface that showcases the stripe pattern to its best advantage.

Materials Required

The pattern calls for Caron United, an aran weight (weight category 4) yarn, in three colors. The yarn comes in 4 oz / 113 g skeins with approximately 235 yards / 215 meters per skein. Skein requirements vary by size:

• Main Color – Navy (06014): 3 to 8 skeins depending on size
• Contrast A – Red (06008): 2 to 4 ske