Boys Sweater with Zip up Collar in Bergere de France Barisienne - 71136-325 - Downloadable PDF

Boys Sweater with Zip-Up Collar in Bergere de France Barisienne – Pattern 71136-325

This intermediate-level knitting pattern from Bergere de France produces a smart, colourful boys' sweater featuring a practical zip-up collar and a decorative Fair Isle yoke. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is sized for boys aged 6, 8, 10, and 12 years, making it a versatile project that can grow with a child's wardrobe. The finished garment combines everyday wearability with classic knitwear detailing, making it an ideal choice for confident knitters looking to practise colourwork and shaping techniques.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a boys' pullover sweater with a zip-up collar fastened with a light grey non-separating zip, 18 cm (7 in) in length (reference 43196). The sweater is worked in multiple colours drawn from the Bergere de France Barisienne DK-weight yarn range, with a Fair Isle colourwork section providing visual interest across the yoke or body. The garment is shaped with standard raglan or set-in sleeve construction and features ribbed edges for a neat, professional finish.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls exclusively for Bergere de France Barisienne, a DK-weight yarn, used in four distinct colourways to achieve the Fair Isle design. The specific shades and ball quantities required are:

• Vitrain (A) – shade 22769: 5 balls (age 6), 6 balls (ages 8 and 10), 7 balls (age 12) – the main body colour
• Dolmen (B) – shade 22781: 2 balls across all sizes
• Bouton d'or (C) – shade 54697: 1 ball across all sizes
• Pilote (D) – shade 22460: 1 ball across all sizes

In addition to the yarn, knitters will need a light grey non-separating zip, 18 cm (7 in) (ref. 43196) to complete the collar opening.

Needles

Two needle sizes are required throughout the pattern:

• 3.0 mm needles – used for the ribbed welts and cuffs
• 3.5 mm needles – used for the main body, sleeves, Fair Isle sections, and the collar rib

Stitches and Techniques Used

This pattern draws on a range of classic knitting stitches and methods, making it a rewarding project for an intermediate knitter looking to build skills:

• 2/2 Rib (worked on 3.0 mm needles): A two-by-two ribbing stitch, alternating two knit stitches with two purl stitches, used at the lower edges and cuffs to create a stretchy, tidy border that holds its shape.
• 1/1 Rib (worked on 3.5 mm needles): A one-by-one rib, alternating single knit and purl stitches, used in the collar area to provide a neat, flexible finish around the zip-up opening.
• Stocking Stitch / St st (worked on 3.5 mm needles): The classic knit-on-right-side, purl-on-wrong-side stitch pattern forms the main fabric of the sweater body and sleeves, giving a smooth, even surface.
• Fair Isle (worked on 3.5 mm needles, following the chart): A traditional stranded colourwork technique in which two or more yarn colours are carried across each row to create a repeating geometric or pictorial pattern. Knitters follow a dedicated chart included in the PDF, selecting the section appropriate to their chosen size. Fair Isle requires managing yarn tension carefully to avoid puckering.
• Neck and shoulder shaping: The pattern includes detailed cast-off sequences at both the neck edge and shoulder edge, worked on alternating rows. For example, neck shaping involves casting off 6–7–8–