Diamond Fairisle Sweater - Free Sweater Knitting Pattern For Women in Paintbox Yarns Simply DK by Paintbox Yarns

Diamond Fairisle Sweater – Free Women's Jumper Knitting Pattern in Paintbox Yarns Simply DK

This Diamond Fairisle Sweater is a free, downloadable knitting pattern designed by Paintbox Yarns for a classic women's pullover jumper featuring an all-over Fair Isle colourwork motif built around a striking diamond repeat. Rated advanced in difficulty, it is a rewarding project for experienced knitters looking to develop or showcase their stranded colourwork skills. The pattern is written in UK terminology with US equivalents provided throughout, making it accessible to knitters on both sides of the Atlantic.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a women's fitted-to-relaxed pullover sweater worked in a Fair Isle diamond repeat across the body. It is available in five sizes to fit chest measurements of 76–81, 86–91, 91–97, 102–107, and 112–117 cm (30–32, 34–36, 36–38, 40–42, and 44–46 inches). The actual underarm measurement ranges from 57.5 cm to 74 cm (22½ to 29 inches), the finished length to shoulder from 54.5 cm to 59 cm (21½ to 23¼ inches), and the underarm seam measures 46–47 cm (18⅛–18½ inches) depending on size.

Construction Techniques

The sweater is constructed using a combination of key techniques that define its structure and colourwork character:

• Bottom-up construction: The pieces are worked from the cast-on edge upward toward the shoulders, which is the traditional approach for seamed garments and allows easy length adjustment.
• Worked flat: All pieces — body panels and sleeves — are knitted flat on straight or circular needles, meaning the knitter works right-side and wrong-side rows alternately rather than in the round.
• Seamed finishing: The individual flat-knitted pieces are joined together using seams, giving the finished jumper a structured, tailored shape with clean edges.
• Stranded colourwork (Fair Isle): The signature diamond motif is created using the stranded technique, where two or more yarn colours are carried across each row. Floats — the strands of yarn not currently being knitted — are carried loosely across the wrong side of the fabric. Managing float tension is essential to keeping the fabric flat and the colourwork neat, which is a key reason this pattern is classified as advanced.

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a range of knitting stitches and techniques:

• Stocking stitch (stockinette stitch): The primary fabric stitch, formed by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, providing the smooth ground for the Fair Isle motif.
• Knit (K) and Purl (P): The foundational stitches used throughout.
• k2tog (knit 2 together): A right-leaning decrease used for shaping.
• ssk (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease used to mirror k2tog in shaping sections.
• p2tog (purl 2 together): A purl-side decrease used during wrong-side shaping rows.
• p2togtbl (purl 2 together through the back loop): A twisted purl decrease providing a mirrored decrease on wrong-side rows.
• m1 (make 1): An increase stitch used to add stitches during sleeve or body shaping.
• Fair Isle / stranded colourwork pattern (patt): The diamond repeat worked across multiple stitches and rows using the stranded method with up to four colours.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern is designed specifically for Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a DK weight (double knitting) yarn sold in 50g balls. The colourwork palette uses four named shades:

• Colour A – Slate Green: 3 [4: 4: 4: 5] balls — the main background colour