Maxfield Sweater in Rowan Felted Tweed DK - D211 - Downloadable PDF

Maxfield Sweater by Martin Storey in Rowan Felted Tweed DK – Pattern Summary

The Maxfield Sweater is a classically styled, colourwork pullover designed by Martin Storey for Rowan. Published as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a structured, beautifully textured sweater worked in Rowan Felted Tweed DK yarn. The design combines a rich ribbed border with a charted colourwork body section, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and ready to explore two-colour patterning.

What Is Being Made

The Maxfield is a drop-shoulder or set-in style pullover sweater worked flat in pieces — a back, a front, and sleeves — then seamed together. It features armhole shaping, shoulder shaping with cast-offs, and a divided front neck with gradual decreases to create a neat neckline. The finished garment is available in seven sizes, fitting chest measurements from 97 cm (38 in) up to 127 cm (50 in), making it suitable for a wide range of adult wearers.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Felted Tweed DK, a beloved yarn known for its rustic, tweedy texture and subtle halo created by a felting process. It is a DK weight yarn sold in 50g balls. The Maxfield uses two colours:

• Colour A – Seafarer 170: the main colour, requiring 6 to 9 balls depending on size
• Colour B – Clay 177: the contrast colour, requiring 5 to 6 balls depending on size

Rowan Felted Tweed DK is a yarn composed of wool, alpaca, and viscose, and its slightly rustic character makes it ideal for textured and colourwork designs like the Maxfield. Knitters are encouraged to visit the Rowan website for current shade availability, as colourways may be updated over time.

Needles

Two pairs of straight needles are required:

• 3¼mm (UK no. 10 / US 3) needles – used for the ribbed welts and borders
• 3¾mm (UK no. 9 / US 5) needles – used for the main body and colourwork sections

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern. The stated tension is 28 stitches and 25 rows to 10 cm, measured over the stitch pattern using 3¾mm (US 5) needles. Knitters should always work a tension swatch before beginning, as the colourwork and textured patterning can affect row and stitch gauge significantly.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The Maxfield Sweater draws on a satisfying combination of classic knitting stitches and techniques:

• 6-stitch rib (K3, P3): Used for the cast-on borders and welts, worked on the smaller 3¼mm needles. The rib begins with a P2, K3, P3 repeat and ends with K3, P2 to balance the edges neatly.
• Charted colourwork (Chart A): The body of the sweater features a two-colour stranded or intarsia colourwork chart worked over multiple rows. Notably, rows 20–25 of Chart A begin with a knit row and end with a purl row, indicating a deliberate shift in the chart's orientation that knitters must follow carefully.
• Armhole shaping: Standard armhole shaping is worked after the body reaches the required length, with the armhole depth ranging from 21 cm to 27 cm across the size range.
• Shoulder shaping with cast-offs: Shoulders are shaped by casting off stitches at the beginning of right-side and wrong-side rows in stages