Men's Cabled Sweater in Novita Natura - Downloadable PDF

Men's Cabled Sweater in Novita Natura – Knitting Pattern Summary

This free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern by designer Saara Toikka for Novita delivers a sophisticated men's pullover sweater that combines bold cable panels with a distinctive half brioche texture. The result is a richly tactile, structured garment with excellent visual depth — ideal for knitters who are ready to move beyond basic stitch patterns and explore the interplay of cables and brioche knitting in a full-sized adult garment.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a men's cabled sweater worked in five sizes: S, M, L, XL, and XXL. The finished body circumference ranges from 104 cm / 41 in (size S) up to 136 cm / 53½ in (size XXL), making it a genuinely inclusive sizing range for adult men. The back length at the midpoint measures between 64 cm / 25¼ in and 72 cm / 28¼ in depending on size, and the inner sleeve length runs from 49 cm / 19¼ in to 53 cm / 20¾ in. These generous proportions give the sweater a comfortable, wearable fit suited to everyday wear in cooler seasons.

Design Features

The sweater's defining design element is the pairing of 14-stitch cable panels positioned at both ends of the body with a broad central section of half brioche stitch. The cables are not static — they are worked with deliberate cable turns toward the centre, creating a dynamic, converging movement across the fabric. This architectural detail is achieved through a carefully sequenced series of increases and decreases worked alongside the cable and half brioche sections on right-side rows, shifting the visual trajectory of the cables inward as the garment progresses.

The middle section of the body begins at 43(45)47(49)51 stitches of half brioche and narrows progressively as the cable turns are executed. Each cable turn involves increasing one stitch in the half brioche section adjacent to the cable and simultaneously decreasing one stitch in the central half brioche section, maintaining the overall stitch count while redirecting the cable's path. This technique requires careful attention to row sequencing — seven rows are worked without turning before each cable turn begins — making it a rewarding challenge for an intermediate-level knitter.

Techniques Used

• Half brioche stitch — worked following both a chart and written instructions provided in the pattern; this technique creates a squishy, ribbed-like fabric with excellent elasticity and warmth
• Cable knitting — 14-stitch cable panels and 13-stitch cable sections are worked following dedicated charts and written instructions
• Cable turns toward the centre — a structured directional cable technique using paired increases and decreases to shift cable placement across the fabric
• Increases — worked by knitting or purling the strand of yarn between stitches through the back loop, integrated seamlessly into the half brioche fabric
• Decreases — including p2tog (purl two together) used to balance stitch counts during cable turns
• Neckline finishing — worked on a smaller circular needle to achieve a neat, fitted collar

Stitches Used

• Half brioche stitch — the primary background texture throughout the body and sleeves
• Cable pattern — structured cable crossings forming the bold vertical and directional cable panels
• Purl two together (p2tog) — used as a decrease within the cable turn sequences
• Make one increase through the back loop — used as a paired increase within the cable turn sequences

Materials

The pattern is designed for Novita Natura yarn in the colourway (098) Wolf, a worsted weight yarn. The quantity required ranges from 650 g for size S up to 850 g for size XXL. The recommended needles are Novita 5–5½ mm (UK 5–6 / US 8–9) straight or circular needles, or whichever size is needed to achieve the stated gauge