"Fabian Top" - Top Knitting Pattern For Boys in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

Fabian Top – Boys' Striped Knitting Pattern by MillaMia

The Fabian Top is a boys' knitted jumper pattern designed and published by MillaMia. Described as simple yet stylish, it is aimed at playful little boys of all ages and is rated at an Improving beginner skill level, making it an excellent project for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to build confidence with a structured garment. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a classic pullover-style top for boys, worked in a bold two-colour stripe sequence. The design is clean and wearable, with a neat neckband finish. It is sized to fit a range of children, with four size options spanning chest measurements from approximately 29 cm to 38.5 cm (11½ in to 15¼ in) across the chest, making it suitable for toddlers through to older boys.

Construction Techniques

The Fabian Top is constructed using the following techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is begun at the lower edge and worked upward toward the shoulders, which is a traditional and intuitive approach well-suited to beginner and improving knitters.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles, meaning the front, back, and any additional sections are worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round.
• Seamed finishing: The individual flat pieces are joined together using seaming, a classic garment-construction method that produces a structured, durable finish.
• Stripe sequence: A repeating stripe pattern is worked throughout the entire garment. The sequence alternates 6 rows in Forget me not (120) — referred to as colour A — and 6 rows in Seaside (161) — referred to as colour B. This consistent rhythm makes the stripe work straightforward to follow and ideal for those building experience with colour changes.

Stitches Used

The Fabian Top is primarily constructed in stocking stitch (stockinette stitch), which creates the smooth, classic knitted fabric seen on the body of the jumper. The tension and gauge of the pattern is set over stocking stitch. The neckband is finished with a cast-off edge, and the pattern includes a helpful tip: using a larger needle in the right hand when casting off the neckband helps achieve a looser, more comfortable finish around the neck opening.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino, a sport weight yarn available in 50g/1¾oz balls. This yarn is a premium merino wool known for its softness against children's skin, making it particularly well-suited to a garment worn close to the body. The following yarn quantities and colours are specified:

• 2(2:3:3) balls of Forget me not (120) — colour A, used throughout the stripe sequence
• 2(2:3:3) balls of Seaside (161) — colour B, used throughout the stripe sequence
• One ball of Midnight (101) — colour C, referenced for suggested alternative colourways
• One ball of Scarlet (140) — colour D, referenced for suggested alternative colourways

The pattern also specifies two pairs of straight knitting needles: 3mm (US size 2) and 3.25mm (US size 3). The smaller needle size is typically used for ribbing or edging details, while the larger size is used for the main body fabric to achieve the stated tension of 25 stitches and 34 rows to 10cm/4in over stocking stitch.

Colourway Options

While the main photographed version of the Fabian Top features the fresh, nautical pairing of Forget me not (120) and Seaside (161), the pattern includes suggested alternative colourways using Midnight (101) and Scarlet (140) from the MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino range, allowing knitters to personal