Roll Neck Sweater in Schachenmayr Universa - S6925A - Downloadable PDF

Roll Neck Sweater in Schachenmayr Universa – Pattern S6925A

This free downloadable knitting pattern (S6925A) from Schachenmayr guides knitters through the construction of a classic roll neck sweater, also known as a rollkragenpullover. The design is worked in Schachenmayr Universa, a DK weight yarn, and is available in three sizes: 38/40, 42/44, and 46/48, making it suitable for a range of adult figures. The finished garment features a sophisticated combination of stitch textures, giving it a richly detailed surface that elevates it beyond a simple everyday pullover.

Design Overview

The sweater is a classic fitted pullover with a distinctive roll neck collar, a neckline style that folds over naturally to create a soft, cosy tube of fabric sitting close to the throat. This style is perennially popular for its warmth and elegant simplicity, making it an ideal project for autumn and winter knitting. The body of the sweater combines several stitch patterns worked simultaneously, creating panels of contrasting texture across the front and back pieces.

Stitch Patterns Used

• Bündchenmuster (Rib Stitch): A classic 1×1 ribbing — alternating one knit stitch and one purl stitch — used for the cuffs and lower edges. Ribbing provides natural elasticity, ensuring a snug, neat finish at the hems and wrists.
• Glatt rechts (Stocking Stitch / Stockinette): The foundational smooth fabric of knitting — knit stitches on right-side rows and purl stitches on wrong-side rows — used across sections of the body to provide a clean, flat background.
• Großes Perlmuster (Large Seed Stitch / Large Moss Stitch): An alternating knit and purl pattern that is offset every second row, creating a textured, pebbly surface. This stitch adds visual interest and a slightly raised, tactile quality to the fabric. The gauge for both stocking stitch and large seed stitch is confirmed at 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm × 10 cm.
• Zopfmuster (Cable Pattern): A traditional cable stitch worked from a chart. Only the right-side rows are charted; wrong-side rows are worked as the stitches present themselves. The cable panel repeats over either 6 or 8 rows and spans approximately 40 stitches, measuring around 15 cm in width. Cables are created by crossing groups of stitches over one another using a cable needle, producing the characteristic rope-like or braid-like columns that are a hallmark of classic knitwear.

Construction and Techniques

The sweater is constructed in the traditional flat knitting method, with separate pieces worked back and forth in rows. The back piece (Rückenteil) begins with a cast-on of 112 stitches for size 38/40, 126 stitches for size 42/44, and 140 stitches for size 46/48. The pattern references a specific cast-on technique involving guiding an inner thread and drawing through a single thread — a method that produces a neat, stable foundation edge suited to ribbed borders.

Knitters will need to be comfortable reading a stitch chart (Strickschrift) for the cable sections, as well as managing multiple stitch patterns across the same row. The ability to work cable crossings using a cable needle is essential. The roll neck is worked in the same 1×1 rib pattern as the cuffs and lower hems, then left to roll naturally at the neckline.

Materials

• Yarn: Schachenmayr Universa, a DK weight yarn, is specified for this pattern. Universa is a smooth, versatile yarn well suited to stitch definition, making it an excellent choice for showcasing both the textured seed stitch panels and the crisp lines of the cable pattern.
• Needles: Straight or circular knitting needles appropriate for DK weight yarn are required. Knitters should swatch carefully to match the stated gauge before beginning.
• Additional tools: A