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Youth Fern Pullover was only my second sweater design but it took me 2 years to publish it. I was so worried that I did the grading sizes wrong and the math wasn’t right that it paralyzed me from moving forward.
The Story Behind the Design
My oldest daughter needed a sweater to go over her Easter dress (that she never wore because 2020). Easter in New England is typically pretty chilly, with a good the possibility of snow on the ground. Since her dress was sleeveless, layering was mandatory.
I used KnitPicks Cotlin because I wanted it to be easy to wash and care for but also not super hot like wool can be. One of the things I love most about this yarn is that it doesn’t stretch out with wear. It’s soft yet strong which is perfect for kids.
The lace raglan is by far my favorite part of this sweater. It just pops with the simplicity of the rest of the sweater. I chose to do a cropped length as well because it was made to wear over dresses but it can be elongated to make it a regular length if desired.
Even though my daughter didn’t get to wear this sweater for that Easter it was worn over and over again by my 2 oldest daughters and has lasted well enough that now my younger 2 daughters will get to use it too.
To purchase the yarn for this project click here.
Check out all of our free sweater patterns here.
Materials and Info
Yarn – 4, 4, (5, 5), (6, 6), 7, 8 skeins Knitpicks Cotlin (50g 123yd)
Gauge – 22sts x 28rows per 4x4in or 10x10cm
Needles – 4 (3.5mm) dpn and circular 6 (4mm) circulars
Notions – stitch markers
Youth Sizes – 2, 4 (6, 8) (10, 12) 14, 16
Bust Measurement – 53, 58.5 (63.5, 67) (71, 76) 80, 82.5cms or 21, 23 (25, 26.5) (28,30) 31.5, 32.5ins
Cropped Fern Sweater is a top-down seamless raglan in an easy-care yarn.
Abbreviations can be found on the last page.
Note: choose size based on bust measurement for best fit.
Youth Fern Pullover Pattern
NECK
With smaller needle, cast on 68, 76 (80, 84) (88, 96) 100, 100 stitches being careful not to twist.
Place a marker at the beginning of your round.
Work 2, 2 (2, 2) (2.5, 2.5) 2.5, 2.5cm or .75, .75 (.75, .75) (1, 1) 1, 1ins in 1×1 ribbing (k1, p1 around).
Switch to larger needles.
Set up round – p1, k8,10 (10,12) (12,14) 14,14sts, p1, pm, p1, k22 ,24 (26,26) (28, 30) 32, 32sts, p1, pm p1, k8,10 (10,12) (12,14) 14,14sts, p1, pm, p1, k22 ,24 (26,26) (28, 30) 32, 32sts, p1sm (this marker is your start of round marker)
Raglan round 1 – (p1, yo, k1, yo, k1, ssk, knit to 5sts before marker, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, p1, sm) repeat around
Raglan round 2 – (p1, knit to 1stitch before marker, p1) Repeat around
Raglan round 3 – (p1, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, ssk, knit to 6sts before marker, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, p1, sm) repeat around
Raglan round 4 – (p1, knit to 1stitch before marker, p1) Repeat around
Raglan round 5 – (p1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, ssk, knit to 7sts before marker, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k2, p1, sm) repeat around
Raglan round 6 – (p1, knit to 1stitch before marker, p1) Repeat around
Raglan round 7 – (p1, k3, yo, k1, yo, k1, ssk, knit to 8sts before marker, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k3, p1, sm) repeat around
Raglan round 8 – (p1, knit to 1stitch before marker, p1) Repeat around
Raglan round 9 – (p1, k4, yo, k1, yo, k1, ssk, knit to 9sts before marker, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k4, p1, sm) repeat around
Raglan round 10 – (p1, knit to 1stitch before marker, p1) Repeat around
Repeat raglan rounds 1-10 until a total of 20, 22 (24, 26) (27, 29) 30, 31 raglan increases have been completed (a total of 40, 44 (48, 52) (54, 58) 60, 62 raglan rounds). 228, 252 (272, 292) (304, 328) 340, 348sts
BODY
Now divide the sts into sleeves and body, while at the same time casting on new sts at each underarm, as follows: place the next 50, 56 (60, 66) (68, 74) 76, 78 sts (right sleeve) on a stitch holder, remove marker, cast on 4sts for the armhole using the backward loop method, knit 64, 70 (76, 80) (84, 90) 94, 96sts (front), remove marker, place the next 50, 56 (60, 66) (68, 74) 76, 78 sts (left sleeve) on a stitch holder, remover marker, cast on 4sts for the armhole using the backward loop method, knit 64, 70 (76, 80) (84, 90) 94, 96sts (back). There are now 136, 148 (160, 168) (176, 188) 196, 200 sts on the needles for the body.
Work in stockinette st in the round until your work measures appx 5, 6 (7.5, 11) (14, 15) 15, 16 or 2, 2.5 (3, 4.5) (5.5, 6) 6, 6.5ins from the underarm stitches.
Work in a 1×1 ribbing (k1 p1) for appx 3, 3 (3, 3) (4, 4) 4, 4cms or 1.25, 1.25 (1.25, 1.25) (1.5, 1.5) 1.5, 1.5ins. Bind off using your favorite stretchy bind off for 1×1 ribbing.
SLEEVES
Place on hold stitches for the first sleeve onto larger double-pointed or circular needles. Pick up and knit 4 sts along the sts that were cast on at the underarm when working the body. There are now a total of 54, 60 (64, 70) (72, 78) 80, 82sts on the needle.
Working in the round in stockinette st.
Decrease as follows:
K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.
You have just decreased 2 sts.
Decrease as above every 5th round 9, 10 (11, 13) (13, 14) 14, 15more times for a total of 10, 11 (12, 14) (14, 15) 15, 16 times. 34, 38 (40, 42) (44, 48) 50, 50sts
Continuing working in the round in stockinette until your sleeve measures 18, 23 (25, 27.5) (30, 33.5) 36, 37.5cms or 7.25, 9.25 (10, 11) (12, 13.5) 14.5, 15ins OR 3, 3 (3, 3) (4, 4) 4, 4cms or 1.25, 1.25 (1.25, 1.25) (1.5, 1.5) 1.5, 1.5ins less than your desired sleeve length.
Change to smaller double-pointed needles and work 3, 3 (3, 3) (4, 4) 4, 4cms or 1.25, 1.25 (1.25, 1.25) (1.5, 1.5) 1.5, 1.5ins of 1×1 (k1, p1,) ribbing.
Bind off using your favorite stretchy k1p1 bind off.
Work the other sleeve identically.
Weave in all ends and block as desired. I like to use a clothing steamer for blocking but use the method that you are most comfortable with.
Abbreviations
K – knit P – purl
PM – place marker SM – slip marker
K2tog -knit 2 stitches together YO – yarn over
SSK – slip, slip, knit the slipped sts together
Download Youth Fern Pullover PDF
