Holger Sweater - (8ply Child)

Please note: this is a printed knitting pattern. It is not a digital download.

The Holger Sweater is a striped sweater worked from the top down. The body is knitted in stockinette stitch with stripes, while the sleeves and neckline are each worked in a contrasting solid colour.

The back yoke is worked first, flat and back and forth, while short rows shape the slope of the shoulders. Each shoulder is then worked separately before the shoulders are joined to form the front yoke. The front and back are then joined at the underarms and the body is worked in the round with the stripe pattern.

The sleeves are knitted down from stitches picked up around the armholes. The sweater is finished with a folded ribbed neckline, worked from stitches picked up around the neck opening.

This design combines classic stripes with clean shaping, creating a comfortable everyday sweater for children. Size Guide

The Holger Sweater is designed with approximately 20–25 cm of positive ease for a relaxed fit.

Choose your size based on the child’s chest measurement rather than age alone. If the child’s chest measurement falls between sizes, select the size that gives the amount of ease you prefer. Sizes

1–2 (2–3) 3–4 (4–5) 5–6 (6–7) 7–8 (8–9) 9–10 (10–11) 11–12 (12–14) years Finished Chest Circumference

72 (74) 78 (82) 86 (88) 92 (96) 98 (104) 108 cm Length

36 (38) 42 (43) 45 (48) 49 (50) 52 (53) 54 (56) cm
(measured mid back, excluding neck edge) Gauge

20 stitches × 30 rows = 10 × 10 cm
in stockinette stitch on 4 mm needles Needles

4 mm circular needles (60 or 80 cm)

3.5 mm circular needles (40, 60 and/or 80 cm)

3.5 mm and 4 mm double-pointed needles
(unless using Magic Loop) Yarn Requirements

This sweater works best in a DK / light worsted weight wool yarn (approximately 90–110 metres per 50 g) with good stitch definition. A smooth wool yarn helps the stripes look crisp and keeps the garment durable for everyday wear.

You will need six colours in total:

Four stripe colours for the body

One colour for the sleeves

One colour for the neckline

Approximate yarn required per stripe colour for the body:

65 (74) 79 (84) 89 (102) 110 (116) 120 (128) 136 (145) g
(approximately 120–320 metres depending on size)

Additional yarn required:

Rib hem:
23 (23) 25 (25) 27 (27) 27 (29) 29 (30) 33 (33) g

Sleeves (per colour):
31 (36) 40 (45) 50 (52) 54 (57) 61 (64) 67 (71) g

Neck edge:
14 (15) 15 (16) 16 (17) 17 (18) 18 (18) 19 (19) g

Choose yarns with similar fibre and structure so the colours behave consistently when knitted together. Difficulty

★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5)

Suitable for knitters comfortable with top-down sweaters, stripes, and picking up stitches.