 |
| Photos above © milainemicoton |
Looking for a stylish boy sweater knitting pattern with practical cold-weather details? Boy Sweater by Lisa Chemery is a seamless top-down pullover for babies and children, featuring a cozy shawl collar, buttoned neck opening, raglan shaping, and textured stitch details.
The close-fitting design is intended to sit comfortably under a jacket, while the shawl collar provides extra warmth around the neck — especially useful for children who do not enjoy wearing scarves.
Boy Sweater at a Glance
Pattern: Boy Sweater
Designer: Lisa Chemery
Craft: Knitting
Category: Baby & Child Pullover
Construction: Top-down and seamless
Yarn Weight: Worsted / DK
Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm and US 8 / 5.0 mm
Main Gauge: 20 stitches × 30 rounds = 4 inches / 10 cm in stockinette
Yardage: Approximately 275–700 yards / 251–640 m
Sizes: 3 months to 8 years
Languages: English and French
Pattern Availability: Paid pattern
About the Boy Sweater
Designed by Lisa Chemery, Boy Sweater combines the practicality of a children's pullover with several details that give it a more polished look.
The most recognizable feature is the shawl collar, which wraps softly around the neck and is paired with a small buttoned opening.
Textured knitting and twisted-rib details add visual interest without turning the sweater into a heavily decorated garment, making the design suitable for both boys and girls.
Seamless Top-Down Construction
The sweater is knitted seamlessly from the top down. The upper section begins flat, after which stitches are added for the neck placket and the body continues in the round.
The sleeves are also worked in the round, reducing the amount of garment seaming required at the end.
Top-down construction has another practical advantage: it allows knitters to see the garment taking shape from the neckline toward the hem.
The Shawl Collar
The shawl collar is one of the defining features of this sweater. After the body is completed, stitches are picked up around the neckline and the collar is worked flat.
Short rows are used to create the characteristic shawl shape, and the lower edges of the collar are then attached to the sweater body.
Besides giving the sweater its classic appearance, the collar provides extra knitted fabric around the child's neck without requiring a separate scarf.
Baby and Child Sizes
The current pattern includes a particularly useful range of sizes:
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 12 months
- 18 months
- 2 years
- 4 years
- 6 years
- 8 years
The designer provides finished garment measurements as well as intended chest measurements, so check the original pattern carefully when deciding which size to knit.
Yarn Requirements
Boy Sweater is designed for approximately:
275–700 yards / 251–640 meters
The exact amount depends on size. The designer recommends a worsted-to-DK-weight merino or merino-blend yarn.
Suggested yarns listed with the pattern include Malabrigo Rios and several DK and worsted options.
Needles and Gauge
The pattern uses two main needle sizes:
- US 6 / 4.0 mm
- US 8 / 5.0 mm
The published stockinette gauge after blocking is:
20 stitches × 30 rounds = 4 inches / 10 cm
The textured portion has a separate row gauge, so use the designer's current pattern instructions when swatching and selecting needle sizes.
Knitting Skills Used
This project involves more than basic stockinette knitting. Techniques used in the design include:
- Knitting and purling
- Increasing and decreasing
- Top-down raglan construction
- Knitting in the round
- Picking up stitches
- Short rows
- Twisted stitches
- Textured stitch patterns
- Buttonholes and finishing
The combination makes Boy Sweater an interesting project for knitters who already understand the basics and want to develop their garment-knitting skills.
Is the Boy Sweater Pattern Free?
No. Boy Sweater by Lisa Chemery is currently a paid knitting pattern.
The pattern is sold through the designer's Ravelry listing. Amazing Knitting does not reproduce the designer's copyrighted instructions.
Visit the original listing below for the current price, complete sizing, materials, and purchase information.
View the Original Boy Sweater Pattern →
Pattern credit: Boy Sweater was designed by Lisa Chemery. Pattern pricing, availability, sizing, and technical information are controlled by the designer and may change over time.
Prefer a Free Alternative?
If you love the cozy shawl-collar style but would prefer a free knitting pattern, Amazing Knitting has a similar baby and child project in our archive.
Double Breasted Jacket with Shawl Collar — Free Knitting Pattern
This is a different design — not a free copy of Boy Sweater — but it offers a similar cozy shawl-collar look for babies and children and is available as a free knitting pattern.
You can also browse our free baby sweater patterns for more no-cost options.
More Baby and Child Sweaters
Explore more boy sweater knitting patterns, baby sweater knitting patterns, and children's sweater knitting patterns from the Amazing Knitting archive.
Before You Start
If you choose the original Boy Sweater, check Lisa Chemery's current Ravelry listing before purchasing yarn. Confirm your chosen size, yarn requirement, needle sizes, gauge, notions, and any current pattern updates before casting on.