The good news: There’s more than one way you can knit a sweater. The bad news: The different types of knit sweaters can be overwhelming!
How many types of knit sweaters are there, you ask? Countless! Sweaters can be knit flat and then pieced together, knit in the round, knit from the center out, knit from sleeve to sleeve…see what I mean? Sometimes you’re just not in the mood for certain techniques — seaming is always the task I dread — so it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you begin a new knitting pattern. Plus, if you choose a construction method you don’t detest, you’ll be more likely to actually complete the project.
Whether you’d like to try knitting in the round, seaming flat pieces or maybe even trying some wacky unheard-of technique, there’s a construction method for you.
Here are just a few types of knit sweaters featured here on Craftsy.
Photo via Bluprint member katharina3535121
Seamless
Detest seaming as much as I do? A seamless sweater is the way to go!
Construction: Knit in the round with minimal assembly
Skills: Knitting in the round
Pattern: The Seamless Artemisia Sweater from The Seamless Artemisia Sweater class with Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark
Photo via Bluprint member DanielleChalson
Cuff-to-cuff
Usually reserved for more casual, laid-back styles, knitting a sweater from cuff to cuff often produces a sweater that’s loose and comfortable.
Construction: Cast on at the edge of one cuff and work your way across to the opposite cuff
Skills: Knitting in the round, seaming
Pattern: Southold Sweater
Photo via Bluprint member Andrea Rangel
Flat with seams
Working flat pieces is handy if you like to knit on the go, since you don’t need to carry the entire sweater around in your bag! This method isn’t just for cardigans; you can also knit a pullover flat, then seam it together.
Construction: Worked from the bottom up; pieces are knit flat, then seamed together at the sides and sleeves
Skills: Seaming
Pattern: Picea cardigan
Photo via Bluprint member Desert Rose
Flat in two pieces
This construction is easy, but keep in mind that it doesn’t offer much shaping in the shoulders and sleeves.
Construction: Knit in two simple pieces — front and back — then seamed together at the sides and sleeves
Skills: Seaming
Pattern: Pelerine Dolman Sweater
Photo via Bluprint member Cecily G M
Top down raglan
Raglan means that the sleeves are part of the neckline, offering a pretty painless construction for those of us who don’t like to seam set-in sleeves.
Construction: Worked top down and in the round in one piece
Skills: Knitting in the round
Pattern: Breakwater sweater
Photo via Bluprint member jrj9
Top down yoke
The name says it all on this one! This particular top-down sweater is seamless and has pretty textured stitches on the yoke.
Construction: Knit from the top down, starting at the neck and ending at the hem
Skills: Knitting in the round
Pattern: Simplest Sweater
Photo via Bluprint member Andrea Rangel
Steeked cardigan
Sure, you could knit a cardigan flat and seam the pieces together. But if you’re a fan of circular needles, try the sometimes-scary task of knitting in the round then steeking your sweater. (If you’ve never heard of steeking, it just means taking a pair of scissors to cut your knitting. It’s not as frightening as it sounds!)
Construction: Knit in the round and then steeked to create the cardigan
Skills: Knitting in the round, having the guts to cut your knitting
Pattern: Dutch Cardigan
Photo via Bluprint instructor Amy Detjen
Steeked V-neck
Steeking isn’t just for cardigans. You can also simplify shaping a V-neck by knitting a sweater in the round, then cutting out the V. Amy Detjen’s Simple Sweaters: Stranded & Steeked class covers the whole process, if you’re interested in trying it yourself.
Construction: Knit in the round and then steeked to create the v-neck
Skills: Knitting in the round, having the guts to cut your knitting
Pattern: Fearless Child Sweater, from the Simple Sweaters: Stranded & Steeked class with Amy Detjen
Photo via Bluprint member Mind of Winter
Divided at the armholes
You can avoid doing those long side seams with a sweater that’s assembled like this one.
Construction: Worked in the round from the bottom to the armholes, then divided into front and back pieces that are knitted flat; sleeves are worked separately and then seamed
Skills: Knitting in the round, seaming, changing from in-the-round knitting to flat knitting
Pattern: Adiri Sweater
Photo via Bluprint member saragresbach
Picked-up armhole stitches
Are you a pro at picking up stitches? This is the sweater construction method for you!
Construction: Worked in one piece from the bottom up, then stitches are picked up at the armholes for the sleeves
Skills: Knitting in the round, picking up stitches
Pattern: Rocoto
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