The pandemic has changed a lot of things for many people around the world. People are making sourdough, running, reading, and other at-home hobbies like knitting and crochet. Before I started knitting two years ago, the idea of making a jumper (or sweater for my North American readers) felt out of my reach. I honestly didn’t think that I would ever be able to do it. But here we are, two-ish years after I started knitting. I made a jumper.

I made this using a pattern from a book called Knithow. This book is an excellent book for beginners. The book has detailed instructions for everything you might need to know about knitting – how to cast on and off, fix mistakes, and decrease stitches and shape things like necklines. I had a lot of fun making this jumper, and I wanted to share everything that helped me along the way with you, dear reader.

First of all. This is the book I used:

It has patterns for a whole winter wardrobe, so this pattern book is great. It will take you a long time to exhaust all of the knitting patterns.

I used an 8 ply yarn, which is also known as DK. I bought yarn from a Tasmanian dyer called Bombed Yarns. You can buy through Etsy, the company’s website, and Instagram. I used their 8ply merino wool in Robyne. She has amazing colours and colourways. She even takes custom orders.

I used 6 skeins of Robyne and another skein of a mustard yellow for the ribbing of the jumper. I love how sunny and warm the jumper looks and feels. I always get compliments when I wear it. The fit of the jumper is a bit boxy and it has a nice drop-sleeve. You could totally make this as a cropped jumper too if you wanted.

So to the knitting! All the bits and pieces you might need:

This is a bottom-up jumper which means that you start at the bottom of the jumper – where the jumper would fall at your hips and then knit your way up. You can knit in the round, and this makes it a seamless finish. I used a size 3.75mm for the ribbing and 4mm for the body. Knitpro is a great brand for knitting needles. They come in steel and wood. Although I love wooden needles, I tend to break them, so I switched to steel and never looked back. You can get them from any knitting and craft store as well as Etsy, here. You’ll need circular needles that are 80 or 100 cm for the body, and 40 cm for the arms. You will need some extra yarn or cables to hold some stitches. You will need some stitch markers. They come in many different shapes and forms, but the ones that look like little safety pins are my favourite. You can find them on Etsy here.

So how long does it take to make a jumper?

How quickly you make the jumper will depend on a few things. If you’re a new knitter it might take some time to get the hang of knitting. You will need to know 2×2 rib stitch, stockinette stitch, how to knit two together, and how to cast on and off stitches. I work on my PhD full time, so I could only knit in my spare time. All in all, it took me about 5 months to make this jumper. I definitely feel like I could make this a lot faster next time. In fact, I have already started a new jumper with a different pattern and I’m loving it. I cannot wait to share this with you too when it is done.

I hope that this helps allay some of the fears you might have to start knitting your first jumper. Please tell me what you are working on at the moment and please please let me know if you make this jumper! As always, share the reading love.