Celebrate the warmth and sweetness of the holiday season with our design! Inspired by the classic charm of gingerbread cookies and cozy winter traditions, this festive sweater is the perfect addition to your Christmas knitting lineup. With delightful details such as hearts and plants, comfortable fit, it’s a heartwarming project to craft for someone special—or yourself! Whether you’re sipping hot cocoa by the fire or sharing holiday memories, this sweater is sure to spread joy and holiday cheer. Gather your favorite yarn, and let’s knit some Gingerbread Love this Christmas!
Overview:
- Skill level: Intermediate.
- Instructions style: written pattern + charts.
- Sizes: this sweater is available in five sizes: S, M, L, XL, and XXL, (see detailed measurements below).
- The sweater is a seamless, top-down project worked with circular knitting needles, starting from the middle of the back. The knitting begins at the double neck and progresses to the yoke, which is then divided into the body and sleeves. Both the body and sleeves are knit in the round, and using double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the sleeves can make the process easier.
- Required skills: increasing and decreasing stitches, working in the round, knitting using double pointed knitting needles, stranded colorwork.
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Materials:
- Suggested yarn: Opal, Dort Mevsim, 100% acrylic, 3.5 oz (100 g), 257 yards (235 m), in the following colors and quantities: dark blue 0126 (4 skeins), red 0127 (1 skein). Polo Su, Softly Lux, 100% premium anti-pilling acrylic, 3.5 oz (100 g), 274 yards (250 m), in the following colors and quantities: cream 402 (1 skein), beige 436.
- Circular knitting needles, 16" (40 cm) long, sizes US 2.5 (3 mm) and US 6 (4 mm).
- Circular knitting needles, 24" (60 cm) long, sizes US 2.5 (3 mm) and US 6 (4 mm).
- Double pointed knitting needles (DPNs) sets, size US 6 (4 mm).
- Ring stitch marker.
- Regular stitch marker.
- Tapestry needle.
Sizes and measurements:
| Size | Chest-bust measurements |
| S | 33.5-35.5" (85-90 cm) |
| M | 37.5-40" (95-100 cm) |
| L | 42-44" (105-110 cm) |
| XL | 42"- 44" (107- 112 cm) |
| XXL | 46"- 48" (117- 122 cm) |
Yardage:
- Size S: 1065-1070 yards (975-980 m), approx.
- Size M: 1145- 1150 yards (1045- 1050 m), approx.
- Size L: 1220- 1225 yards (1115- 1120 m), approx.
- Size XL: 1375- 1380 yards (1255- 1260 m), approx.
- Size XXL: 1530- 1535 yards (1400- 1410 m), approx.
Knitting terms:
- st: stitch.
- sts: stitches.
- k: knit.
- p: purl.
- k2tog: knit 2 sts together.
- ssk: slip, slip, knit the 2 sts together through back loops.
- stm: stitch marker.
Instructions:
Double neck:
With dark blue yarn and both US 2.5 (3 mm) and US 6 (4 mm) circular knitting needles, cast on 100 (106, 110, 114, 120) sts, (very stretchy and elastic cast on edge). Remove the US 6 (4 mm) circular knitting needles, join in round when working next step. Put a ring stm at the beginning of the round. Work as follows:
Rib round: k 1, p 1 to end.
Work rib round 25 more times. Fold the neck double to inside and work one more rib round working every second st together with its corresponding st on the cast on edge.
Yoke:
Change to 16" (40 cm) and size US 6 (4 mm) circular knitting needles when knitting the next round.
First increase round:
Knit all sts, increasing 28 (30, 32, 36, 40) sts evenly spaced [128 (136, 142, 150, 160) sts]. Knit 3 (3, 3, 6, 9) rounds.
Second increase round:
Knit all sts, increasing 27 (34, 38, 45, 55) sts evenly spaced [155 (170, 180, 195, 215) sts]. Knit 3 (3, 3, 6, 9) rounds. Bind on cream yarn and knit Pattern 1. Knit one round.
Third increase round:
Knit one round increasing 25 (28, 36, 39, 55) sts evenly spaced. [180 (198, 216, 234, 270) sts]. Bind on red yarn and work Pattern 2. Knit one round.
Fourth increase round:
Knit one round increasing 40 (42, 39, 46, 45) sts evenly spaced. [220 (240, 255, 280, 315) sts]. Work Pattern 3. Knit 3 (3, 3, 6, 6) rounds.
Fifth increase round:
Knit one round increasing 32 (40, 33, 44, 45) sts evenly spaced. [252 (270, 288, 324, 360) sts]. Work Pattern 4. Cut blue, red and beige yarn.
Dividing round:
From the ring stitch marker, knit 38 (40, 43, 47, 54) sts for half back, place the next 50 (54, 57, 67, 72) sts on a piece of yarn for the sleeve. Cast on 8 (8, 8, 12, 12) sts for the underarm, knit 76 (81, 87, 95, 108) sts for the front and place the next 50 (54, 57, 67, 72) sts on a piece of yarn for the second sleeve. Cast on 8 (8, 8, 12, 12) sts for the underarm. Knit the last 38 (41, 44, 48, 54) sts for second half back. Now the body total sts are 168 (178, 190, 214, 240) sts. Body and sleeves are finished separately. Put a regular stm at the middle of the back. The body piece is now measured from here.
Body:
knit 3 (3, 3, 6, 6) rounds and increase knit 2 (2, 0, 1, 0) sts in the last round [170 (180, 190, 215, 240) sts]. Bind on dark blue yarn and work pattern 5. Cut cream yarn.
Keep on knitting in rounds until the body measures 11.5" (11.5", 11.5", 12", 12") [29 (29, 29, 30, 30) cm] from the dividing round. Knit one round increasing 18 (18, 20, 23, 24) sts evenly spaced [188 (198, 210, 238, 264) sts].
Change to size US 2.5 (3 mm) circular knitting needles and work the rib round 19 times. Bind off all sts.
Sleeves:
Slip the 50 (54, 57, 67, 72) sts into US 6 (4 mm) 16" (40 cm) circular knitting needles. Join cream yarn and knit them, then pick up one st out of each of the body underarm 8 (8, 8, 12, 12) sts. [58 (64, 65, 79, 84) sts]. Put a ring stm in the middle of the picked up sts to start knitting the sleeve. The sleeve is now measured from here.
Sleeve Shaping:
knit 3 rounds and increase knit 2 (1, 0, 1, 1) sts in the last round [60 (65, 65, 80, 85) sts]. Bind on dark blue yarn and work pattern 5. Cut cream yarn. Knit 2 rounds then start the decreasing pattern.
Decreasing Pattern: knit the round, k2tog before stm and ssk after it. Knit 24 (22, 20, 12, 12) rounds.
Repeat decreasing pattern 4 (4, 4, 9, 9) more times [50 (55, 55, 60, 65) sts]. knit in the round until sleeve measures 15.5" (15.5", 15", 13.5", 13") [40 (40, 38, 35, 33) cm]. Knit one round increasing 2 (1, 3, 2, 3) sts [52 (56, 58, 62, 68) sts]. Change to size US 2.5 (3 mm) circular knitting needles and work the rib round 19 times. Bind off all sts. Work the other sleeve in the same way. Weave in loose ends.
Lastly, feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or find something confusing in the pattern.
Happy crocheting/knitting! follow me on Instagram @wiams_crafts and Twitter @wiamscrafts to see my upcoming projects.
