Side Flash Sweater Pattern

Description

The Side Flash Sweater brings bold 80s sportswear energy into modern knitting with its striking intarsia panels and confident silhouette. This bottom-up pullover features dynamic colorwork that wraps around the body sides and continues onto the sleeves, creating movement and visual impact. Worked flat with carefully placed intarsia sections, the sweater uses short row shaping at the shoulders and sleeve heads for an impeccable fit, while sewn side seams add structure and stability to support the dramatic design elements.

Crafted in The Fibre Co.’s &Make Aran, this Highland wool and alpaca blend delivers the perfect combination of strength and softness for colorwork projects. The yarn’s springy texture and excellent stitch definition ensure your intarsia panels remain crisp and clear, while the soft alpaca content keeps the finished sweater comfortable against the skin. &Make’s vibrant palette of cheerful brights brings the geometric panels to life, creating a statement piece that celebrates both retro inspiration and contemporary craftsmanship. Make your mark with color, structure, and undeniable style.

A kit is also available for Side Flash Sweater in &Make Aran.

Yarn: 

The Fibre Co. &Make Aran (50% Highland wool, 50% alpaca, 150 m (164 yd) per 100 g ball) in shades Borealis Bash (A) – 1 [1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1] ball, Prince (B) – 1 [1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1] ball, Mon Ami (C) – 1 [1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1] ball and Betty White (D) – 4 [4: 5: 5: 6: 6: 7: 8: 8] balls.

Construction notes: 

The Side Flash Sweater is worked flat in one piece from the back hem to the shoulders, then down the front to the hem. The back is knit first, with an intarsia pattern at each side—knitters should be confident reading knitting charts to follow this pattern. Armhole shaping is marked with removable markers for later seaming. Short rows shape the shoulders and back neck before placing another set of removable markers to mark the shoulders. The left and right fronts are worked separately at first with neckline shaping at the top before being joined and knit to the hem, mirroring the back intarsia pattern.

Once the body is complete, the sides are seamed to the armhole marker using Mattress Stitch. Stitches are picked up and worked in the round in ribbing for the hem and neckline, with a loose or Tubular Bind-Off.

Sleeves are picked up around the armhole and shaped with short rows for the cap. The tops of the sleeves are worked in the round before transitioning to working flat for the intarsia pattern. Once the intarsia section is complete, the sleeve seams are joined with Mattress Stitch before finishing with ribbed cuffs.

Sizes and measurements: 

1 [2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9]
The given sizes are called Sizes 1–9 and are recommended to fit a chest circumference of: 76–81 [86–91: 97–102: 107–112: 117–122: 127–132: 137–142: 147–152: 157–162] cm (30–32 [34–36: 38–40: 42–44: 46–48: 50–52: 54–56: 58–60: 62–64] in)
Chest circumference (at underarm): 90 [102: 111: 120: 130: 142: 151: 160: 170] cm (36 [41: 44.5: 48: 52: 57: 60.5: 64: 68] in)
Total length (from shoulder neck edge): 50 [51.5: 56: 58.5: 60.5: 64.25: 70.25: 72: 74] cm (19.5 [20.25: 22: 23: 23.75: 25.25: 27.75: 28.25: 29] in)
Body length (from hem to underarm): 30 [30: 33: 33: 33: 35: 38: 38: 40] cm (12 [12: 13: 13: 14: 15: 15: 16] in)
Sleeve length (from underarm): 44 [44: 43: 42: 41: 40: 39: 38: 38] cm (17.5 [17.5: 17: 17: 16.5: 16: 15.5: 15: 15] in)

Recommended ease: 

Designed with 8–16 cm (4–7 in) of positive ease at chest circumference.
Photographs show the garment in Size 2 on a model with a chest circumference of 84 cm (33 in).

Gauge: 

18 sts and 24 rows to 10 cm (4 in) measured over st st after blocking using 4mm (US 6) needles.

Errata: 

The most current version of this pattern is V1. Please note you will be purchasing the latest pattern version. Pattern updates are sent to all customers who have purchased a pattern either through email or a Ravelry message.

If you find you are working with an older version please go to our errata page for details of corrections and updates made. You can find the version you are working from by checking the pattern page footers.

Pattern format: 

This knitting pattern comes as a PDF file, which will be downloadable via a link that will be emailed to you after purchase.