Size: 3-4 (4-5) 5-6 (7-9) 10-12 years
Finished garment circumference (measured under the sleeves): 72 (79) 79 (87) 94 cm
Length (incl. folded neckband):
Mid front: 39 (45.5) 46 (47) 53.5 cm
Mid back: 42 (48.5) 50 (51) 57.5 cm
Sleeve length (measured from top of shoulder to cuff, excl. neckband): 40 (46.5) 47 (53.5) 61 cm
Sleeve circumference: 21.5 (21.5) 29 (29) 29 cm

Note. The pattern contains instructions on how to lengthen/shorten the body and/or sleeves, should this be needed to better fit the recipient. Just as the rest of us, children are all so different, so my advice would be to focus less on the age and more on the measurements when picking a size. :)

Gauge (colorwork in the round and stockinette stitch knit flat, after wash/blocking):
18 sts x 20 rows of stranded colorwork on 5.5 mm needles = 10 x 10 cm
18 sts x 24 rows of stockinette stitch on 4.5 mm needles = 10 x 10 cm

Suggested needles:
5.5 mm (US9; 60/80 and 80/100 cm) circular needles,
4.5 mm (US7; 40 and 60/80 cm) circular needles,
4 mm (US6; 60/80 cm) circular needles,
3.5 mm (US4; 40 cm) circular needles,
as well as double-pointed needles or longer circular needles for Magic Loop in sizes 5.5 mm, 4.5 mm and 4 mm (for sleeve knitting)

You’ll also need:
4 stitch marker
3 stitch holders (or some scrap yarn to hold the resting sts)

Suggested materials:
Peruvian Highland Wool from Filcolana (50 g = 100 m)
Two-color version
MC: 150 (200) 250 (250) 300 g
CC: 100 (150) 150 (150) 200 g

Three-color version
MC: 100 (150) 150 (200) 200 g
CC1: 100 (100) 150 (150) 200 g
CC2: 50 (100) 100 (100) 100 g

Or approx. the following amounts of worsted or aran-weight yarn:
Two-color version
MC: 280 (350) 410 (460) 540 m
CC: 180 (220) 250 (290) 350 m

Three-color version
MC: 190 (230) 260 (310) 360 m
CC1: 170 (190) 210 (250) 320 m
CC2: 90 (120) 140 (170) 190 m

Other single-strand yarn suggestions could be e.g. Atlas from Sandnes Garn or Merino Aran from Hedgehog Fibres.

About the design
The Æbleblomst Sweater Mini is worked from the bottom up in a floral, all-over stranded colorwork motif. The body and both sleeves are worked separately, after which the parts are joined and the yoke is worked in the round with raglan decreases. After the ribbed cuffs and an initial increase, the sleeves are worked straight. The shaping of the neckline is done by binding off the centre neckline stitches and then binding off stitches at the beginning of each row (while continuing the raglan decreases). Once the neckline is shaped, the remaining stitches are bound off, and new stitches are picked up along the neckline for the folded neckband. Lastly, the hole under each sleeve is grafted.

A note about sizes
The sweater is designed to have a positive ease of approx. 15-25 cm, meaning that the circumference of the finished garment (after wash and blocking) should be 15-25 cm wider than the recipient’s widest upper body measurement, depending on preference. Note that the measurements specified above are only achieved if the correct gauge is kept.

Level and techniques
The level of the Æbleblomst Sweater Mini is advanced beginner/intermediate, and the pattern contains colorwork charts as well as written instructions.

The pattern includes the following techniques:

• Long tail cast-on (slingshot method)
• 1 x 1 rib stitch
• Stranded colorwork (with two colors) in the round
• Stockinette stitch in the round and knit flat
• Left-leaning increases (m1L)
• Right- and left-leaning decreases (k2tog / ssk)
• Basic bind-off
• Grafting
• Picking up stitches

About the depicted versions:

• My first version is a size 4-5 y, and it’s a multicolored version worked in a number of different qualities from my stash: Some leftover yarn from my own Æbleblomst Sweater, Peruvian Highland Wool from Filcolana, Atlas from Sandnes Garn, and Merino Aran from Hedgehog Fibres. I’ve uploaded a picture with most of the color codes here.

• My second version is a size 3-4 y, and it’s a two-color version. I’ve used Peer Gynt spicy orange 3819 from Sandnes Garn held together with Cashmere Lace pumpkin spice 234B from Gepard Garn for the MC and Peer Gynt natur tutti frutti tweed 1044 from Sandnes Garn held together with Alpaca 1 E0 from Isager Yarn for the CC.