Double-Faced Neckband Sweater: Free Knit Pattern

Introduction

The Double-Faced Neckband Sweater is a seamless, top-down raglan pullover designed for anyone who loves a clean, mid-century modern silhouette with one clever twist. It is written for intermediate knitters who are comfortable knitting in the round and are ready to try a little double knitting, and it is gentle enough for a confident beginner to grow into. The body and sleeves are worked in soft cobalt mohair-silk held double, giving a light, airy fabric with a gentle halo, while the tall folded neckband and matching cuffs are double-knitted in alternating cobalt and orange so one color faces out and the other faces in. The result is a cozy, drapey sweater with a sculptural high collar that looks polished on the outside and playful when it peeks open.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Lace weight mohair-silk blend (70% mohair, 30% silk; approx 420 m/50 g per skein), held double throughout. Color A (cobalt): 4 skeins (approx 1680 m). Color B (orange): 2 skeins (approx 840 m).
• Main needles: 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needles, 80 cm and 40 cm, plus a set of 4 double-pointed needles.
• Ribbing needles: 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles, 80 cm and 40 cm, plus a set of 4 double-pointed needles.
• Notions: Stitch markers (including 4 raglan markers and 1 beginning-of-round marker), waste yarn or stitch holders, tapestry needle, tape measure, scissors.
• Finished size: Chest circumference 102 cm (M/L). Length from shoulder 64 cm. Sleeve length from underarm 46 cm. Neckband height (folded) 12 cm. Cuff length 8 cm. Designed to fit with 10 cm positive ease.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on — make the starting stitches.
• k: knit.
• p: purl.
• sl1 wyib: slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in back.
• sl1 wyif: slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front.
• RS / WS: right side / wrong side.
• pm: place marker.
• sm: slip marker.
• M1R: make 1 right-leaning increase (lift the bar between stitches from back to front and knit it).
• M1L: make 1 left-leaning increase (lift the bar between stitches from front to back and knit it through the back loop).
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (a right-leaning decrease).
• ssk: slip, slip, knit the two slipped stitches together (a left-leaning decrease).
• rnd(s): round(s).
• sts: stitches.
• DK: double knitting — each pair of stitches forms one double-knit stitch, with one color on each face.

Gauge

18 sts and 24 rnds = 10 cm in stockinette stitch with 4.5 mm needles and yarn held double, after blocking. Knit a swatch, block it, and measure a 10 cm section in the middle; if you have more stitches, go up a needle size, and if you have fewer, go down.

Tips Before You Start

• Hold both strands of mohair-silk together at all times for the body and sleeves; the airy fabric depends on the doubled yarn.
• In double knitting, always slip stitches purlwise and keep the two colors in a consistent order (A then B on RS rows, B then A on WS rows) so the faces stay clean.
• Try on as you go: the raglan is easy to check after the sleeve separation, and the positive ease means the body should hang loosely, not pull.
• Because mohair is grippy, use a lifeline or a smooth waste yarn for the sleeve stitches so they are easy to pick up later.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: Yarn held double throughout. Slip all sts purlwise with yarn in back unless otherwise stated. Double knitting is worked flat with both colors; each pair of sts = 1 DK st. Neckband and cuffs are worked flat in DK, then seamed. Body and sleeves are worked in the round in stockinette with A only.

Neckband (worked flat in DK with A and B)

Set-up: With 3.5 mm needles and A and B, CO 120 sts (60 pairs) using the two-color long-tail cast-on.

Row 1 (RS): With A, k1, sl1 wyib; with B, p1, sl1 wyif; rep to end (120 sts).

Row 2 (WS): With B, k1, sl1 wyib; with A, p1, sl1 wyif; rep to end (120 sts).

Rows 3–end: Rep Rows 1–2 until piece measures 24 cm, ending after a WS row.

Bind off: Bind off all sts in pattern. Do not cut yarns.

Finish: Fold neckband in half to WS, with A facing out on one side and B on the other. Seam short ends together using mattress stitch, matching colors. Set aside.

Body (worked in the round from the top down)

Set-up: With 4.5 mm circular needle and A only, pick up and knit 120 sts along the CO edge of the neckband. Pm for beg of rnd.

Rnd 1 (set-up): K18 (back), pm, k1 (raglan), pm, k12 (sleeve), pm, k1 (raglan), pm, k36 (front), pm, k1 (raglan), pm, k12 (sleeve), pm, k1 (raglan), pm, k18 (back) (120 sts).

Rnd 2 (raglan inc): [K to 1 st before raglan marker, M1R, k1, sm, M1L] 4 times, k to end (8 sts inc).

Rnd 3: Knit.

Rnds 4–end: Rep Rnds 2–3 until there are 72 sts for back, 72 sts for front, and 48 sts for each sleeve, with 4 raglan sts (240 sts total).

Next rnd (separate sleeves): K72 (back), remove marker, place next 48 sleeve sts on waste yarn, CO 6 sts underarm, pm, CO 6 sts, k72 (front), place next 48 sleeve sts on waste yarn, CO 6 sts underarm, pm, CO 6 sts (168 sts).

Body: Work in stockinette in the round until body measures 38 cm from underarm.

Hem: Change to 3.5 mm needle. Work in k1, p1 rib for 5 cm. Bind off in rib.

Sleeves (worked in the round, make 2)

Set-up: With 4.5 mm needles and A, pick up and knit 6 sts underarm, then knit 48 sts from waste yarn (54 sts). Pm for beg of rnd at center of underarm.

Rnds 1–6: Work in stockinette in the round (54 sts).

Dec rnd: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 (2 sts dec).

Dec repeats: Rep dec rnd every 8 rnds 5 more times (42 sts).

Work even: Continue in stockinette until sleeve measures 38 cm from underarm (42 sts).

Cuff rib: Change to 3.5 mm needles. Work in k1, p1 rib for 5 cm. Bind off in rib.

Cuffs (make 2, worked flat in DK with A and B)

Set-up: With 3.5 mm needles and A and B, CO 42 sts (21 pairs).

Rows 1–2: Work in DK as for neckband (Row 1 RS, Row 2 WS) (42 sts).

Rows 3–end: Rep Rows 1–2 until piece measures 8 cm, ending after a WS row.

Bind off: Bind off all sts in pattern.

Finish: Seam short ends together using mattress stitch, matching colors.

Assembly and Finishing

Attach the neckband: With RS of body facing, align the folded edge of the neckband with the pick-up rnd and sew in place using mattress stitch, catching both layers of the neckband.

Attach the cuffs: With RS of sleeve facing, align the CO edge of each cuff with the bound-off edge of the sleeve and sew in place using mattress stitch.

Weave in ends: Weave in all ends on the WS, splitting the mohair plies so the tails disappear into the fabric.

Block: Soak gently, roll in a towel, and lay flat to the finished measurements (chest 102 cm, length 64 cm, sleeve 46 cm). Let dry completely before wearing.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap Color B for a mustard or teal to change the mood of the double-faced trims without altering the pattern.
• Make the neckband taller (up to 30 cm before folding) for an extra-cosy funnel collar, or shorter for a neat crew look.
• Add a few short rows at the back neck before the raglan increases for a slightly higher back neckline and a better fit across the shoulders.