The Crayon Stripes Pullover knitting pattern turns our Cotton Pure and Serif yarns into a wearable doodle made just for toddlers and kids. Easy to knit and full of charm, this comfy striped pullover is like a children’s book illustration of a kid’s cheery sweater!

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

You work the Crayon Stripes Pullover flat from one sleeve cuff to the other, knitting smooth stockinette in one continuous piece and leaving a generous gap in the middle for the head to pop through. Stripe as you go, carrying your yarns neatly along the edge… No fiddly ends to weave in! When you’re done, just seam the sides and pick up stitches to knit a few rounds for the cozy rolled neckline and hem, and it’s ready for your little artist to wear.

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

Cotton Pure and Serif are two absolutely beautiful cotton yarns to knit with, one a smooth, matte sport weight and the other a wavy, lustrous DK yarn. These very different yarns can be knit on the same size needles, right at the loose end of Cotton Pure’s gauge and at the dense end of Serif’s. Striping them creates an irresistibly soft, textural sweater that you can toss in the washer and dryer after a play date!

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

Pick your kid’s very favorite shade from Cotton Pure’s great big palette, the color of that one crayon that’s a little shorter than the rest. Stripe it with Serif in Heirloom White for a classic crayon-on-paper look or choose another hue of Serif to mix and match!

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho
Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

Knit a cozy Crayon Stripes Pullover for a little one who loves to color outside the lines. Every stitch will take you back to that magical feeling of having a crayon in your hand and a big idea in your head!

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!

Materials

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho
  • Yarn A: 1 (2, 2, 2) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Cotton Pure, 100% organically grown cotton yarn. Each skein of this sport-weight yarn is 279 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 275 (345, 395, 460) yards required. We used the color Tomato Orange.
  • Yarn B:  2 (2, 2, 3) skeins of Purl Soho’s Serif, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton yarn. Each skein of this light worsted/DK-weight yarn is approximately 164 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 230 (265, 310, 365) yards required. We used the color Heirloom White.
  • US 5 (3.75 mm), 24-inch circular knitting needles
  • US 5, 16-inch circular needles, or a set of double pointed needles, depending on size you are making
  • Optional: A spare needle, one size larger, for binding off
  • Stitch holders or scrap yarn
  • A stitch marker

NOTE: For the 9–18 Month size, we used the entire skein of Yarn A, so if you want to be sure you have enough, consider ordering an extra skein. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!

GAUGE

21 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern, unlaundered

23 stitches and 35 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern, laundered

SIZES

9–18 Months (2 Years, 4 Years, 6 Years)

To fit actual chest circumference of 18–20 (19–21, 21–23, 23–25) inches, with approximately 3½–6 inches of ease, depending on the size

NOTE: Measurements given are after laundering.

  • Finished Chest Circumference: approximately 24 (25, 26½, 28½) inches
  • Finished Body Length from Bottom Edge To Underarm: approximately 8¼ (8¾, 9½, 10¼) inches, unrolled
  • Finished Body Length from Bottom Edge To Top Of Shoulder: approximately 12½ (13¼, 14, 15¼) inches, unrolled
  • Finished Sleeve Length from Underarm: approximately 8 (9½, 10¾, 11¾) inches, unrolled
Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

SAMPLE: The sweater shown here is size 9–18 Months, worn with 3 inches of ease.

NOTES

CONSTRUCTION

This sweater is worked mostly flat and in one piece, starting at the cuff of the Right Sleeve. You will work that Sleeve, then cast on for the Front and Back and work even to the Neck Opening. There, you will divide stitches in half, continue the Front first, then the Back, then rejoin the two, having created a slit for the Neck Opening. You will next work the remainder of the Front and Back even, then bind off stitches from both and work the Left Sleeve. To finish, you will sew seams along the underside of the Sleeves and the sides of the Body, then work edgings in the round for the Collar and Hem.

CARRYING UP YARN

When changing yarns in stripes, simply drop the yarn you just used in front, and pick up the new yarn from the back and knit.

PATTERN

RIGHT SLEEVE

NOTE: When striping begins, carry non-working yarn up the side when not in use (see Notes) and do not cut yarns, unless instructed.

With Yarn A, cast on 48 (50, 52, 56) stitches onto longer circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Continue in stockinette stitch, knitting right-side rows and purling wrong-side rows, until piece measures approximately 1 inch from cast-on edge, unrolled, ending with a wrong-side row.

Drop Yarn A, but do not cut. Join Yarn B.

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn B, knit to end of row.  

Row 2 (wrong side) : With Yarn B, purl to end of row.

Rows 3 and 4: With Yarn A, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Repeat Rows 1–4 fourteen (17, 20, 22) times, then repeat Rows 1 and 2 one more time.

Cut Yarn B.

BODY

CAST ON FRONT + BACK

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn A and using a Cable Cast On, cast on 41 (45, 49, 53) stitches for Front, knit to end of row. [89 (95, 101, 109) stitches]

Row 2 (wrong side): Cable cast on 41 (45, 49, 53) stitches for Back, purl to end of row. [130 (140, 150, 162) stitches]

WORK FRONT + BACK TOGETHER

Rejoining Yarn B…

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn B, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn B, purl to end of row.

Rows 3 and 4: With Yarn A, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Repeat Rows 1–4 five more times.

DIVIDE FOR NECK OPENING

NOTE: You will now divide stitches in half to create Neck, working Front first, then Back, before joining to work Left Shoulder.

Division Row (right side): With Yarn B, k65 (70, 75, 81), place remaining 65 (70, 75, 81) stitches onto stitch holders or scrap yarn for Back without working. [65 (70, 75, 81) stitches remain for Front]

Next Row (wrong side): With Yarn B, purl to end of row.

WORK FRONT

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn A, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn A, purl to end of row.

Rows 3 and 4: With Yarn B, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Repeat Rows 1–4 twelve (13, 15, 17) more times.

Place all stitches onto stitch holder or scrap yarn.

Cut both yarns.

WORK BACK

With right side facing you, return on-hold Back stitches to working needles. [65 (70, 75, 81) stitches]

Rejoining yarns as needed…

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn B, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn B, purl to end of row.

Rows 3 and 4: With Yarn A, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Repeat Rows 1–4 twelve (13, 15, 17) more times.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 one more time.

Cut both yarns.

REJOIN FRONT + BACK AND CONTINUE

With right side facing you, return on-hold Front stitches to working needles. [130 (140, 150, 162) stitches]

Working across all Front and Back stitches, and rejoining yarns as needed…

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn A, knit to end of row.  

Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn A, purl to end of row.

Rows 3 and 4: With Yarn B, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Repeat Rows 1–4 five more times, then repeat Row 1 one more time.

BIND OFF FRONT + BACK

Bind Off Row (wrong side): With Yarn A, bind off 41 (45, 49, 53) stitches purlwise, p47 (49, 51, 55), bind off 41 (45, 49, 53) stitches purlwise. [48 (50, 52, 56) stitches remain for Left Sleeve]

Cut both yarns.

LEFT SLEEVE

With right side facing you, and rejoining yarns as needed…

Row 1 (right side): With Yarn B, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn B, purl to end of row.

Rows 3 and 4: With Yarn A, repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Repeat Rows 1–4 fourteen (17, 20, 22) times, then repeat Rows 1 and 2 one more time.

Cut Yarn B.

With Yarn A, continue in stockinette stitch for 1 inch, ending with a wrong-side row.

With right side facing you, bind off all stitches knitwise.

FINISHING

SEAM

Orient piece so wrong sides are together and Front is facing you. Starting at bottom edge of Body, and using a new length of Yarn A, seam together sides of Body and underside of Sleeve, using Seaming Stockinette Stitch: Stitches To Stitches for Body and Mattress Stitch for Sleeve.

Repeat for other side.

WORK COLLAR

NOTE: For help picking up stitches, please visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial and scroll down to the Along A Vertical Edge: Stockinette Stitch video.

Starting at Left Shoulder, use shorter circular needles (or double pointed needles) and Yarn A to pick up and knit 86 (92, 106, 118) stitches evenly around Neck Opening (approximately 4 stitches for every 5 rows).

Place marker and join for working in the round.

Knit every round until Collar measures 1 inch, unrolled.

Bind off all stitches loosely, using a spare needle a size larger, if necessary, to ensure Neck Opening is not too tight.

WORK HEM

Holding piece upside down, starting at bottom of Left Side, use longer circular needles and Yarn A to pick up and knit 126 (132, 140, 150) stitches evenly around bottom edge (approximately 3 stitches for every 5 rows).

Place marker and join for working in the round.

Knit every round until Hem measures 1 inch, unrolled.

Bind off all stitches loosely, using a spare needle a size larger, if necessary.

WEAVE + BLOCK

Weave in all ends and machine wash and dry.

Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho
Crayon Stripes Pullover | Purl Soho

Learn About Cotton Pure, Serif + All Our Beautiful Yarns

Our Crayon Stripes Pullover brings together two equally beautiful but very different 100% cotton yarns! Our Cotton Pure is a 100% organically grown cotton sport-weight yarn that feels exceptionally soft and supple in your hands, available in tons of gently heathered colors. On the other hand, Serif is a super soft 100% Peruvian Pima cotton yarn with subtle luster and a charming wave, a light worsted/DK-weight yarn that knits up into a gently nubbly texture. Pick a few skeins of each to knit up this adorable striped sweater for toddlers and kids… It will be super soft, machine washable, and very beautiful!

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Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 45 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 1000’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!