Don’t break out the shorts and tank tops yet. There’s still plenty of cold weather on the way. It’s only February after all! So why don’t you hunker down with a good knitting project and your latest Netflix binge? We’ve got 25 amazing mens sweater knitting patterns that are sure to pique your interest!
If you need any other reasons to knit your man a sweater, then just think of all the times he commented on how much yarn you have in your stash! They just can’t seem to understand that there’s no such thing as too much yarn! Don’t worry, he’s sure to come around as soon as he’s got a cute and cozy long sleeve sweater of his very own.
So, how do you knit a sweater anyway? If you are relatively new to the knitting world, then the idea of mens sweater knitting patterns may seem intimidating! Rest assured, we have plenty of basic and beginner-friendly designs that would make excellent first sweater knitting projects. And we have some more challenging designs for the experienced knitters too!
If you’re after any specific kinds of mens sweater knitting patterns, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got such an amazing variety of sweaters today that you’re almost sure to find the perfect one! There are cardigans, pullovers, and hooded sweaters. You’ll have your pick between sweaters worked flat and sweaters worked in the round. Keep an eye out for sweaters knit from the top down or sweaters knit from the bottom up. And there are plenty of unique stitch patterns to choose from too – from super basic stockinette to crazy cables and colorwork.
So what are you waiting for? Scroll down and see all of this knitting goodness for yourself!
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25 Handsome Free Mens Sweater Knitting Patterns
1. Roger’s Sweater
You can work up a sweater knitting pattern twice as fast when you work with two strands of yarn at once. Roger’s Sweater calls for two strands of worsted weight yarn. It’s knit flat in stockinette stitch, except for the cuffs and turtleneck which are knit in a 1×1 ribbed stitch pattern.
Designer: Handy Little Me
Yarn: Cascade Yarns ® Cascade 220® (Held Double = Bulky Weight #5)
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2. Aarni Sweater
He’ll be ready to strut his stuff in the Aarni Sweater. The high collar and ¼ zip up really add a certain level of sophistication – not to mention the gorgeous cablework! The design is knit in the round from the bottom up using the double seed stitch. The best part is that there’s very little sewing involved!
Designer: Ronja Hakalehto
Yarn: Novita Merino 4ply (DK Weight #3)
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3. Tove
A colorful sweater with pops of bright stranded colorwork on the sleeves will ensure that your guy stands out from the crowd. The Tove sweater features a drop sleeve design and a classic crew neck. The free knitting pattern is available in an impressive 9 sizes, so you can make this sweater for almost any of the men in your life!
Designer: Arne & Carlos
Yarn: Rowan Selects Norwegian Wool (DK Weight #3)
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4. Frost Light
The Frost Light sweater is a basic garment that’s easy to knit and even easier to wear. The stretchy ribbed neckline makes it easy to get the sweater over your head, and the height of the neckline also serves to help keep your neck warm. The pattern is knit in the round from the top down. The design features saddle shoulders and ribbed edges.
Designer: DROPS Design
Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Wish (Super Bulky Weight #6)
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5. Men’s Cabled Sweater
Draw attention towards his broad shoulders with this men’s cabled sweater. The lovely cablework adds detail and interest to the garment without feeling too frilly. The rest of the sweater is knit in reverse stockinette stitch. Everything is worked flat in pieces and then it’s all seamed together at the end.
Designer: Novita Knits
Yarn: Novita 7 Veljestä Solids (Aran Weight #4)
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6. Greywind
Winter is coming! Well, actually, it’s already here but that’s ok. Either way, your man is sure to need a sweet sweater to keep him warm. If he is a fan of the popular TV show Game of Thrones, then the Greywind sweater is sure to be a winner. The pattern, a mix of stranded and intarsia colorwork, is knit seamlessly from the bottom up with raglan shaping.
Designer: Meghan Babin for Knitty
Yarn: Hudson + West Co. Forge (Worsted Weight #4)
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7. Christian Sweater
The Christian Sweater is the epitome of cute and casual mens sweater knitting patterns. The style and design are both well suited to men who prefer things on the simpler side and the pattern takes it easy on the knitter too. It’s a straightforward knit done with half fisherman’s rib stitch from the bottom up in the round.
Designer: Stein Radicke for Hobbii
Yarn: Hobbii Highland Wool (DK Weight #3)
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8. Rocky Ridges
Ready to go beyond simple ribbed stitch? The english rib stitch (also known as brioche) produces a superbly squishy and stretchy fabric. I also think that it looks a lot nicer than regular old rib stitch too! Try it out with the handsome Rocky Ridges sweater. It has a round yoke and a double neck.
Designer: DROPS Design
Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Air (Aran Weight #4)
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9. 15 Gilet – M0035
The Gilet sweater is knit in stockinette and 2×2 rib stitch. I love the look of the toggle and loop fasteners. Don’t you think that they just look more sophisticated than plain old buttons? I especially love how the fasteners are further highlighted by the ribbed edging along the opening of the cardigan.
Designer: Bergère de France
Yarn: Bergère de France Bergereine Cotton/Wool (Aran Weight #4)
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10. Stormy Staghorn Cardigan
He’s going to look as cute as a button in the Stormy Staghorn Cardigan. This button-up design features a distinctive cable design along the cardigan opening as well as wide ribbing on the hems and cuffs. The sleeves are knit in the round and the body of the cardigan is worked in rows all in one piece.
Designer: Paintbox Yarns
Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Chunky (Chunky Weight #5)
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11. Men’s Yoke Sweater
While most round yoke sweaters are worked from the top down, this one is actually worked from the bottom up. The body is knit in the round, the sleeves are worked flat, and then everything is joined together at the top. That’s when the real magic begins with the beautiful stranded colorwork inspired by the northern lights.
Designer: Novita Knits
Yarn: Novita 7 Veljestä Solids (Aran Weight #4)
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12. Stone Cables
There’s nothing quite like a good bit of cablework to make you feel like a real knitting whiz. It also has the added benefit of making the Stone Cables sweater look incredibly stylish and smart! The design features raglan sleeves and a double neck. I especially love how it accentuates his broad shoulders.
Designer: DROPS Design
Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Air (Aran Weight #4)
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13. Sierra Woods
Say hello to the Sierra Woods sweater! The cake yarn used in this design softens the color transitions with a tweed-like speckle coloring. The natural shades of gray look right at home in this men’s sweater, and it looks so warm too! The design is knit flat in pieces and then sewn together at the end.
Designer: Rae Blackledge for Premier Yarns
Yarn: Premier Yarns Muir Woods (Worsted Weight #4)
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14. Neighborly Cardigan
Can you recognize the inspiration behind this iconic cardigan design? It is an homage to Mr. Rogers, of course! The distinguished design features cable detailing along the full length zipper and a fitted, set-in shoulder for the sleeves. This sweater would make an excellent present for the working professional in your life.
Designer: LB Design
Yarn: Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca (Worsted Weight #4)
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15. Kenan’s Hoodie
This long and laid back style pullover sweater is the perfect complement to a pair of jeans. The pattern is knit in the broken rib stitch – one of my favorite stitches for knitting projects that strike the balance between too easy and too tricky. The design is worked flat in pieces and then seamed.
Designer: Yonca Ozbelli
Yarn: Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash (Worsted Weight #4)
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16. Lace Up Hooded Sweatshirt
If you are looking for knitted sweater patterns that are truly unique, then you are going to love this Lace Up Hooded Sweatshirt. The bright yellow drawstring contrasts so nicely against the dark blue background, and you get to see that contrast again in the decorative stitching on the slanted pockets. The pattern calls for stockinette and 2×2 rib stitches.
Designer: Bergère de France
Yarn: Bergère de France Recyclaine (Super Bulky Weight Yarn #6)
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17. Breton Men’s Sweater
Just look at how handsome the Breton Men’s Sweater is. I love how the stripes continue onto the sleeves and you really can’t beat that classic pullover sweater silhouette. The design is worked flat in pieces using stockinette stitch. You’ll love the helpful photo examples of other color combinations to inspire your project.
Designer: Paintbox Yarns
Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran (Aran Weight #4)
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18. Winter Love
The Winter Love sweater is sure to become his new favorite cold weather essential! The design features a wide ribbed crewneck and cuffed sleeves, but the cable stitches running up the front of the sweater are the real stars of the show. The body and sleeves are knit from the bottom up in the round and then joined at the top.
Designer: DROPS Design
Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Air (Aran Weight #4)
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19. Hey Handsome Knit Cardigan
The Hey Handsome Knit Cardigan is the perfect balance between posh and practical. He can wear it to the office and he can wear it when lounging at home too! The design features a distinguished shawl collar, rolled cuffs, and lovely textured cable stitches throughout the garment.
Designer: Nicole Winer
Yarn: Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted (Worsted Weight #4)
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20. Raglan Pullover
A solid sweater in all stockinette stitch can be a little too plain. After all, you don’t want to give up halfway through because you’re bored! You can liven up a stockinette stitch design with a bit of stripey colorwork. The smaller stripes across the chest are adorably dotted, while the thicker stripes along the raglan sleeve shoulders are solid.
Designer: Craft Passion
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease Solids, Heathers & Twists (Aran Weight #4)
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21. Bottle Rocket
Go “hands free” with the Bottle Rocket sweater. It has a pocket for a bottle (water or beer haha) that’s perfect for the man on the go. He’ll really appreciate this one if he likes to hunt or fish! This raglan style sweater is knit from the top down starting with the hood. Most of it is knit in the round, but there are a few bits that are knit flat.
Designer: Michelle Porter for Knitty
Yarn: Briggs & Little Atlantic (Bulky Weight #5)
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22. Aberdeen
The Aberdeen sweater is one of those sweaters that you just don’t ever want to take off once you put it on! The alpaca blend yarn is scrumptiously soft and warm, plus, the wide shawl collar helps shield the neck from wind and chill. This raglan sleeve design is worked in the round from the bottom up.
Designer: DROPS Design
Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Air (Aran Weight #4)
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23. Tyton Cardigan
The two color Tyton Cardigan is knit from the top down in the round. The top of the sleeves start with a textured stitch involving just knit and purl stitches and then you slowly transition into smoother territory. This has the added benefit of making subsequent rounds of the sleeves faster to knit, so you’ll be done before you know it.
Designer: Benjamin Krudwig
Yarn: Quince & Co. Owl Tweet (Worsted Weight #4)
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24. Outdoor Sweater
The Outdoor Sweater pattern is available in both childrens and adult sizes so you can make a matching set. You’ll be knitting this sweater in pieces using a ribbed stitch and then putting all the pieces together at the end. While loose fitting, the pattern does include a decent amount of shaping so it doesn’t come out looking too boxy.
Designer: Red Heart Design Team
Yarn: Red Heart Comfort Chunky (Bulky Weight #5)
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25. Simple Pleasures Sweater
The Simple Pleasures Sweater is sure to become an instant classic! The striped fair isle design is just so eye-catching and you can really get inspired by the picture to choose a higher or lower contrast between your colors depending on your preference. You’ll be knitting all of the pieces separately and in rows for this one and then joining it all together at the end.
Designer: Patons
Yarn: Patons North America Classic Wool (Worsted Weight #4)
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I think it’s safe to say that the guys in our lives will be the best dressed men on the block now! I’d love to know which of these free mens sweater knitting patterns caught your eye. Share your favorites in the comments below!
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I’ll see you next week for another free knitting pattern round-up. Make sure to follow the blog so you never miss a post – and see all my free knitting patterns here. <3
Happy Knitting!
Amanda