Please note: this is a printed knitting pattern. It is not a digital download.
The Holger Sweater Man is a relaxed, top-down sweater with stripes through the body and solid contrast details through the sleeves and neckline.
You begin with the back yoke, working flat while shaping the shoulders with short rows. Each shoulder is then worked separately before being joined to form the front. From there, the body is joined in the round and worked down in stripes.
Sleeves are picked up around the armholes and worked down, and the sweater is finished with a folded neckline for a clean, comfortable finish.
It’s a great piece if you want something classic with a bit of personality through colour.
Size Guide
Designed to have approximately 15–20 cm of positive ease.
Choose your size based on your actual chest measurement.
Sizes
XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL
Finished Chest Circumference
106 (110) 116 (122) 128 (134) 138 (142) 154 cm
Length
69 (70) 71 (72) 74 (75) 77 (78) 79 cm
(measured mid back, excluding neck edge)
Gauge
20 stitches × 30 rows = 10 × 10 cm in stockinette stitch on 4 mm needles
Needles
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4 mm circular needles (40, 60 and/or 80–100 cm)
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3.5 mm circular needles (40 and/or 80–100 cm)
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3.5 mm and 4 mm double-pointed needles (or Magic Loop)
Yarn Requirements
This pattern is designed for a 10 ply / worsted weight yarn.
Look for yarns around 90–110 metres per 50 g.
You’ll need multiple colours:
Approximate Metreage
Because this is striped and colour-blocked, yarn is spread across colours rather than one total.
Per colour (approximate):
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Body stripe colours: ~365–700 m per colour depending on size
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Sleeves (per colour): ~180–400 m
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Neck and rib details: ~90–180 m
Our Yarn Recommendation
This is an ideal pattern for Outlaw Yarn Rebel Worsted.
It gives you:
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Crisp stitch definition for the stripes
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Enough structure to hold the shape of the sweater
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A really solid, wearable finish that doesn’t collapse over time
It’s also a really good alternative to the original yarn style used in the pattern — similar feel, but locally relevant and reliable.
If you choose a softer or superwash yarn, the sweater will still work, but it will feel more relaxed and won’t hold the same structure through the body and ribbing.
Difficulty
★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5)
A great project if you’re comfortable with top-down garments and want to play with colour without going into full colourwork.
