Lazy Sunday Relaxed Sweater

The Lazy Sunday Relaxed Sweater is the perfect piece to throw on when you're running errands on the weekends or lounging around at home. The soft, bulky yarn makes this knit sweater pattern extra warm and cozy. Knit with the purl side of your knitting on the outside of the sweater, this pattern includes perfect laid-back styling and exposed seams. Once you have worked up this free easy knit pattern, you will immediately want to curl up on the couch with a good book or binge watch your favorite TV show. On the other hand, this knitted sweater looks cute enough to wear out and about, so you really get the best of both worlds.

NotesGAUGE: 10 sts = 4” (10 cm); 14 rows = 4” (10 cm) in Reverse Stockinette stitch (purl on right side, knit on wrong side) using larger needles CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

Directions are for size Small; changes for sizes Medium, Large, 1X, 2X and 3X are in parentheses.

Finished Bust: 40 (43, 46, 50, 56, 59)” [101.5 (109, 117, 127, 142, 150) cm]
Finished Length: 28 (28½, 28½, 29½, 29½, 29½)” [71 (72.5, 72.5, 75, 75, 75) cm]

1. Sweater is worked in 4 pieces: Back, front, and 2 sleeves.
2. Each piece is worked, back and forth in rows, beginning at the lower edge.
3. Pieces are seamed and neck trim worked in rounds around neck edge.

Special Stitch
M1P = Make 1 purl (Increase) – Lift strand between needles to left-hand needle and purl strand through the back loop, twisting it to prevent a hole.

Easy

Knitting Needle Size11 or 8 mm, 13 or 9 mm, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight(5) Bulky/Chunky (12-15 stitches for 4 inches)

Materials List

RED HEART® Medley: 8 (9, 10, 11, 12, 12) balls 920 Sandy
Susan Bates® Knitting Needles: 9mm [US 13] straight needles, 8mm [US 11] straight needles and set of double pointed needles or a 16” [40 cm] circular (for neck trim)
Stitch markers, yarn needle

Sweater

Back

Rib
With larger needles, cast on 50 (54, 58, 62, 70, 74) sts.
Row 1 (wrong side): K2, *p2, k2; repeat from * across.
Row 2: Knit.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures about 2½ (2½, 2½, 3, 3, 3)” [6.5 (6.5, 6.5, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5) cm] from beginning, ending with a right side row.

Body

Beginning with a wrong side (knit) row, work in Reverse Stockinette st (purl on right side, knit on wrong side) until piece measures about 18 (18, 18, 18½, 18½, 18½)” [45.5 (45.5, 45.5, 47, 47, 47) cm] from beginning, ending with a wrong side row. Place a marker on each end of last row for underarms. Continue in Reverse Stockinette st until piece measures about 9 (9½, 9½, 10, 10, 10)” [23 (24, 24, 25.5, 25.5, 25.5) cm] from underarm markers, ending with a wrong side row.

Shape Neck

Row 1 (right side): P17 (18, 20, 21, 25, 26) for shoulder, join a 2nd ball of yarn and bind off the center 16 (18, 18, 20, 20, 22) sts for neck, purl to end of row for other shoulder – 17 (18, 20, 21, 25, 26) sts on each side of neck for shoulders.
You will now work both shoulders AT THE SAME TIME with separate balls of yarn.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit across each set of shoulder sts.
Row 3 (decrease row): On first shoulder, purl to last 3 sts, p2tog through back loops, p1; on 2nd shoulder, p1, p2tog, purl to end of shoulder—16 (17, 19, 20, 24, 25) sts remain for each shoulder.
Row 4: Knit across each set of shoulder sts. Bind off all sts of both shoulders.

Front

Work same as back until piece measures about 6½ (7, 7, 7½, 7½, 7½)” [16.5 (18, 18, 19, 19, 19) cm] from underarm markers, ending with a wrong side row.

Shape Neck

Row 1 (right side): P19 (20, 22, 23, 27, 28) for shoulder, join a 2nd ball of yarn and bind off the center 12 (14, 14, 16, 16, 18) sts for neck, purl to end of row for other shoulder – 19 (20, 22, 23, 27, 28) sts on each side of neck for shoulders.
You will now work both shoulders AT THE SAME TIME with separate balls of yarn.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit across each set of shoulder sts.
Row 3 (decrease row): On first shoulder, purl to last 3 sts, p2tog through back loops, p1; on 2nd shoulder, p1, p2tog, purl to end of shoulder—18 (19, 21, 22, 26, 27) sts remain for each shoulder.
Row 4 (wrong side): Knit across each set of shoulder sts.
Rows 5–8: Repeat Rows 3 and 4 twice more—16 (17, 19, 20, 24, 25) sts remain for each shoulder.
Work even in Reverse Stockinette stitch on both shoulders until front measures same as back.
Bind off all sts of both shoulders.

Sleeves (make 2)

With smaller straight needles, cast on 26 (26, 28, 28, 28, 30) sts.
Beginning with a wrong side (knit) row, work in Reverse Stockinette st for 4 rows.
Change to larger needles.
Next Row (wrong side): Knit.
Increase Row (right side): P1, M1P, purl to last st, M1P, p1—28 (28, 30, 30, 30, 32) sts. Work even in Reverse Stockinette st for 3 rows.
Repeat Increase Row – 30 (30, 32, 32, 32, 34) sts.
Repeat last 4 rows 5 (5, 2, 3, 3, 0) more times—40 (40, 36, 38, 38, 34) sts. Work even in Reverse Stockinette st for 5 rows.
Repeat Increase Row—42 (42, 38, 40, 40, 36) sts.
Repeat last 6 rows 3 (4, 6, 6, 6, 8) more times—48 (50, 50, 52, 52, 52) sts. Work even in Reverse Stockinette st until piece measures about 17 (18, 18, 19, 19, 19)” [43 (45.5, 45.5, 48.5, 48.5, 48.5) cm] from beginning, ending with a wrong side row.
Bind off.

Finishing

Note: To sew seams, hold pieces with right sides (purl) together and sew from wrong side (knit). Sew the pieces together using mattress stitch. This will place the seaming ridge on the right side of pullover, as shown in photograph. Sew shoulder seams.
Neck Trim
With right side facing and double pointed needles or circular needle, pick up and k48 (48, 52, 52, 52, 56) sts evenly spaced around neck edge. Place marker for beginning of round and prepare to work in rounds.
Round 1: *K2, p2; repeat from * around. Repeat Round 1 until neck trim measures about 3 (3, 3, 3½, 3½, 3½)” [7.5 (7.5, 7.5, 9, 9, 9) cm].
Bind off in rib.
Sew sleeves between markers. Sew side and sleeve seams.
Weave in ends.

Abbreviations

k: knit

p: purl

p2tog: purl next 2 stitches together

st(s): stitch(es)

*: repeat whatever follows the * as indicated

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Lisa

Mar 06, 2023

Red Heart Medley was a #6 super bulky yarn, must check yarn sub for a suitable substitute, since this yarn was discontinued almost 10 years ago.

The Designing Peng uin

Mar 15, 2018

So pleased to see this pattern again - knit it the last time it was shown (as a gift). Not only fun and interesting to knit but looked as good in reality as in the photo. Lost track of the pattern so could not knit it again... want so very much to knit it again. Love the length and the sleeves - a feminine style - looks delicate and dainty but stands up well looks lovely on its own or with a jacket.

lindaewen 2565208

Feb 07, 2016

Thank you for the link to redheart.com!

Vselep1 8912963

Jan 28, 2016

The schematic is unreadable. Please upload a bigger image.

KathrynAllison

Feb 01, 2016

Hello! Unfortunately, we are unable to upload a larger image at this time. However, if you go to redheart.com and search for "Relaxed Sweater," you will be able to view the full pattern, as well as the larger schematic. Hope this helps! -Kathryn, Editor of AllFreeKnitting.com