Boxy sweaters are perfect for cool fall days. They are really just oversized rectangles – but knit in beautiful yarn with wonderful drape, they fall in elegant folds. And, while these types of sweaters have drop shoulders (which can look a bit dated) to keep them modern and fresh, today’s boxy sweater designs usually have fitted sleeves. This keeps them from being too oversized and boxy. So you get the drape and fit of a comfortable sweater but in a sleeker, more modern design.
Here are twelve knitting patterns for boxy sweaters – one of them should definitely be on your knitting needles:
- Boxy by Joji Locatelli
- The Weekender by Andrea Mowry
- Navelli by Caitlin Hunter
- Deliciosa by Norah Gaughan
- Felicitas by Lisa Hannes
- Zipline by Marie Greene
- Mae by Andrea Mowry
- Gothenburg by Beatriz Rubio
- Fleur by Marie Wallin
- Bosco by Elizabeth Smith
- Focal Point by SuviKnits
- Arrina by Emily K. Williams
We’ll take a closer look at each of these sweaters and what makes them fun and interesting to knit. Some are fairly simple while others are more complex so, no matter whether you’re new to knitting boxy sweaters or you’ve knit a few, you’ll find some sweaters here that will interest you. You’ll also find a recommended yarn with each sweater – so you can get your pattern, buy some yarn, and get started on your own boxy sweater.
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Boxy
Joji Locatelli’s Boxy sweater is a great modern adaptation of the drop-shoulder oversized sweater. It features a very wide body and skinny sleeves. Because it’s worked in fingering-weight wool, it has a nice drape – which makes the overside shape flattering. It’s worked from the top down with directions for a seamless version worked in the round as well as for instructions for working a pieced, seamed version. Both versions use short rows and some interesting textural elements on the shoulders and the sleeves are picked up and knit in the round.
Get the pattern: Boxy
Recommended yarn: Malabrigo Mechita
The Weekender
Andrea Mowry’s Weekender is a great choice for an oversized, boxy sweater with a modern feel. You begin by working the split hem before joining to work in the round. And, while the fabric is reverse Stockinette, you’ll work the body of the sweater inside-out (because nobody really wants to purl the whole sweater!). When you get the the armholes you’ll work the front and back separately, finishing with a rib boatneck and three-needle bind off.
Get the pattern: The Weekender
Recommended yarn: Cascade 220
Navelli
Navelli, by Caitlin Hunter, is a short-sleeved version of the boxy sweater. It’s worked in fingering-weight yarn so it’s great for spring or fall. You start by working in the round from the bottom-up – so you get the fun colorwork first. Then you’ll finish the body of the sweater before working on the front and back separately before working some short-row shaping for the shoulders and finishing with a three-needle bind-off.
Get the pattern: Navelli
Recommended yarn: Malabrigo Mechita
Deliciosa
Deliciosa by Norah Gaughan is a beautiful cropped dropped shoulder sweater. It features large, bold leaves worked in Stockinette stitch on a background of half-twisted rib with a deep rib hem. While the sample here shows the cropped version, the pattern also includes instructions for a standard sweater length.
Get the pattern: Deliciosa
Recommended yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter
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Felicitas
Felicitas by Lisa Hannes uses lots of fun design elements – stripes, slip-stitch mosaic colorwork, and an easy lace design. It’s worked in fingering-weight wool in two colors with a wide crew neck, drop shoulders and fitted sleeves. The sweater is a seamless, top-down construction and the mosaic colorwork and lace include both written and charted instructions.
Get the pattern: Felicitas
Recommended yarn: Malabrigo Mechita
Zipline
Marie Greene’s Zipline is an eyelet-texted version of a boxy, dropped shoulder sweater. It’s knit bottom-up and in-the-round with an eyelet zigzag pattern on the body of the sweater. After completing this textured part of the sweater, it’s time to divide for the sleeves and work the front and back separately.
Get the pattern: Zipline
Recommended yarn: The Yarn Collective Bloomsbury DK
Mae
Mae, by Andrea Mowry, is a tunic-length top (great for wearing over leggings!) with faux seams and a double V-neck. It’s worked in-the-round from the bottom-up in twisted stitch Stockinette for an interesting textural element while the neckline, sleeves, and hem are worked in a basic rib pattern. The sleeves are short – just picked up from the body and worked from there in the rib pattern after the sweater body shoulders are bound off with a three-needle bind-off.
Get the pattern: Mae
Recommended yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Gothenburg
Gothenburg by Beatriz Rubio has a lace leaf motif down the front of the boxy, dropped shoulder sweater. It’s worked in-the-round from the bottom-up with short rows for shoulder shaping and finishing with a three-needle bind-off before picking up stitches for the sleeves. Knit in a lightweight, fingering yarn with elbow-length sleeves makes it a great top for the spring and fall transitional seasons.
Get the pattern: Gothenburg
Recommended yarn: Cascade Heritage Silk
Fleur
Marie Wallin’s Fleur is the perfect choice for those who love Fair Isle stranded colorwork and a little bit of adventure. Along with the stranded colorwork, this dropped shoulder, cropped boxy sweater features intarsia flowers, lace, and twisted stitches. It’s worked flat and seamed with a pretty ballet neckline and 3/4 sleeves.
Get the pattern: Fleur
Recommended yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed DK
Bosco
Bosco by Elizabeth Smith is an all-over textured rib pattern dropped shoulder sweater. It’s worked bottom-up, seamlessly in the round. When you reach the armholes, you divide to work the front and back separately (flat, back-and-forth in rows) and use short rows to shape shoulders, which are then seamed together with a three-needle bind-off. Then you pick up stitches for the sleeves and work them in the round to the cuff. The final touch is the cowl neck which is also worked in the round after picking up stitches around the neckline.
Get the pattern: Bosco
Recommended yarn: Berroco Vintage Chunky
Focal Point
Focal Point by SuviKnits is a V-neck sweater with dropped shoulders and a curved hem. It’s worked seamlessly from the top-down and some short row shaping in the shoulders for a better fit. After the shoulders are shaped and V-neck is complete, you’ll join in the round and work the body, using short rows to shape the curved hemline. Then you pick up stitches for the sleeves and work them in the round to the cuffs.
Get the pattern: Focal Point
Recommended yarn: Malabrigo Mechita
Arrina
Arrina, by Emily K. Williams, is a dropped shoulder, cropped-length traditional stranded Fair Isle colorwork sweater. It’s knit in the round from the bottom up with steeked armholes and a Garter rib yoke and split hem. The Garter rib shoulders are joined using a three-needle bind-off. And if you struggle with choosing appropriate colors for Fair Isle knitting, the pattern includes three different color options to make things a little easier.
Get the pattern: Arrina
Recommended yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift
Now that you’ve looked over these twelve boxy sweater knitting patterns are you ready to cast one onto your knitting needles?
More Knitting Projects
Looking for more knitting project ideas? Take a look at the articles linked here:
- 10 Knitting Patterns for Boxy, Sleeveless Summer Tops
- 12 Easy Cardigan Knitting Patterns for Beginners
- 12 Poncho Knitting Patterns for Beginners