Description

Sunshine Sweater – 1980s Knitting Pattern: Instant PDF Download

Size: To Fit Chest 20″ (22″-24″) — Ages 1, 2, 3 Years

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A cheerful sun rises over a rolling green meadow on the front of this 1980s picture-knit pullover, one of the most charming vintage children’s knitting patterns in the Fair-Isle and motif style. Worked in soft DK weight yarn, the intarsia scene builds gradually row by row — sky blue fading into a fluffy white cloud, then down to a smiling sun face and a striped green hillside — with buttoned shoulder openings for easy on-and-off dressing. It’s a rewarding colorwork project for a knitter ready to introduce a toddler to their first genuinely special hand-knit sweater.

Design & Construction Details

Skill Level: Intermediate.
Construction: The back and front are each worked flat from a twisted single rib hem on smaller needles, changing to larger needles for the stockinette body worked in an intarsia color chart with separate balls of yarn for each color block; the front is finished with a buttonhole shoulder opening and both cloud and sun motifs, while sleeves are worked in stripes and increased evenly before all pieces are seamed together.
Finished Measurements: To fit chest 20″ (22″-24″)/51 (56-61) cm, for ages 1, 2, and 3 years.
Pattern Style: Written in standard UK knitting terms, row by row, with abbreviations included.
Stitches: Knit, purl, twisted single rib, stockinette stitch worked in intarsia colorwork.

Recommended Materials & Tools

Yarn: Sirdar Country Style Double Knitting (50 g balls) — approximately 2 balls blue and 1 ball light green for the smaller sizes (3 and 2 balls for the largest), plus 1 ball each dark green, yellow, and white, with oddments of orange for the sun’s face.
Substitute Yarn: Modern DK weight yarn such as Valley Yarns Superwash DK or Paintbox Yarns Simply DK.
Knitting Needles Size: US #6 and #3 (4 mm and 3¼ mm) knitting needles (or size needed to obtain gauge).
Notions: 4 buttons, tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming.
Gauge: 24 sts and 32 rows = 4″/10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles.

This is a digitally restored PDF knitting pattern
Upon purchase, you will receive an instant digital download — a clean, easily readable PDF. The original vintage instructions have been digitally enhanced, reformatted, and checked for clarity, ensuring a smooth crafting experience from start to finish.