Cozy Cabin Hoodie

Easy Drop-Shoulder Hooded Pullover

A relaxed, boxy hooded sweater worked flat in pieces and seamed. Straight stockinette body and sleeves, simple ribbed edges, and a cozy picked-up hood make this ideal for adventurous beginners ready for their first garment. Approximately 4–6″ positive ease for an easy, layering fit.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL)
To fit chest: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)″
Finished bust: 40 (44, 48, 52, 56)″
Finished length: 24 (25, 26, 27, 28)″
Sleeve length to underarm: 18 (18½, 19, 19, 19½)″
Upper arm circumference: 14¼ (15, 16, 17¼, 18¼)″

Shown in size M. Choose size with 4–6″ positive ease relative to your actual full-chest measurement.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4), approximately
1100 (1250, 1400, 1550, 1700) yards
(Sample idea: smooth wool or wool-blend worsted, ~200 yd / 100 g hanks)

Needles:

• US 8 (5 mm) straight or circular needles for body and sleeves
• US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles for ribbing
  (Or sizes needed to obtain gauge)

Notions:

• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring tape
• Optional: 2 stitch markers for hood center

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in stockinette stitch with larger needles, blocked.
Please swatch and block. Fit depends on matching gauge. Adjust needle size if necessary.

Abbreviations (US)

• BO – bind off
• CO – cast on
• k – knit
• k2tog – knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
• m1 – make 1 (lift bar between stitches, knit into back loop)
• p – purl
• pm – place marker
• rep – repeat
• rnd(s) – round(s)
• RS – right side
• ssk – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• St st – stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows when flat)
• WS – wrong side

Pattern Notes

• Sweater is worked flat in pieces and seamed. This keeps every technique beginner-accessible.
• Body pieces are straight rectangles with simple front neck shaping only.
• Sleeves are worked from cuff up with gentle increases.
• Hood is picked up from the finished neckline and worked flat, then seamed at the top.
• 1×1 rib = *k1, p1; rep from * to end (works on any even stitch count).
• When instructed to “work even,” continue in established pattern without increasing or decreasing.
• Slip the first stitch purlwise with yarn in front on every row if you like a neat edge for seaming (optional).
• Block pieces before seaming for best results and accurate measurements.

Back

With smaller needles, CO 90 (100, 108, 118, 126) sts.
Work in 1×1 rib for 2″, ending after a WS row.
Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures 24 (25, 26, 27, 28)″ from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape shoulders (optional short bind-off for neater slope — skip and BO all at once if preferred):
BO 12 (14, 15, 17, 18) sts at beg of next 2 rows, then BO 12 (14, 15, 17, 18) sts at beg of following 2 rows.
Place remaining 42 (44, 48, 50, 54) sts on holder for back neck.
(Validation: 90 − 12 − 12 − 12 − 12 = 42 ✓; 100 − 14×4 = 44 ✓; 108 − 15×4 = 48 ✓; 118 − 17×4 = 50 ✓; 126 − 18×4 = 54 ✓.)

Front

Work same as Back until piece measures 20 (21, 21½, 22½, 23)″ from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.
(Armhole depth remaining to shoulder ≈ 4 (4, 4½, 4½, 5)″ for neck shaping window.)

Shape Left Front Neck

Next row (RS): K 36 (40, 43, 47, 50) sts, place remaining sts on holder. Turn.
Working only on these sts:

• Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) times as follows: knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
  (36 − 6 = 30; 40 − 6 = 34; 43 − 7 = 36; 47 − 7 = 40; 50 − 8 = 42 ✓.)
  Work even in St st on remaining 30 (34, 36, 40, 42) sts until Front matches Back length to start of shoulder shaping, ending after a WS row.

Shoulder: BO 12 (14, 15, 17, 18) sts at beg of next RS row, work to end.
Work 1 WS row.
BO remaining 18 (20, 21, 23, 24) sts.
(30 − 12 = 18; 34 − 14 = 20; 36 − 15 = 21; 40 − 17 = 23; 42 − 18 = 24 ✓. Total shoulder sts match Back: 12+18=30, etc.)

Shape Right Front Neck

With RS facing, return to held sts. Place center 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) sts on a separate holder for front neck.
Rejoin yarn to remaining 36 (40, 43, 47, 50) sts.

• Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) times as follows: k1, ssk, knit to end.
  (Counts match left front ✓.)
  Work even until same length as left front to shoulder, ending after a RS row.

Shoulder: BO 12 (14, 15, 17, 18) sts at beg of next WS row, work to end.
Work 1 RS row.
BO remaining 18 (20, 21, 23, 24) sts.

Sleeves (make 2)

With smaller needles, CO 40 (42, 44, 46, 48) sts.
Work in 1×1 rib for 2″, ending after a WS row.
Change to larger needles.
Work 2 rows St st.

Increase row (RS): K1, m1, knit to last st, m1, k1. (2 sts increased)
Rep Increase row every **6 (6, 6, 4, 4)**th row 11 (12, 13, 15, 16) more times.
(Total increase rows = 12 (13, 14, 16, 17); sts added = 24 (26, 28, 32, 34).
Final stitch count: 40+24=64; 42+26=68; 44+28=72; 46+32=78; 48+34=82 ✓.)

Work even in St st on 64 (68, 72, 78, 82) sts until sleeve measures 18 (18½, 19, 19, 19½)″ from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.
BO all sts loosely.

Hood

Sew shoulder seams first (see Finishing) so neckline is complete.

With larger needles and RS facing, beginning at right shoulder seam:

• Pick up and knit 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) sts down right front neck edge,
• k 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) held front neck sts,
• pick up and knit 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) sts up left front neck edge,
• k 42 (44, 48, 50, 54) held back neck sts.

Total hood sts: 84 (90, 98, 104, 112).
(12+18+12+42=84; 13+20+13+44=90; 14+22+14+48=98; 15+24+15+50=104; 16+26+16+54=112 ✓.)

Next row (WS): Purl across, and on this row only decrease 0 (0, 2, 0, 4) sts evenly spaced by purling 2 together where needed so you end with an even number convenient for rib later if desired.
Working total: 84 (90, 96, 104, 108) sts.
(Optional tidy step; you may keep original counts and rib will still work.)

Place marker at approximate center back if desired for reference.
Work even in St st until hood measures 12 (12½, 13, 13½, 14)″ from pickup row, ending after a WS row.

Shape crown (optional gentle taper)

Dec row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec)
Work 1 WS row.
Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (8 sts decreased)
84−8=76; 90−8=82; 96−8=88; 104−8=96; 108−8=100 ✓.

Next row (RS): Work to center; if odd stitch count at center, k2tog once at center to create two equal halves for seaming. Place half the sts on one needle and half on a second needle (or holder).
Fold hood in half with RS together and join top of hood with three-needle bind-off, or graft with Kitchener stitch for a smoother finish.
(Three-needle BO is beginner-friendly and stable.)

Finishing

1. Block all pieces to finished measurements.
2. Shoulder seams: Already completed before hood (mattress stitch recommended).
3. Set in sleeves: With RS together (or mattress stitch from RS), sew bound-off edge of each sleeve to armhole edge of body, matching center of sleeve BO to shoulder seam and easing evenly. Armhole depth on body is approximately 8 (8½, 9, 9½, 10)″; sleeve BO edge is 14¼ (15, 16, 17¼, 18¼)″ and is sewn along the side edges of the upper body (classic drop-shoulder join).
4. Side and sleeve seams: Sew continuous seam from hem rib to cuff rib using mattress stitch.
5. Hood edge: With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit approximately 3 sts for every 4 rows along front opening of hood (roughly 90–110 sts depending on your row gauge and hood height). Work 1×1 rib for 1½″. BO loosely in rib.
6. Weave in all ends.
7. Steam or lightly re-block seams and hood if needed.

Tips for Success

• Count stitches after every increase section on the sleeves.
• Use locking markers or scrap yarn to mark the armhole “corners” on body before setting in sleeves.
• If your row gauge differs, work body and sleeves to the inch measurements, not a fixed row count.
• For a roomier hood, add 1″ extra height before crown shaping.
• Prefer a front-pocket kangaroo pouch? After seaming, pick up sts on lower front and work a pocket separately — advanced option, not required.

Enjoy your Cozy Cabin Hoodie — throw it on with jeans and head out for crisp weather!