Beginner’s Guide to Knitting a Sweater on a Knitting Machine

If you’re just starting out with machine knitting and want to make a wearable, stylish project from scratch, this complete sweater tutorial is exactly what you need.

The video offers a detailed walkthrough for beginners, showing how to create a cozy color-blocked sweater using a knitting machine.

It’s ideal for those who want to get hands-on and produce something practical without getting overwhelmed by complex shaping or hand-finishing techniques.

Why Machine Knitting is Perfect for Beginners

Fast, Consistent Results

Machine knitting allows you to produce uniform stitches quickly, making it easier to focus on learning construction and garment assembly.

Instead of spending days working through each panel by hand, you can complete major sections in a matter of hours—especially helpful when knitting something as time-consuming as a sweater.

Accessible Project Structure

The sweater featured in this tutorial uses simple panels and clean seams, meaning no complicated shaping or advanced techniques are needed. This is a huge plus for beginners who want to focus on construction, fit, and getting used to their machine.

The Design: Bold and Modern

The finished result is a bold, graphic pullover sweater featuring large color-block squares in alternating shades.

This makes it a fun introduction to working with multiple yarn colors, without the need for intarsia or stranded colorwork. The pattern keeps the focus on straight knitting, letting the yarn and layout do the visual work.

The sweater has a boxy, relaxed fit with dropped shoulders and ribbed edges, offering a modern silhouette that's flattering and easy to wear.

In the tutorial, a size small is shown, but the concept can easily be adapted by adjusting the number of rows and stitches in each panel.

What You'll Learn in the Tutorial

1. Panel Construction

The sweater is built from basic rectangles: front, back, and sleeves. You’ll see how to knit each one on a flatbed machine and how to plan your sections with color changes for that signature checkerboard look.

2. Ribbing and Finishing

Ribbing is added at the collar, cuffs, and hem, giving the sweater a polished finish. The video shows how to achieve ribbing either manually or using a ribber attachment if your machine supports it.

3. Assembly and Seaming

The tutorial walks through how to seam the panels together neatly, especially around the shoulders and underarms. Even if you’ve never sewn knitted fabric before, the clear visuals and slow pacing make it easy to follow.

Helpful Tips for First-Time Machine Knitters

• Use scrap yarn to test tension before starting your panels.

• Label your pieces as you go so you can easily identify each panel later.

• Don’t worry about perfection—blocking and steaming at the end will even things out beautifully.

• Choose yarns that glide smoothly through your machine and hold their shape well.

Final Thoughts: A Perfect First Garment Project

This sweater is the perfect introduction to machine knitting garments. It’s structured enough to teach you the basics of construction but simple enough to keep the process approachable.

By the end of this project, you’ll have learned how to plan shapes, handle color changes, knit consistent panels, and assemble a wearable, stylish pullover.

And the best part? You’ll come away with a handmade sweater that’s bold, comfy, and entirely your own.

Whether you're new to machine knitting or just want a low-stress project with high reward, this tutorial delivers exactly that—a creative and empowering learning experience with a beautiful result.

Images and pattern courtesy of Made by BJax

Enjoy The Video Tutorial

Source: Made by BJax

Did you find this post useful or inspiring? Save THIS PIN to your Knitting Board on Pinterest! 😊