Childrens in King Cole Cherished 4Ply - 5981 - Downloadable PDF

Children's Sweaters, Pants, Hat and Bootees in King Cole Cherished 4Ply

What is Being Made

This downloadable PDF pattern leaflet (5981) provides instructions for creating a coordinated collection of children's garments in sizes ranging from 31 to 54 cm (12 to 21 inches). The collection includes a sweater with buttoned raglan sleeves, matching trousers or leggings, a hat, and bootees, all designed to be knitted as complementary pieces using the same yarn and color scheme.

Sweater Construction

The sweater features a buttoned raglan yoke construction, a classic design that creates sloped shoulder seams for improved fit and comfort in children's wear. The garment is worked primarily in stocking stitch, which creates a smooth, flat fabric ideal for everyday children's clothing. The sweater incorporates striped colorwork using a four-row stripe pattern that alternates between two colors throughout the piece, adding visual interest while maintaining manageable color changes.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This intermediate-level pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for crafters with some experience:

• Stocking Stitch (St-st): The primary stitch used throughout most of the garment, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, producing a smooth, professional finish
• Ribbed Edging: Alternating knit and purl stitches (K1, P1 rib) used for cuffs, waistbands, and necklines to create elastic, fitted edges that hold their shape
• Raglan Shaping: Decreases worked at regular intervals to create the sloped raglan armholes and shoulder seams
• Neck Shaping: Strategic decreases at the neckline to create a properly fitted opening for the child's head
• Increases: Used to add width at specific points, such as the body width increases worked on alternate rows
• Yarn Round Needle (yrn): Technique for creating decorative eyelet holes, likely used for button placement or design details
• Slip Stitches and Pass Slipped Stitch Over (psso): Decrease methods that create a neat, finished appearance
• Striped Colorwork: Four-row stripes in alternating colors, a beginner-friendly color technique that requires only basic yarn management

Materials and Specifications

The pattern is designed for King Cole Cherished 4Ply yarn, a fine-weight yarn suitable for creating lightweight, breathable garments perfect for children. The recommended needle size is 3.25mm for the main fabric, with 3mm needles used for ribbed edgings and cuffs. The tension is established at 28 stitches and 36 rows to 10cm (4 inches) over stocking stitch on 3.25mm needles, making accurate gauge checking essential before beginning the garment to ensure proper fit across the size range.

Pattern Features

The leaflet includes multiple sizes within a single pattern, allowing for growth and accommodating different children within the specified measurements. Detailed abbreviations and instructions guide knitters through construction methods including increases at specific intervals, decreases for shaping, and color changes for the striped effect. The pattern emphasizes the importance of checking tension before commencing work, as adjusting needle size up or down can significantly impact the finished garment's dimensions and fit.

Additional Information

King Cole supports the Pink Ribbon Foundation through a donation made for every pattern purchased, allowing crafters to contribute to a charitable cause while creating handmade children's garments. The intermediate difficulty level indicates that this pattern is suitable for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to tackle shaping techniques and color changes.