Sweater & Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Sweater & Cardigan in King Cole Merino Blend DK

What is Being Made

This pattern provides instructions for knitting a coordinating sweater and cardigan set designed for beginner-level knitters. Both garments are constructed using King Cole Merino Blend DK yarn and are sized to fit chest measurements ranging from 81 to 107 cm (32 to 42 inches). The designs feature classic silhouettes suitable for everyday wear.

Techniques Used

The sweater and cardigan employ fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginners. Key construction methods include raglan shaping, which is created through strategic decreasing at the armhole edges to form sloped shoulders. The garments utilize ribbed edging for necklines, cuffs, and hem areas to create structure and elasticity. Tension control is emphasized as essential, with knitters instructed to check a tension square before beginning the main garment to ensure proper fit and drape.

Shaping techniques include increases and decreases worked at specific intervals, particularly along raglan edges where decreases are repeated at alternating rows to achieve the proper slope. The pattern demonstrates how to manage stitch counts across multiple size options simultaneously, making it accessible for various body measurements.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch (gst): Every row knit, creating a textured, reversible fabric
• Stocking Stitch (st-st): Right side knit, wrong side purl, producing the classic smooth knit fabric
• Reversed Stocking Stitch (rev st-st): Right side purl, wrong side knit, offering textural variation
• Ribbing: Alternating knit and purl stitches (K1, P1 pattern) worked over 14 rows for elastic edges
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used for raglan shaping
• Yarn Over Techniques: Including yarn forward (yfwd), yarn back (ybk), yarn over needle (yon), and yarn round needle (yrn) for creating decorative elements or shaping
• Slip Stitches: Used in conjunction with pass slipped stitch over (psso) for decreasing

Materials

This pattern is designed for King Cole Merino Blend DK yarn, a double knit weight suitable for creating garments with excellent drape and warmth. The yarn weight is worked at a tension of 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 centimeters (4 inches) on 4mm needles, with ribbed sections requiring 3.75mm needles for a tighter gauge. The pattern accommodates multiple sizes through graduated stitch counts, ranging from 97 to 121 cast-on stitches for the back piece depending on the desired finished size.

The pattern supports the use of contrast yarn options (designated as CA, CB, and CC in the abbreviations), allowing for creative colorwork or color-blocking variations within the sweater and cardigan designs.

Additional Pattern Information

This King Cole pattern (leaflet 5955) is part of a charitable initiative where a donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with each pattern purchase. The beginner-friendly difficulty level makes this an excellent project for knitters developing their fundamental skills while creating practical, wearable garments.