Top-Down Garter-Stitch Drop-Shoulder Cardigan — 48\u201d Chest

Seamless top-down body with raglan-style yoke worked until full chest width is reached, then sleeve stitches are set aside and the body is worked down in garter stitch. Sleeves are worked separately and seamed at the shoulder to create a relaxed drop-shoulder finish. This pattern is written for one finished chest measurement: 48\u201d (122 cm).

Finished measurements

• Finished chest: 48\u201d / 122 cm
• Recommended positive ease: 0\u201d to 4\u201d depending on how roomy you want it (this pattern gives a true-to-measure 48\u201d; if you want more ease, size up gauge or adjust yarn/needle)
• Length (neck to hem): 25\u201d / 63.5 cm (adjustable)
• Sleeve length (shoulder seam to cuff): 17\u201d / 43 cm (adjustable)

Yarn

Worsted/Aran weight (category 4)

• Approx total: 1100 yards / 1005 meters (for hip-length, long body). If you prefer shorter length, 950 yd/869 m may be sufficient. Buy one extra skein to be safe.
• Suggested fibers: wool or wool blends for good stitch definition in garter stitch; cotton blends will behave differently.

Needles & notions

• Circular needles: US 8 (5.0 mm) / UK (old) size 6 (approx) — 32\u201d / 80 cm for body in the round
• Smaller circular for neckband (optional): US 7 (4.5 mm) / 4 (UK old) — 16\u201d / 40 cm if you prefer a firmer neck
• Socks/DP needles or 16\u201d circular for small-circumference sleeves: US 8 (5.0 mm) / 6 (UK old)
• Tapestry needle, stitch markers (4 distinct), waste yarn for holding sleeve stitches, stitch holder or spare circular

Gauge

Garter stitch: 18 sts = 4\u201d (10 cm) measured across garter ridges using US 8 (5.0 mm) needles after blocking. Row gauge is approximately 28 rows = 4\u201d, but stitch count is what we use to size the garment.

Abbreviations

• CO = cast on
• k = knit
• p = purl (only used where noted; main fabric is garter stitch)
• kfb = knit into front and back of same stitch (increase 1)
• RS = right side
• WS = wrong side
• PM = place marker
• SM = slip marker
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• sts/cm/in = stitches per cm/inch

Construction overview & numbers used

This is a top-down raglan-yoke start. Begin with a modest provisional cast-on for the neckline. Work increase rounds at four raglan lines until your total stitch count across the yoke equals the target circumference for a 48\u201d chest at the gauge above: 216 sts total (48\u201d x 18 sts per 4\u201d / 4 = 216 sts). At that point place sleeve sections on waste yarn and continue the body in the round. When body length is reached, pick up for sleeves and knit down to cuff. Finally seam the shoulder/drop point to set the sleeve in place for the drop-shoulder look.

Target final body stitch distribution (after raglan increases and before dividing):

• Total stitches: 216
• Back section: ~108 sts
• Each front (left/right): ~54 sts
• Each sleeve section (on waste yarn): included in the above totals; exact sleeve counts depend on how many increases you do in each sleeve section while working the yoke.

Notes before you start

• Because gauge and personal neck sizing varies, we use a target total stitch count (216 sts). You will start with a smaller provisional neck CO and increase evenly at 4 raglan points until you reach 216 total sts. The pattern below shows how to work the increases and how to check counts.
• Garter stitch in the round: to keep garter ridges when knitting in the round, work alternating rounds of knit and purl rounds or work knitting every round but use a garter-bump trick. This pattern uses garter accomplished by knitting one round, purling one round, which creates ridges. If you prefer true garter in the round (knit every round, slipping first stitch of every other round), adapt as you like. Instructions below assume knit one rnd / purl one rnd sequence.

Starting counts & where to begin

Provisional neck CO: 80 sts (this is a flexible starting number). After joining and beginning raglan increases you will increase 8 stitches every two rounds (2 stitches at each of the 4 raglan seam points), which means you'll add 8 sts per increase round-pair. Calculate how many increase-pairs you need to reach 216:

(216 - 80) / 8 = 17 increase pairs (i.e., 34 rows of increases if working RS/WS increase rows). Because 17 is workable, proceed; if you begin with a different provisional CO, recalc increments accordingly.

Pattern — step by step

1) Provisional neck

1. Using waste yarn and a long-tail or provisional method, CO 80 sts. Arrange them so you have a back, sleeve, front, sleeve, front order when you join. Recommended split for CO80 (you may change slightly for neck fit): Back 32 sts / Sleeve 8 sts / Front right 20 sts / Sleeve 8 sts / Front left 12 sts = 80 sts. (This split is only the starting distribution; increases will redistribute to final proportions.)
2. Join carefully for working in the round, placing a marker for the beginning of round (BOR). If you prefer to work in rows for the neck shape before joining, work the provisional neck flat and then join — whatever gives you the neck shape you like.

2) Yoke increases (raglan style)

We will make the 4 raglan seams evenly spaced and increase at each seam. Use 4 markers to mark the raglan lines. Each increase round pair adds 8 sts total (2 sts at each raglan seam: one on each side of the marker) to the body circumference.

1. Round A (RS): Knit across until 1 st before marker, kfb, SM, kfb; continue to next marker and repeat at each marker. End round.
2. Round B (WS or opposite round): Purl across, maintaining garter-sequence (we are alternating knit and purl rounds to create garter ridges). Do not increase on this round. This pair (A+B) is one increase pair = +8 sts.
3. Repeat increase pair until total stitches on needle = 216. Keep count every few repeats; you should do 17 increase pairs if you started at 80 sts (80 + 17*8 = 216).
4. When you reach 216 sts, stop increasing. Your raglan-seam markers now divide the garment into four sections: back, sleeve1, front right, sleeve2, front left (some designers use 8 sections; this pattern uses 4 main seams with fronts split at center as two sections).

3) Divide for body and sleeves (make the armholes/drop shoulders)

1. Decide how much drop you want between the neck and shoulder seam (common drop shoulder depths: 6\u201d to 8\u201d). For a relaxed drop shoulder on a 48\u201d chest, 7\u201d is a good starting point — adjust to taste.
2. Measure from the back of the neck down along the shoulder to determine where you'd like the top of the sleeve to sit. From the yoke end, work even in garter stitch (knit one round, purl one round) for the number of rounds to reach the desired drop measurement. Remember to measure on the body as you go.
3. When you reach the desired drop depth, you will set the sleeve stitches aside to create the armhole opening. To do this: Work to the first raglan marker that begins sleeve 1; slip the sleeve sts (the full sleeve section between the two raglan markers) onto waste yarn or a stitch holder. Immediately continue across the front and back until you reach the second sleeve section and slip those sleeve sts onto waste yarn as well. The remaining sts on the needle are the body stitches; join them in the round and continue working the body in garter stitch in the round (knit one rnd, purl one rnd sequence) until body length is reached. IMPORTANT: count stitches after you remove sleeves to ensure body circumference still equals 216 minus sleeve stitches. If you had 216 and removed two sleeve sections of X sts total, body sts = 216 - (sum of both sleeve section counts).

4) Body

1. With sleeve sts on hold, join the body stitches and work in the round in garter stitch: Round 1: knit all sts. Round 2: purl all sts. Repeat these two rounds until you reach your desired body length (e.g., 25\u201d from neck to hem for hip length). End after a purl round if you want the hem to line up with the neck ridges (pick whichever looks best to you).
2. Bind off loosely in pattern (bind off knitwise on a knit row, leaving a relaxed edge) or work a small hem: work 1\u201d of garter stitch on smaller needles for a firmer hem then bind off.

5) Sleeves (worked top-down separate, then set-in/dropped shoulder seam)

1. With sleeve sts on waste yarn, pick up and knit these sleeve sts onto DPNs or a short circular. If you prefer a smoother join, pick up 1 extra stitch at the underarm area from the bound-off edge of the body to avoid holes (optional).
2. Work sleeve caps first to shape into the armhole: Because this is a drop shoulder, we are not shaping a tight set-in sleeve cap. Instead, simply work the sleeve top-down even in garter stitch until you reach the desired sleeve length from shoulder seam to cuff (e.g., 17\u201d). If you want a slightly rounded cap, you can decrease 2 sts total across the top of the sleeve in the first 2 rounds (k2tog spaced), but this is optional.
3. When sleeve cap/top is at desired length from shoulder to cuff, shape cuff: switch to smaller needles if using and work 1\u201d of firmer garter or rib (k1, p1 rib if you like) then bind off more tightly to finish cuff.

6) Finishing and setting the drop shoulder

1. Block body and sleeves lightly to measurements.
2. Lay body flat and align shoulder line (the point where you set sleeve sts aside earlier). Position the sleeve top at the shoulder seam so the sleeve seam line meets the edge of the body where you removed sleeve sts. Sew sleeve cap/shoulder seam down to the body along the top edge to create the dropped shoulder seam. The seam will sit slightly down the upper arm compared to a set-in sleeve, giving relaxed drop shoulder styling.
3. Weave in ends carefully and pick up any stitches along front edges if you want a button band. For a simple band, pick up sts along each front edge and work 1\u201d to 3\u201d of garter stitch in rows and bind off. Add buttonholes evenly spaced on one side as you knit the band or using a detachable method after the band is attached.

Button band (optional)

1. Pick up and knit along the right front edge (and left, if you want symmetrical bands). Pick up approximately 3 sts for every 4 rows along the front edge. Work garter stitch (row 1: knit; row 2: purl) for 1\u201d to 2\u201d depending on your preference. Create buttonholes on the right band by working K2tog, YO at spaced intervals or by binding off small sections then casting them on next row.

Customizing fit

• To add more positive ease, either change to a larger needle or work more increase pairs during the yoke phase to increase total stitch count beyond 216.
• Shorten or lengthen the body by working fewer or more garter rounds before binding off for the hem.
• To make a deeper drop shoulder, continue the yoke straight for more rounds before setting sleeves aside; to make a higher shoulder, set sleeves aside sooner.

Tips & troubleshooting

• Keep a running tally of total stitches after each increase pair to ensure you hit 216 precisely. Mark rounds where you check counts.
• If you find your garter ridges are turning out differently in the round, try alternating knit and purl rounds (as this pattern assumes) rather than the sew-around knit-every-round trick.
• To avoid a hole where sleeve stitches are removed and the body continues, pick up an extra stitch from the bound-off edge when you pick up sleeve stitches to work them later.

Abbreviated schematic (for reference)

Start: provisional CO 80 sts —> raglan increase pairs until 216 sts total —> work drop depth —> set sleeve sts aside —> continue body in the round to hem —> pick up & work sleeves top-down —> seam sleeve top to body at drop point —> attach button bands if desired.

Yardage reminder

Plan for ~1100 yards / 1005 m worsted weight for a full-length 48\u201d cardigan; less if you shorten the body or sleeve length. Buy extra to be safe.

Support & credits

Pattern by PurlJam. If you have questions about fit, modifications, or calculations for different gauges or chest sizes, contact support: team@verde.uk. More patterns and help: https://purljam.verde.uk. Share finished pieces with the tag #purljam on socials.

Notes: This pattern is intentionally flexible: it gives you the top-down workflow, precise total-stitch target for a 48\u201d chest, and step-by-step instructions to set sleeve stitches aside and make the drop-shoulder seam for a relaxed fit. If you want a different finished chest measurement, recalc total stitches: (desired chest in inches) x (gauge stitches per 4 in / 4).

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