Beginner Top-Down Raglan Cardigan

A seamless, top-down raglan cardigan worked flat in one piece from the neck to the underarms, then split for body and sleeves. Simple KFB increases, stockinette body, and 1×1 rib trim make this ideal for beginners. Relaxed fit with 2–4" positive ease.

Difficulty

Beginner

Sizes

Small (Medium, Large, XL, 2XL) To fit bust: 34–36 (38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52)" Finished bust (buttoned): 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)" Finished length (back neck to hem): 22.5 (23.5, 24.5, 25.5, 26.5)" Upper arm: 13.25 (14.75, 16, 17.25, 18.75)" Sleeve length to underarm: 17 (17.5, 18, 18.5, 19)"

Instructions are written for Small with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn: 950 (1050, 1200, 1350, 1500) yards
• US 8 / 5 mm circular needle, 32" or longer (body)
• US 8 / 5 mm DPNs or long circular for magic loop (sleeves)
• US 7 / 4.5 mm circular needle (ribbing and bands)
• 4 stitch markers
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• 6 (6, 7, 7, 7) buttons, ¾" diameter

Gauge

18 sts and 24 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on US 8 / 5 mm needles after blocking. Make a gauge swatch. Accurate gauge is critical for fit. Adjust needle size if needed.

Abbreviations (US)

• BO: bind off
• CO: cast on
• k: knit
• k2tog: knit 2 together
• kfb: knit into front and back of stitch (1 st increased)
• p: purl
• pm: place marker
• rnd(s): round(s)
• RS: right side
• sm: slip marker
• st(s): stitch(es)
• St st: stockinette stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS; knit every rnd in the round)
• WS: wrong side
• wyif: with yarn in front
• yo: yarn over

Notes

• Cardigan is worked flat through yoke and body; sleeves are worked in the round.
• Raglan increases are worked with kfb on every RS row (8 sts increased per RS row).
• The first stitch of every row is slipped purlwise wyif for a clean selvage edge (makes picking up button bands easier). These selvage sts are included in the stitch counts.
• When casting on underarm stitches, use the backward-loop or knitted cast-on.
• Buttonholes are placed on the Right Front band (as worn) for a women’s-style cardigan. Reverse for men’s.
• Blocking is essential for evening out raglan lines and setting final measurements.

Finished Measurements Schematic (blocked)

• A. Bust circumference: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)"
• B. Yoke depth (neck edge to underarm): 8.5 (9, 9.5, 10, 10.5)"
• C. Body length from underarm: 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5, 16)"
• D. Sleeve length from underarm: 17 (17.5, 18, 18.5, 19)"
• E. Upper arm circumference: 13.25 (14.75, 16, 17.25, 18.75)"
• F. Cuff circumference: 8 (8.5, 9, 9.25, 9.75)"
• G. Back neck width: approx 6.25 (7, 7.5, 8.5, 9.25)"

Pattern Instructions

Neck and Yoke

With US 7 / 4.5 mm circular needle, CO 66 (74, 80, 94, 100) sts.

Set-up row (WS): Purl. Work 4 rows of 1×1 rib (k1, p1) ending after a WS row. Neck rib complete.

Change to US 8 / 5 mm needle.

Raglan set-up row (RS): Slip 1 wyif, k14 (16, 18, 21, 22), pm, k4 (4, 4, 6, 6), pm, k28 (32, 34, 38, 42), pm, k4 (4, 4, 6, 6), pm, k14 (16, 18, 21, 22), k1.
[15 (17, 19, 22, 23) Left Front sts | 4 (4, 4, 6, 6) Left Sleeve sts | 28 (32, 34, 38, 42) Back sts | 4 (4, 4, 6, 6) Right Sleeve sts | 15 (17, 19, 22, 23) Right Front sts]
(Total 66 (74, 80, 94, 100) sts ✓)

Next row (WS): Slip 1 wyif, purl to end, slipping markers.

Raglan Increase Row (RS): Slip 1 wyif, *k to 1 st before marker, kfb, k1, sm, kfb; repeat from * 3 more times, k to last st, k1.
(8 sts increased ✓)

Next row (WS): Slip 1 wyif, purl to end, slipping markers.

Repeat the last 2 rows 23 (25, 27, 29, 31) more times — 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) increase rows total.
Stitch count after all increases:
Left Front 39 (43, 47, 52, 55) | Left Sleeve 52 (56, 60, 66, 70) | Back 76 (84, 90, 98, 106) | Right Sleeve 52 (56, 60, 66, 70) | Right Front 39 (43, 47, 52, 55)
Total 258 (282, 304, 334, 356) sts (CO + 8 × 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) = 66+192=258, 74+208=282, 80+224=304, 94+240=334, 100+256=356 ✓)

Continue in St st (slipping first st every row) with no further increases until yoke measures 8.5 (9, 9.5, 10, 10.5)" from CO edge, ending with a WS row.

Divide Body and Sleeves

Division row (RS): Slip 1 wyif, k38 (42, 46, 51, 54) Left Front sts (to marker), remove marker, place next 52 (56, 60, 66, 70) Left Sleeve sts onto waste yarn, remove marker, CO 8 (10, 12, 12, 14) underarm sts, k76 (84, 90, 98, 106) Back sts, remove marker, place next 52 (56, 60, 66, 70) Right Sleeve sts onto waste yarn, remove marker, CO 8 (10, 12, 12, 14) underarm sts, k38 (42, 46, 51, 54) Right Front sts, k1.
Body sts now: 170 (190, 208, 226, 244)
(39+76+39 + 8+8 = 170; 43+84+43+10+10=190; 47+90+47+12+12=208; 52+98+52+12+12=226; 55+106+55+14+14=244 ✓)

Body

Work even in St st (slip first st every row) until body measures 12 (12.5, 13, 13.5, 14)" from underarm, ending with a WS row.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needle. Work 2" in 1×1 rib (k1, p1), slipping the first st of every row. BO loosely in rib.

Sleeves (make 2)

Place 52 (56, 60, 66, 70) held sleeve sts onto US 8 / 5 mm DPNs or magic-loop circular.
With RS facing, beginning at center of underarm CO, pick up and knit 8 (10, 12, 12, 14) sts across underarm, then knit across the held sts.
Join to work in the round. Place marker for beginning of rnd (center underarm).
Total 60 (66, 72, 78, 84) sts (held + U ✓)

Knit 6 rnds even.

Decrease rnd: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 (2 sts decreased).

Work Decrease rnd every 8th (7th, 6th, 6th, 5th) rnd 11 (13, 15, 17, 19) more times — 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) decrease rnds total.
60-24=36; 66-28=38; 72-32=40; 78-36=42; 84-40=44 sts remain ✓

Continue even in St st until sleeve measures 15 (15.5, 16, 16.5, 17)" from underarm.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles. Work 2" in 1×1 rib (k1, p1). BO loosely in rib.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Button Bands

Right Front Band (buttonhole band)
With US 7 / 4.5 mm needle and RS facing, beginning at lower Right Front hem edge, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along the entire Right Front edge to neck.
Approximate pick-up count: 76 (80, 84, 88, 92) sts. Adjust as needed to keep band flat (do not stretch or gather).

Work 3 rows 1×1 rib (begin with p1 so rib matches hem).

Buttonhole row (RS): Work 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) sts in rib, *yo, k2tog, work 11 (12, 10, 11, 11) sts in rib; repeat from * 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) more times, yo, k2tog, work remaining sts in rib.
(6 (6, 7, 7, 7) buttonholes created ✓)

Continue in 1×1 rib until band measures 1½".
BO loosely in rib.

Left Front Band
With US 7 / 4.5 mm needle and RS facing, beginning at neck edge of Left Front, pick up and knit the same number of sts as for Right Front band down to hem.
Work in 1×1 rib for 1½".
BO loosely in rib.

Finishing

Weave in all ends neatly on WS. Block piece to finished measurements, pinning raglan lines straight and opening the neck gently. Allow to dry completely. Sew buttons to Left Front band opposite buttonholes. Optional: with tapestry needle, close any small gaps at underarm joins.

Enjoy your new cardigan!