Chenille Cloud Cardigan

A seamless top-down raglan cardigan in DK chenille — Intermediate

Sizes

Instructions are given as S (M, L, XL, 2XL). Where only one figure is given, it applies to all sizes.

Materials

• Yarn: DK-weight chenille (approx. 200 m per 100 g). You need about 1000 (1150, 1300, 1450, 1600) m.
• Needles:
  • 4.5 mm (US 7) circular, 80–100 cm.
  • 4 mm (US 6) circular, 100 cm or longer, for the bands and hem.
  • 4 mm DPNs or a short circular for the cuffs.
  • 4.5 mm DPNs or a short circular for the sleeves.
• Notions:
  • 4 stitch markers, plus 1 unique marker.
  • Waste yarn.
  • Tapestry needle.
  • 6 buttons, 18–20 mm.

Tension (Gauge)

20 sts and 28 rows = 10 cm (4") in stocking stitch on 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.

How to make and measure the swatch:

1. Knit a swatch at least 15 cm square.
2. Wash it and dry it flat.
3. Hang it for a few hours, because chenille drops in length.
4. Measure it.

If you have too many stitches, use larger needles. If you have too few, use smaller needles. Tension is critical for fit.

Abbreviations (UK)

• k / p: knit / purl
• st(s): stitch(es)
• RS / WS: right side / wrong side
• pm / sm: place marker / slip marker
• M1L: lift the strand between stitches from front to back and knit it through the back loop (left-leaning increase)
• M1R: lift the strand from back to front and knit it through the front loop (right-leaning increase)
• k2tog: knit 2 together
• ssk: slip, slip, knit the 2 slipped stitches together
• yo: yarn over
• st st: stocking stitch

Chenille Tips

• Knit loosely and evenly.
• Weave in ends securely by splitting the plies, because chenille ends work loose easily.
• Twisted stitches can "worm"; keep the yarn untwisted as you knit.

YOKE

Cast on and set up

Using 4.5 mm circular needle and the cable method, cast on 58 (64, 70, 74, 78) sts.

Set-up row (WS): Purl across, placing markers as follows:

Check: 2+8+38+8+2 = 58 (2+8+44+8+2 = 64; 2+8+50+8+2 = 70; 2+8+54+8+2 = 74; 2+8+58+8+2 = 78) ✓

Increase rows

Raglan increase (worked at each of the 4 markers): Knit to 1 st before the marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L. Each marker gains 2 sts, so each raglan row adds 8 sts.

Front neck shaping and raglan, rows 1–16:

• Row 1 (RS): k1, M1L (neck increase), work raglan increases at all 4 markers, knit to last st, M1R, k1 (neck increase). You have increased 10 sts.
• Row 2 (WS): Purl.
• Rows 3–16: Repeat Rows 1–2 seven more times.

You now have 8 raglan rows and 8 neck increases at each front. The stitch count is 58 + 80 = 138 (144, 150, 154, 158) sts.

Sections now:

• Fronts: 18 sts each.
• Sleeves: 24 sts each.
• Back: 54 (60, 66, 70, 74) sts.

Front neck cast-on, rows 17–18:

• Row 17 (RS): Cable cast on 8 (9, 10, 12, 14) sts at the beginning of the row. Then knit, working raglan increases at all markers (no neck increases).
• Row 18 (WS): Cable cast on 8 (9, 10, 12, 14) sts at the beginning of the row. Purl to the end.

Stitch count: 138 + 16 + 8 = 162 (144+18+8 = 170; 150+20+8 = 178; 154+24+8 = 186; 158+28+8 = 194) sts ✓

Remaining raglan increases:

• Next row (RS): Knit, working raglan increases at all markers (8 sts increased).
• Next row (WS): Purl.
• Repeat these 2 rows 15 (17, 19, 21, 23) more times.

This gives a total of 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) raglan increase rows.

Stitch count: 282 (306, 330, 354, 378) sts

Check (S): 42+56+86+56+42 = 282 ✓. Increases: 58 + (24×8 = 192) + 16 neck incs + 16 cast-on = 282 ✓

Work even: Work 4 rows st st without shaping. The yoke now measures approx. 18.5 (20, 21.5, 23, 24.5) cm from the cast-on at the centre back.

DIVIDE FOR BODY AND SLEEVES (RS)

Work across the row as follows, removing the raglan markers as you go:

1. Knit the left front: 42 (45, 48, 52, 56) sts.
2. Slip the sleeve stitches to waste yarn: 56 (60, 64, 68, 72) sts.
3. Cable cast on 8 (10, 12, 14, 16) sts for the underarm.
4. Knit the back: 86 (96, 106, 114, 122) sts.
5. Slip the second sleeve to waste yarn.
6. Cast on 8 (10, 12, 14, 16) sts for the underarm.
7. Knit the right front.

Body: 186 (206, 226, 246, 266) sts. Check (S): 42+8+86+8+42 = 186 ✓ (M: 45+10+96+10+45 = 206 ✓)

BODY

Work in st st until the body measures 30 (31, 32, 33, 34) cm from the underarm, ending with a WS row.

Hem:

1. Change to 4 mm needle.
2. Rib row: *k1, p1; rep from * to end. The stitch count is even, so the rib aligns. Work this row on every row.
3. Rib for 5 cm.
4. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Body length from underarm: 35 (36, 37, 38, 39) cm.

SLEEVES (both alike, in the round)

Set up:

1. Return the 56 (60, 64, 68, 72) held sts to 4.5 mm needles.
2. Starting at the centre of the underarm cast-on, pick up and knit 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts.
3. Knit across the sleeve sts.
4. Pick up and knit 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) sts to the centre of the underarm.
5. Pm for the beginning of the round.

Sleeve: 64 (70, 76, 82, 88) sts.

Shaping:

• Knit every round for 2.5 cm.
• Decrease round: k1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 (2 sts decreased).
• Work a decrease round on every 8th (7th, 6th, 5th, 5th) round, 10 (12, 14, 16, 18) times in total.

Sleeve: 44 (46, 48, 50, 52) sts. Check: 64−20 = 44; 70−24 = 46; 76−28 = 48; 82−32 = 50; 88−36 = 52 ✓

Work even until the sleeve measures 38 (39, 39, 40, 40) cm from the underarm.

Cuff:

1. Change to 4 mm needles.
2. Work k1, p1 rib for 5 cm.
3. Bind off loosely in rib.

NECK AND BUTTON BAND (worked in one piece)

Pick up: With RS facing and the 4 mm long circular, start at the lower edge of the right front. Pick up and knit as follows:

Pick-up rates:

• Front edges: about 3 sts for every 4 rows.
• Cast-on edges: 1 st per cast-on st.
• Back neck: 1 extra st so the total is odd.

The total is odd ✓

Rows 1–4:

• Row 1 (WS): p1, *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
• Row 2 (RS): k1, *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
• Rows 3–4: Repeat Rows 1–2.

Row 5 (RS), buttonholes: The buttonholes go on the right front, in the first 99 (104, 110, 114, 119) sts.

Work 3 sts in rib. Then yo, k2tog, rib 16 (17, 18, 19, 20), rep from * 4 more times. Then yo, k2tog, and rib to the end.

This makes 6 buttonholes. The last one sits 4 (4, 5, 4, 4) sts below the neck. Check (S): 3 + 5×18 + 2 + 4 = 99 ✓ (M: 3+95+2+4 = 104; L: 3+100+2+5 = 110; XL: 3+105+2+4 = 114; 2XL: 3+110+2+4 = 119 ✓)

Rows 6–9:

• Row 6 (WS): Work in rib, working each yo as a stitch in pattern.
• Rows 7–9: Work 3 rows in rib. The band measures approx. 3 cm.

Bind off: Bind off loosely in rib on the next WS row.

FINISHING

1. Close any gaps at the underarms with the tails.
2. Weave in all ends securely, splitting the chenille plies.
3. Wet-block gently: soak, squeeze (do not wring), and lay flat to the measurements. Do not hang to dry.
4. Sew the buttons to the left band, opposite the buttonholes.

Care: Hand wash cool and dry flat. Store folded, not hung.