Chunky Top-Down Raglan Cardigan

Skill level: Intermediate
Construction: Seamless top-down raglan, worked in one piece from the neck down on circular needles. Body is worked flat; sleeves in the round.

A relaxed women’s cardigan in bulky yarn with classic raglan shaping, 2×2 rib trims, long sleeves and a six-button front.

Sizes

To fit bust: 86–91 (97–102, 107–112, 117–122, 127–132) cm / 34–36 (38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52) in
Finished bust (with fronts overlapping at bands): 96 (106, 116, 126, 136) cm / 37¾ (41¾, 45¾, 49½, 53½) in
Positive ease: approx. 5–10 cm (2–4 in)

Shown in size Medium. Choose size by finished bust, not to-fit range.

Finished length (back neck to hem): 58 (60, 62, 64, 66) cm / 22¾ (23½, 24½, 25¼, 26) in
Sleeve length (underarm to cuff): 44 (45, 45, 46, 46) cm / 17¼ (17¾, 17¾, 18, 18) in
Upper arm: 38 (42, 45, 48, 52) cm / 15 (16½, 17¾, 19, 20½) in

Tension (gauge)

14 sts and 18 rows = 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 8 mm needles, after blocking.

Work a swatch at least 15 × 15 cm. If you have too many stitches per 10 cm, go up a needle size; too few, go down. Tension is critical for fit.

Yarn

Bulky / chunky weight (CYC 5), approx. 80–100 m / 100 g.

Metres: 720 (800, 900, 1000, 1120) m
Yards: 790 (875, 985, 1095, 1225) yd
Example: 8 (9, 10, 11, 13) × 100 g balls of a wool or wool-blend bulky.

Needles & notions

• 8 mm (UK 0 / US 11) circular needle, 80–100 cm for body; 40 cm circular or DPNs for sleeves
• 7 mm (UK 2 / US 10.75) circular, 80–100 cm, for ribbing
• 4 stitch markers (plus 1 for sleeve BOR)
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• 6 buttons, 20–25 mm diameter

Abbreviations (UK knitting)

k knit · p purl · st(s) stitch(es) · RS right side · WS wrong side
m1L make 1 left (lift strand from front to back, k tbl)
m1R make 1 right (lift strand from back to front, k)
pm place marker · sm slip marker · BOR beginning of round
k2tog knit 2 together · ssk slip, slip, knit
yo yarn over · st st stocking stitch (knit RS, purl WS; knit every round in the round)

Pattern notes

• Cardigan is worked flat through yoke and body (open front). Sleeves are joined in the round.
• Raglan increases: on every RS row, work m1R, k2 (raglan sts), m1L at each of the four raglan lines (8 sts increased).
• Women’s buttoning: buttonholes on the left front (as worn).
• Numbers are given S (M, L, XL, 2XL).

Neckband

With 7 mm circular needle, cast on 52 (56, 60, 64, 68) sts.

Rib row 1 (RS): *k2, p2; rep from * to last 0 (0, 0, 0, 0) sts, k0.
Work in k2, p2 rib for 4 cm, ending after a WS row. Change to 8 mm.

Yoke (raglan)

Set-up row (RS): k8 (9, 10, 11, 12) (Right Front), pm, k2 (raglan), pm, k8 (8, 8, 8, 8) (Right Sleeve), pm, k2, pm, k16 (18, 20, 22, 24) (Back), pm, k2, pm, k8 (8, 8, 8, 8) (Left Sleeve), pm, k2, pm, k8 (9, 10, 11, 12) (Left Front).
(52 (56, 60, 64, 68) sts ✓)

Next row (WS): Purl, slipping markers.

Raglan Inc row (RS): *Knit to marker, m1R, sm, k2, sm, m1L; rep from * 3 more times, knit to end. (8 sts inc)

WS: Purl.

Repeat last 2 rows 17 (19, 21, 23, 25) more times — 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) increase rows in total.

Stitch count after increases:
196 (216, 236, 256, 276) sts
(52 + 18×8 = 196 ✓; 56 + 160 = 216 ✓; 60 + 176 = 236 ✓; 64 + 192 = 256 ✓; 68 + 208 = 276 ✓)

Section counts:
Right Front 26 (29, 32, 35, 38) · each Sleeve 44 (48, 52, 56, 60) · Back 52 (58, 64, 70, 76) · Left Front 26 (29, 32, 35, 38) · plus 8 raglan sts.

Work even in st st until yoke measures 20 (21, 22, 23, 24) cm from cast-on, ending with a WS row. (If raglan depth is already reached, skip even rows.)

Divide body and sleeves

RS: Knit Right Front and raglan sts to second marker (end of right sleeve raglan pair), place next 44 (48, 52, 56, 60) sleeve sts on waste yarn, removing sleeve markers, cast on 13 (14, 15, 16, 17) underarm sts, knit Back (including its raglan sts), place next 44 (48, 52, 56, 60) sleeve sts on waste yarn, cast on 13 (14, 15, 16, 17) underarm sts, knit Left Front to end.

Body sts: 134 (148, 162, 176, 190)
(26+2+52+2+26 + 13+13 = 134 ✓; 29+2+58+2+29+14+14 = 148 ✓; 32+2+64+2+32+15+15 = 162 ✓; 35+2+70+2+35+16+16 = 176 ✓; 38+2+76+2+38+17+17 = 190 ✓)

Body

Work even in st st (knit RS, purl WS) until body measures 34 (35, 36, 37, 38) cm from underarm, or 6 cm less than desired length, ending with a WS row.

Change to 7 mm.

Rib: Work k2, p2 rib, aligning as well as possible (adjust 0–2 sts by k2tog or m1 on first rib row if needed so rib is even). Work 6 cm. Cast off loosely in rib.

Sleeves

Return 44 (48, 52, 56, 60) held sts to 8 mm DPNs or short circular. With RS facing, pick up and knit 13 (14, 15, 16, 17) sts across underarm cast-on. Place BOR marker at centre of underarm.
57 (62, 67, 72, 77) sts.

Knit 1 round. On next round, decrease 1 (0, 1, 0, 1) st at underarm (k2tog) to 56 (62, 66, 72, 76) sts for even rib later.

Work in st st in the round until sleeve measures 10 cm from underarm.

Shape sleeve:
Dec round: k1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. (2 sts dec)
Work 5 (4, 4, 3, 3) rounds even.
Repeat dec round every 6th (5th, 5th, 4th, 4th) round until 40 (44, 48, 52, 56) sts remain.

Work even until sleeve measures 38 (39, 39, 40, 40) cm from underarm, or 6 cm less than desired length.

Change to 7 mm. Work k2, p2 rib for 6 cm. Cast off loosely in rib.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Button bands

With 7 mm circular and RS facing, beginning at right front hem, pick up and knit 3 sts per 4 rows along right front edge, around neckband (1 st per st), and down left front to hem. Count and note total; bands should have a multiple of 4 sts + 2 if possible (adjust by 1–2 sts).

Row 1 (WS): *p2, k2; rep from * to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 2 (RS): *k2, p2; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Work 2 more rows in rib as set.

Buttonhole row (RS) — Left Front only as worn:
The left front is the second vertical edge you pick up (from neck down to left hem if you started at right hem). Place 6 buttonholes evenly along the left-front section only (not across neck or right front).

Suggested spacing: first hole ~2 cm above hem, last ~2 cm below neck rib, remainder equally spaced.

Buttonhole: work in rib to hole position, yo, k2tog (or p2tog to stay in rib), continue.
Work 3 more rows rib. Cast off in rib.

If you prefer holes on a separate left-front band worked after splitting the pickup, work right band without holes (6–8 rows rib), then left band with holes on row 4 of 8.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Block flat to measurements, pinning fronts straight and sleeves to length.
Sew 6 buttons to right front opposite buttonholes.
Steam seams lightly if using wool.

Schematic (key measurements)

Enjoy your cardigan.