Classic Machine-Knit Raglan Pullover

Level: Intermediate Sizes: S (M, L). This fits a 86 (96, 106) cm chest, with about 10 cm of ease.

Finished measurements

Shape: Pullover, raglan

Materials and equipment

• Yarn: Worsted weight yarn (MY), 900 (1050, 1200) m. You also need about 50 m of smooth contrasting waste yarn (WY) in a similar weight.
• Machine: A mid-gauge 6.5 mm machine (for example, Silver Reed LK150), using the main bed only. No ribber is used.
• Tools:
  • Ravel cord
  • Single and 3-prong transfer tools
  • Latch tool
  • Claw weights (2–4)
  • Cast-on comb (optional)
  • Tapestry needle
  • Steam iron or steamer

Gauge

18 sts and 26 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in stockinette, MY, at T6, measured after steaming and resting.

Knit a 40 st × 60 row swatch and check your gauge before starting.

Abbreviations

• MY / WY: main yarn / waste yarn
• RC: row counter
• COL / COR: carriage on left / carriage on right
• NWP / WP / HP: needles in non-working / working / holding position
• T: tension dial setting
• FF dec (fully fashioned decrease): Use the 3-prong tool to move the 3 edge sts inward by 1 needle, so 2 sts share the 4th needle. Push the emptied end needle to NWP.
• Inc: Bring 1 needle to WP at the edge. Move the 2 edge sts outward by 1 with the 2-prong tool. Fill the empty needle with the purl bar from the adjacent stitch.
• Latch-tool bind off (LTBO): Hook the 1st st with the latch tool and pull the 2nd st through it. Repeat across, then fasten off.

Machine setup (all pieces)

• Use the main bed only, with the carriage set to plain stockinette.
• Set the holding cam lever to N (no holding). Set the tuck/slip levers to off.
• MY tensions:
  • Stockinette body: T6
  • Hems: T3, with a T5 fold row
  • Neckband: T4, with a T7 fold row
• WY tension: T6.
• Needle counts are given as left/right of 0.

Mock-rib hem (used for back, front and sleeves)

1. Bring the stated needles to WP. Push every 2nd needle back to NWP, starting from the 2nd needle at the left, to make a 1×1 arrangement.
2. With COR, cast on with WY and knit 8 rows at T6. Hang the cast-on comb or claw weights.
3. Knit 1 row with ravel cord. Then thread MY. The carriage is now COL.
4. Set RC 000.
   • Knit 12 rows at T3.
   • Knit 1 row at T5 (the fold row).
   • Knit 12 rows at T3.
   • RC is now 025 and the carriage is COL.
5. Bring all NWP needles to WP.
6. Rehang the hem: pick up the first MY loops above the ravel cord and place them, in order, onto all needles in WP. Pull out the ravel cord and WY.
7. Set T6. Set RC 000, COL.

The hem measures 5 cm deep once folded.

Back

1. Use 43/43 (48/48, 52/52) needles: 86 (96, 104) sts. Work the mock-rib hem.
2. Body: At T6, knit to RC 088 (091, 094). Finish COR on S and L; on M, knit one more row to RC 092 so the carriage is COR.
3. Underarm bind-off:
   • With COR, use LTBO on 4 (5, 6) sts at the right edge.
   • Knit 1 row. The carriage is now COL.
   • Use LTBO on 4 (5, 6) sts at the left edge.
   • You now have 78 (86, 92) sts.
4. Raglan: Set RC 000, COL.
   • Knit 4 rows.
   • FF dec at both ends. Knit 2 rows. Repeat from * 24 (27, 29) more times.
   • Decreases fall on RC 004, 006, … 052 (058, 062). That is 25 (28, 30) decreases per side.
   • The carriage finishes at RC 054 (060, 064), COL.
   • Check: 78 − 50 = 28; 86 − 56 = 30; 92 − 60 = 32 ✓. You have 28 (30, 32) sts.
5. Knit 6 rows with WY and release the work from the machine. These are the back neck sts: 28 (30, 32).

Front

1. Work as for the Back to the start of the raglan: RC 000, COL, 78 (86, 92) sts.
2. Work the raglan as for the Back until RC 038 (044, 048), including the decrease on that row.
   • Check: 18 (21, 23) decreases per side give 42 (44, 46) sts. The carriage is COL.
3. Divide for the neck:
   • Knit the centre 10 (12, 14) sts onto WY: hand-knit them with WY through the latches for 6 rows, then remove them.
   • Push those needles to NWP.
   • Set all right-side needles (16 sts) to HP. Turn the holding cam to H.
   • You now have 16 sts active on the left side.
4. Left side (carriage COL; neck edge at the right):
   • Each row, the RC count is odd then even.
   • On odd rows RC 039 (045, 049) through RC 051 (057, 061): knit the row, then work 1 FF dec at the neck edge using a 2-prong tool. That is 7 neck decreases.
   • On even rows RC 040 (046, 050) through RC 052 (058, 062): knit the row, then work 1 FF dec at the raglan edge. That is 7 raglan decreases.
   • Knit 2 rows to RC 054 (060, 064).
   • Check: 16 − 14 = 2 sts ✓.
   • Use LTBO on the 2 sts.
5. Right side:
   • Return the carriage to COL, without knitting, at RC 038 (044, 048). Bring the 16 held sts back to UWP (upper working position).
   • Turn the holding cam lever to N. Rehang the weights.
   • Work as for the left side, reversing the shaping:
     • The neck decreases are at the left edge of this side.
     • The raglan decreases are at the right edge.
   • Work the same RC numbers: neck decreases on the odd rows, raglan decreases on the even rows. This gives 7 of each.
   • Knit to RC 054 (060, 064). Use LTBO on the 2 sts ✓.

Sleeves (make 2)

1. Use 20/20 (21/21, 22/22) needles: 40 (42, 44) sts. Work the mock-rib hem.
2. Increases: At T6, set RC 000, COL.
   • Inc 1 at both ends every 8 (8, 7) rows, 11 (12, 14) times. The increases fall on RC 008 … 088 (096, 098).
   • Check: 40 + 22 = 62; 42 + 24 = 66; 44 + 28 = 72 ✓.
3. Knit to RC 104 (107, 109), finishing COR. On M, knit one more row to RC 108 so the carriage is COR.
   • You have 62 (66, 72) sts.
4. Underarm bind-off: Bind off as for the Back.
   • Use LTBO on 4 (5, 6) sts at the right edge. Knit 1 row to COL.
   • Use LTBO on 4 (5, 6) sts at the left edge.
   • You now have 54 (56, 60) sts.
5. Raglan cap: Set RC 000, COL.
   • Knit 8 (12, 12) rows.
   • FF dec at both ends on RC 008, 010, … 052 (from RC 012 to RC 058 for M; RC 012 to RC 062 for L). That is 23 (24, 26) decreases per side.
   • Knit 2 rows to RC 054 (060, 064). This matches the body ✓.
   • Check: 54 − 46 = 8; 56 − 48 = 8; 60 − 52 = 8 ✓. You have 8 sts.
6. Knit 6 rows with WY and release.

Assembly

1. Steam each piece lightly, pinned to the finished measurements. Hold the iron above the fabric and do not press. Let the pieces cool flat.
2. Mattress stitch the raglan seams in this order:
   • Front to both sleeves.
   • Right sleeve to the back.
   • Leave the left back raglan open.
   • Match the underarm bind-offs and match each FF decrease row for row.

Neckband (main bed, T4)

1. Bring 72 (76, 80) needles to WP, centred 36/36 (38/38, 40/40). Hang the neck with the wrong side facing you, working from left to right:
   • Back WY sts: 28 (30, 32)
   • Right sleeve: 8
   • Right front neck edge: 9 sts, picked up from 16 rows (about 1 st every 2 rows)
   • Front centre: 10 (12, 14) live sts
   • Left front neck edge: 9 sts
   • Left sleeve: 8
   • Check: 28+8+9+10+9+8 = 72 (76, 80) ✓
2. Remove all WY. With COR and RC 000:
   • Knit 8 rows at T4.
   • Knit 1 row at T7 (the fold row).
   • Knit 8 rows at T4.
   • RC is now 017.
3. Knit 6 rows with WY and release. You have 72 (76, 80) sts.

Finishing

1. Sew the left back raglan seam and the neckband edges.
2. Fold the band to the inside. Backstitch the live MY loops (unpicking the WY as you go) to the pick-up row.
3. Sew the side seams and sleeve seams, then the underarm bind-offs.
4. Weave in the ends. Give the garment a final steam, laid flat, and let it dry.