Cumulus Cardigan

A hip-length chunky cardigan worked in one piece from the neck down. Raglan seams shape the yoke; below the underarm the sleeves balloon, then gather in two rounds into a snug ribbed cuff for a deliberately puffy sleeve. The body is plain stockinette with a ribbed hem, a round neckline, and a seven-button front.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Construction: Seamless top-down raglan. The yoke and body are worked flat. Sleeves are worked in the round from held stitches. Button bands and the neckband are picked up.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL)

To fit bust: 34–36 (38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52)" / 86.5–91.5 (96.5–101.5, 106.5–112, 117–122, 127–132) cm

Finished bust, buttoned: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)" / 96.5 (106.5, 117, 127, 137) cm

Ease: about 2–4" (5–10 cm) over actual bust, measured buttoned.

If you are between sizes, choose the smaller size for a closer fit or the larger size for a roomier body. The sleeves are full in every size.

Shown instructions are for the smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses. Where only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Finished Measurements

The buttoned bust is the body circumference minus the 2" (5 cm) overlap of one band. Body stitch counts are set to the larger figure on purpose: 120 ÷ 3 = 40" edges meeting; 40 − 2 = 38" buttoned. Same relationship in every size (+12 sts = +4" / 10 cm).

Yarn

Bulky weight yarn (CYC #5), or a light super-bulky that knits to the gauge below.

750 (850, 950, 1050, 1150) yards / 685 (780, 870, 960, 1050) meters

About 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) skeins if your yarn has 109 yards (100 m) per 100 g. Yardage is an estimate for the full puffy sleeve; buy an extra skein if you lengthen the body or sleeve, or if you are substituting.

A smooth, plump wool or wool-blend bulky shows the puff and blocks well. A very stiff or highly textured yarn will make the gathered cuff bulky; avoid those.

Needles

• US 11 / 8 mm circular needle, 32" / 80 cm, for the yoke, body, and sleeve stockinette
• US 11 / 8 mm needle for small circumferences (16" / 40 cm circular, DPNs, or magic loop), for the sleeves
• US 10 / 6 mm circular needle, 32" / 80 cm, for the button bands and neckband
• US 10 / 6 mm needle for small circumferences, for the cuffs

Use whatever needle combination gives you gauge. The cuff and bands are worked on the smaller needle so they hold the gather and support the buttons.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers
• 2 removable markers or scrap yarn (underarm centers)
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• 7 buttons, 1" / 25 mm
• Tapestry needle

Gauge

12 stitches and 16 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch, blocked, on US 11 / 8 mm needles.

Gauge is critical for fit. A different stitch count changes the bust by a full size (4" / 10 cm per 12 stitches).

Gauge swatch

With US 11 / 8 mm needles, cast on 18 stitches. Work stockinette stitch (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side) for 22 rows. Bind off. Wash and block as you will the cardigan. Lay the swatch flat without stretching.

Measure 4" (10 cm) in the center, away from the edges. You need 12 stitches and 16 rows in that square.

• More than 12 stitches in 4": go up a needle size and swatch again.
• Fewer than 12 stitches in 4": go down a needle size and swatch again.

Also check your row gauge. Sleeve and body lengths in this pattern are given in inches, so you can match length even if your row gauge is slightly off. Stitch gauge is the one that must match.

Abbreviations

Notes

• The raglan line is two stockinette stitches (one on each side of the marker), with increases worked outside them. You increase 8 stitches every right-side row: 2 at each of the 4 raglan lines. On the first 4 right-side rows you also increase 1 stitch at each front neck edge (10 stitches increased on those rows).
• Do not slip the edge stitches. A plain selvedge is what the pickup counts assume.
• The sleeve fullness is intentional. After joining, one increase round sets the balloon; two decrease rounds just above the cuff gather it. Block the puff to the measurement in the table so it settles into soft folds.
• Buttonholes are on the Right Front as worn (women’s standard). Buttons are sewn on the Left Front as worn.
• Read each size’s numbers straight down a column. Do not mix sizes.

Yoke

With US 11 / 8 mm needles, cast on 44 (44, 44, 52, 52) stitches using a long-tail cast-on.

Foundation row (WS): Purl, placing markers as follows:

P4, pm, p8 (8, 8, 10, 10), pm, p20 (20, 20, 24, 24), pm, p8 (8, 8, 10, 10), pm, p4.

Markers sit between Left Front, Left Sleeve, Back, Right Sleeve, and Right Front. This foundation row is in addition to the yoke rows below and adds about 0.25" (0.5 cm) to the yoke depth. That extra quarter-inch is already included in the finished measurements.

Neck shaping and raglan increases

Neck-and-raglan row (RS): K1, M1L, *knit to 1 stitch before the marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; repeat from * at each of the 4 markers, knit to the last stitch, M1R, k1. (10 stitches increased)

Wrong-side row: Purl.

Work these 2 rows a total of 4 times (8 rows). 84 (84, 84, 92, 92) stitches.

Each front has grown from 4 stitches to 8 (4 cast on + 4 neck increases). The raglan has added 8 stitches on each of 4 right-side rows: 44 + (4 × 10) = 84 for Sizes S–L; 52 + 40 = 92 for XL and 2XL.

Next row (RS): Cast on 2 (6, 8, 10, 12) stitches at the beginning of the row using the knitted cast-on. Knit those new stitches, then work a raglan increase only (no neck-edge increases): *knit to 1 stitch before the marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; repeat from * at each marker, knit to end. (8 stitches increased, plus the cast-on)

Next row (WS): Cast on 2 (6, 8, 10, 12) stitches at the beginning of the row. Purl to end.

Neck shaping is complete. 96 (104, 108, 120, 124) stitches.

Checkpoint, Size S: 84 + 2 cast on + 8 raglan + 2 cast on = 96. Size M: 84 + 6 + 8 + 6 = 104. Size L: 84 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 108. Size XL: 92 + 10 + 8 + 10 = 120. Size 2XL: 92 + 12 + 8 + 12 = 124.

Raglan only

Continue in stockinette, increasing 8 stitches every right-side row as established, until you have worked 16 (17, 18, 19, 20) raglan increase rows in total, counting the neck-shaping rows and the cast-on row. End having just worked a wrong-side row.

32 (34, 36, 38, 40) yoke rows, plus the foundation row. Yoke depth from the cast-on is about 8.25 (8.75, 9.25, 9.75, 10.25)" / 21 (22, 23.5, 25, 26) cm.

184 (200, 212, 232, 244) stitches:

• Each front: 26 (31, 34, 37, 40)
• Each sleeve: 40 (42, 44, 48, 50)
• Back: 52 (54, 56, 62, 64)

Check: 2 × 26 + 2 × 40 + 52 = 184 for Size S. 2 × 31 + 2 × 42 + 54 = 200 for Size M. 2 × 34 + 2 × 44 + 56 = 212 for Size L. 2 × 37 + 2 × 48 + 62 = 232 for Size XL. 2 × 40 + 2 × 50 + 64 = 244 for Size 2XL.

Each front = 4 cast on + 4 neck increases + 2 (6, 8, 10, 12) neck cast-on + 1 raglan increase per increase row. Size S: 4 + 4 + 2 + 16 = 26. Size 2XL: 4 + 4 + 12 + 20 = 40. Back = 20 (20, 20, 24, 24) + 2 increases per increase row. Size S: 20 + 32 = 52. Size XL: 24 + 38 = 62.

Divide for Body and Sleeves

Next row (RS):

• Knit 26 (31, 34, 37, 40) left-front stitches. Remove the marker.
• Place the next 40 (42, 44, 48, 50) sleeve stitches on a holder. Remove the marker.
• Cast on 8 (8, 10, 10, 12) underarm stitches (knitted cast-on). Mark the center of these stitches with a removable marker.
• Knit 52 (54, 56, 62, 64) back stitches. Remove the marker.
• Place the next 40 (42, 44, 48, 50) sleeve stitches on a holder. Remove the marker.
• Cast on 8 (8, 10, 10, 12) underarm stitches. Mark the center.
• Knit the remaining 26 (31, 34, 37, 40) right-front stitches.

120 (132, 144, 156, 168) body stitches.

Check, Size S: 26 + 8 + 52 + 8 + 26 = 120. Size M: 31 + 8 + 54 + 8 + 31 = 132. Size L: 34 + 10 + 56 + 10 + 34 = 144. Size XL: 37 + 10 + 62 + 10 + 37 = 156. Size 2XL: 40 + 12 + 64 + 12 + 40 = 168.

At 3 stitches per inch this is a body circumference of 40 (44, 48, 52, 56)" / 101.5 (112, 122, 132, 142) cm with the front edges meeting. Buttoned, after the bands overlap, it is 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)".

Body

Continue in stockinette, beginning with a wrong-side row, until the body measures 12 (12.5, 13, 13.5, 14)" / 30.5 (32, 33, 34.5, 35.5) cm from the underarm, ending with a wrong-side row. About 48 (50, 52, 54, 56) rows at row gauge; use the inch measurement if your row gauge differs.

Hem

Stay on US 11 / 8 mm needles so the hem does not pull in at the hip. The stitch count is a multiple of 4 in every size (120 ÷ 4 = 30, and each larger size adds 12, which is also a multiple of 4).

Rib row (RS): *K2, p2; repeat from * to end.

Rib row (WS): *K2, p2; repeat from * to end.

Repeat these 2 rows until the ribbing measures 3" (7.5 cm). Total length from underarm to hem is 15 (15.5, 16, 16.5, 17)" / 38 (39.5, 40.5, 42, 43) cm.

Bind off loosely in pattern.

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same.

Return 40 (42, 44, 48, 50) held sleeve stitches to a US 11 / 8 mm needle, ready to work from the underarm.

With the right side facing, and starting at the center of the underarm cast-on, pick up and knit 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) stitches along the first half of the underarm, knit the 40 (42, 44, 48, 50) sleeve stitches, then pick up and knit 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) stitches along the remaining underarm. Place a marker for the start of the round at the center underarm and join.

48 (50, 54, 58, 62) stitches. That is 16 (16.75, 18, 19.25, 20.75)" / 40.5 (42.5, 45.5, 49, 52.5) cm at the underarm.

Knit every stitch of the first round through the back loop where you picked up, to tighten the underarm. If a small hole remains at a corner, close it later with the yarn tail.

Knit 4 rounds even (about 1" / 2.5 cm).

Puff increase

Increase round:

• Size S: *K4, M1L; repeat from * to end. (12 increases; 48 + 12 = 60)
• Size M: *K5, M1L; repeat from * to end. (10 increases; 50 + 10 = 60)
• Size L: *K3, M1L; repeat from * to end. (18 increases; 54 + 18 = 72)
• Size XL: *[K4, M1L] 6 times, k5, M1L; repeat from * once more. (14 increases; 12 × 4 + 2 × 5 = 58 stitches worked, 58 + 14 = 72)
• Size 2XL: *[K3, M1L] 9 times, [k2, M1L] 2 times; repeat from * once more. (22 increases; 2 × (9 × 3 + 2 × 2) = 62 stitches worked, 62 + 22 = 84)

60 (60, 72, 72, 84) stitches. Puff circumference 20 (20, 24, 24, 28)" / 51 (51, 61, 61, 71) cm. The flare on this round is the start of the puff; do not try to ease it out.

Knit every round until the sleeve measures 13.25 (13.75, 14.25, 14.75, 14.75)" / 33.5 (35, 36, 37.5, 37.5) cm from the underarm.

Gather into the cuff

The puff count is exactly 3 times the cuff count, so the gather is two plain rounds of paired decreases. No leftover stitches.

Decrease round 1: *K1, k2tog; repeat from * to end.

40 (40, 48, 48, 56) stitches. (Each 3 stitches become 2: 60 ÷ 3 × 2 = 40; 72 ÷ 3 × 2 = 48; 84 ÷ 3 × 2 = 56.)

Knit 1 round.

Decrease round 2: *K2tog; repeat from * to end.

20 (20, 24, 24, 28) stitches. (Half of 40, 48, and 56.)

The sleeve will cup in sharply. That gather is the puffy sleeve. A plain round between the two decrease rounds keeps the fabric from stacking into one thick ridge.

Cuff

Change to US 10 / 6 mm needles. The cuff count is a multiple of 4: 20, 20, 24, 24, 28.

Rib round: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end.

Repeat this round until the cuff measures 3" (7.5 cm).

Bind off in pattern, not tightly — the cuff should stretch over the hand, then recover to hug the wrist. Relaxed cuff circumference is about 6 (6, 7, 7, 8)" / 15 (15, 18, 18, 20.5) cm, smaller than the main-gauge math because of the smaller needle and the rib.

Sleeve length from underarm to cuff end is 17 (17.5, 18, 18.5, 18.5)" / 43 (44.5, 45.5, 47, 47) cm: 13.25 (13.75, 14.25, 14.75, 14.75)" of stockinette, about 0.75" (2 cm) of gathering, and 3" (7.5 cm) of cuff.

Button Bands

The straight front edge begins at the neck cast-on and runs to the hem. It does not include the curved neck. At row gauge that edge is about 20.5 (21.5, 22.5, 23.5, 24.5)" / 52 (54.5, 57, 59.5, 62) cm: remaining yoke after row 10, plus 12 (12.5, 13, 13.5, 14)" of body stockinette, plus 3" of hem.

Pick up about 3 stitches for every 4 rows, in the column just inside the edge stitch, aiming for the counts below. An even count is required for 1×1 rib.

Buttonhole band (Right Front, as worn)

With the right side facing and a US 10 / 6 mm needle, start at the hem and pick up 62 (62, 70, 70, 78) stitches along the Right Front, ending at the base of the neckline.

Row 1 (WS): *P1, k1; repeat from * to end.

Row 2 (RS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Work in 1×1 rib as set until the band measures 1" (2.5 cm), ending with a wrong-side row.

Buttonhole row (RS): Work in rib to the first position below, bind off 2 stitches, and repeat for all 7 buttonholes, then work in rib to the end.

Bind-off starting stitches, counted from the hem end of the row (the start of this right-side row):

• Sizes S and M (62 sts): stitches 7, 15, 23, 31, 39, 47, and 55. Margin and gap are 6 stitches; each buttonhole uses 2. 8 × 6 + 7 × 2 = 48 + 14 = 62.
• Sizes L and XL (70 sts): stitches 8, 17, 26, 35, 44, 53, and 62. Margin and gap are 7. 8 × 7 + 14 = 70.
• Size 2XL (78 sts): stitches 9, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, and 69. Margin and gap are 8. 8 × 8 + 14 = 78.

Next row (WS): Work in rib to each gap, cast on 2 stitches over the gap using the knitted cast-on, and continue in rib. The 2 new stitches replace the 2 bound-off stitches, so the rib sequence is unchanged on the following row.

Continue in 1×1 rib until the band measures 2" (5 cm) from the pickup. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Seven buttonholes, the top one about 1" (2.5 cm) below the neck edge and the bottom one about 1" (2.5 cm) above the hem, spaced evenly between. If your pickup count had to change, keep 7 buttonholes and space them the same way, at least 1" from each end.

Button band (Left Front, as worn)

With the right side facing, start at the neckline end and pick up 62 (62, 70, 70, 78) stitches down the Left Front to the hem. (Starting at the neck on this side means row 1 is still a wrong-side row and the rib matches the other band.)

Work in 1×1 rib, as for the buttonhole band, until the band measures 2" (5 cm). No buttonholes. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Neckband

With the right side facing and a US 10 / 6 mm needle, begin at the outer corner of the Right Front band and pick up around the neck as follows:

• 6 stitches across the top of the Right Front band
• 2 (6, 8, 10, 12) stitches along the right front neck cast-on
• 6 stitches along the right front neck slope (about 3 stitches for every 4 rows of the shaped edge)
• 4 stitches along the right front cast-on
• 8 (8, 8, 10, 10) stitches along the right sleeve cast-on
• 20 (20, 20, 24, 24) stitches along the back neck cast-on
• 8 (8, 8, 10, 10) stitches along the left sleeve cast-on
• 4 stitches along the left front cast-on
• 6 stitches along the left front neck slope
• 2 (6, 8, 10, 12) stitches along the left front neck cast-on
• 6 stitches across the top of the Left Front band

72 (80, 84, 96, 100) stitches.

Check, Size S: 6 + 2 + 6 + 4 + 8 + 20 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 6 = 72. Size M: the two neck cast-ons are 6 instead of 2, so 72 − 4 + 12 = 80. Size L: neck cast-ons are 8, so 72 − 4 + 16 = 84. Size XL: back and sleeves are each 2 stitches larger (20 becomes 24, each sleeve 8 becomes 10, +8) and neck cast-ons are 10 (+16 instead of +4), so 72 + 8 + 16 = 96. Size 2XL: same yoke cast-on as XL, neck cast-ons 12, so 96 − 20 + 24 = 100.

If your count is off by 1, increase or decrease 1 stitch on the first rib row so the count stays even.

Row 1 (WS): *P1, k1; repeat from * to end.

Row 2 (RS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Work in 1×1 rib until the neckband measures 1.5" (4 cm). Bind off loosely in pattern.

The neckband covers the top ends of both button bands. The cardigan opens down the front, so the neckband does not need to stretch over the head; it only needs to lie flat and not pull.

Finishing

Weave in all ends. Use the underarm tails to close any tiny gaps at the sleeve corners.

Block to the measurements in the table. Pin the body to the buttoned bust width and the length. For each sleeve, pat the puff out to 20 (20, 24, 24, 28)" / 51 (51, 61, 61, 71) cm around and let it dry fully. Blocking is what turns the decrease rounds into soft gathers instead of a hard ring. Do not stretch the cuffs; let them recover.

When the cardigan is dry, sew the 7 buttons on the Left Front band (as worn), each one centered on its buttonhole. Overlap the bands by their full 2" (5 cm) width when you mark button placement, so the buttoned bust matches the schematic.

Schematic (text)

        back neck 6.75 (6.75, 6.75, 8, 8)"
              ________________
             /                \
            /   yoke depth     \
           /  8.25–10.25"       \
          /______________________\
         |                        |
         |   body to hem          |
         |   15 (15.5, 16,        |
         |    16.5, 17)"          |
         |________________________|

Buttoned bust:  38 (42, 46, 50, 54)"
Edges meeting:  40 (44, 48, 52, 56)"
Total length:   23.25 (24.25, 25.25, 26.25, 27.25)"

Sleeve:
  underarm  16 (16.75, 18, 19.25, 20.75)"
  puff      20 (20, 24, 24, 28)"
  cuff       6 (6, 7, 7, 8)" relaxed
  length    17 (17.5, 18, 18.5, 18.5)"

The sleeve is narrowest at the cuff, widest through the forearm and upper arm, and set into a standard raglan. That difference — full tube, short hard gather, ribbed cuff — is the puff.