Doctor Who Fair Isle Raglan Jumper

Top-Down Seamless Pullover with German Short Rows

Difficulty: Beginner–advanced beginner (raglan and ribbing are beginner-friendly; stranded Fair Isle and German short rows are clearly explained first-time techniques)

Description: A seamless top-down raglan jumper worked in the round from the crew neck. German short rows lift the back neck for a comfortable fit. The body and sleeves are covered with an all-over Doctor Who–themed Fair Isle pattern from the attached blank chart (you fill motifs and colours). Edges are simple single rib (k1, p1). Try on as you go — that is the joy of top-down knitting.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL)

To fit chest: 86 (96, 106, 117, 127) cm / 34 (38, 42, 46, 50) in
Finished bust circumference: 98.5 (107.5, 117, 129, 138.5) cm / 38¾ (42¼, 46, 50¾, 54½) in
Yoke depth (approx., after neckband): 20.5 (22, 23.5, 24.5, 25.5) cm / 8 (8¾, 9¼, 9¾, 10) in
Body length from underarm to hem: 40 (40, 42, 42, 44) cm / 15¾ (15¾, 16½, 16½, 17¼) in (adjustable)
Sleeve length from underarm to cuff: 45 (45, 46, 46, 47) cm / 17¾ (17¾, 18, 18, 18½) in
Finished upper arm: 32.5 (34, 36, 38.5, 40.5) cm / 12¾ (13½, 14¼, 15¼, 16) in

Shown with approx. 5–8 cm positive ease at chest. For chest ≈104 cm, M (closer fit) or L (easier fit over layers) is recommended.

Materials

Yarn: DK weight wool or wool-blend (firm enough for colourwork).
Approximate total metreage (all colours combined; Fair Isle uses more than plain stocking stitch):
1200 (1350, 1500, 1700, 1900) m

• MC (main colour): approx. 60–70% of total
• Contrast colours (CCs): remaining 30–40%, divided among 2–5 shades for Doctor Who motifs (e.g. deep blue, brown, scarlet, gold, cream — your choice)

Exact amounts depend on how densely you fill the blank chart. Swatch Fair Isle and weigh a 10 cm square to refine totals.

Needles

• 3.5 mm circular needle, 40 cm, for neckband and sleeve tops
• 3.5 mm circular needle, 80–100 cm, for yoke and body
• 3.5 mm DPNs or long circular for magic-loop sleeves
• Optional: 3 mm circular/DPNs for denser rib edgings

Notions: 8 stitch markers (4 distinct for raglan lines); stitch holders or waste yarn; tapestry needle; scissors. Optional: row counter.

Tension (Gauge)

26 stitches and 29 rows = 10 cm over stocking stitch and over Fair Isle colourwork, after blocking, on 3.5 mm needles.

Fair Isle fabric often tightens: if your colourwork swatch is denser than plain stocking stitch, go up one needle size for charted sections only so both match 26 sts / 10 cm.
Check tension before starting. Change needle size if needed.

Abbreviations (UK)

k — knit
p — purl
st(s) — stitch(es)
rnd(s) — round(s)
pm — place marker
sm — slip marker
sl — slip
wyib — with yarn in back
M1L — make one left (lift bar between sts from front to back, k through back loop)
M1R — make one right (lift bar between sts from back to front, k through front loop)
DS — double stitch (German short row; see Special Techniques)
RS / WS — right side / wrong side
MC / CC — main colour / contrast colour
rep — repeat
rem — remaining
cont — continue
st st — stocking stitch (k every rnd in the round)

Special Techniques

Single rib (1×1 rib) in the round
Every rnd: *K1, p1; rep from * to end. (Even st count required.)

German short rows (double-stitch method)

1. Work to the turning point. Turn the work.
2. With yarn in front, slip the first st purlwise.
3. Pull the yarn firmly up and over the right needle to the back — the st looks like two legs on the needle (this is 1 DS).
4. Work the next row as instructed. When you later meet a DS, knit (or purl) both legs together as one stitch.

Raglan increase round (8 sts — Phase 1)
*Work to 1 st before raglan marker, M1R, k1 (raglan st), sm, M1L; rep from * at each of the 4 raglan lines (8 sts increased).

Body-only increase round (4 sts — Phase 2)
At each body side of the four raglan lines only: work to 1 st before marker on Back or Front edge, M1R, k1, sm, then after marker on the body side M1L where that marker borders Back/Front — in practice: increase only on the Back and Front sides of each raglan marker (not on the sleeve sides). Net +4 sts (Back +2, Front +2).

Simpler Phase-2 wording used in instructions:
Before each Back/Front raglan marker: M1R, k1 (raglan), sm.
After each Back/Front raglan marker (body side): M1L.
Skip increases on pure sleeve sides of the markers.

Stranded Fair Isle

• Carry non-working yarn loosely across the WS (float). Floats should sit relaxed; fabric should stretch to tension.
• Catch floats longer than 5 sts by twisting yarns.
• Keep MC and CC in consistent hands/positions so fabric does not bias.
• Join new colours at rnd start near a raglan line or side “seam.”

Attached Stitch Chart

Use the separate attached chart panel supplied with this pattern for the visual grid. Do not rely on any inline diagram in this text — the blank Doctor Who Fair Isle chart lives in that attached panel only (typically placed after the schematic / at the end of the pattern PDF).

How to read the attached chart (knitting, in the round)

• Each square = 1 stitch; each chart row = 1 round.
• Read every round from right to left (you are working in the round).
• Work chart stitches in stocking stitch unless a square is marked for a special stitch (blank chart: you assign colours only).
• Repeat the chart width across each full round. Body stitch counts are multiples of 8 so an 8-, 16- or 24-st motif repeat fits; if your filled motif is a different width, choose a repeat that divides the stitch count for your size, or add/remove 1–2 “filler” background stitches at the underarm markers only.
• Vertical repeat: repeat chart height as needed for yoke, body, and sleeves. You may use a denser motif band on the upper yoke and a simpler fill lower down if preferred.
• Colour changes: change colours as per your filled chart key. On the WS, strand unused yarn; start new CC at the beginning of a round or at a raglan/side marker.
• Neck rib, hem rib and cuffs are not charted — work those in MC (or solid CC) single rib only.
• Integration math: After neckband and short-row section, begin chart on the first full stocking-stitch / increase round so that round 1 of the chart aligns with a plain (non-shaping) or increase round consistently. When you cast on underarm stitches, work those new stitches in MC (or chart background) for the first round, then bring them into the next full chart repeat. Sleeve stitch counts after decreases may leave a partial repeat — centre a motif and fill sides with background colour.

Yarn management: Wind small CC bobbins or butterflies for tiny motif areas if preferred; for all-over small repeats, two-handed stranding is usually enough. Weave ends in on the WS along matching colour paths.

Pattern Instructions

Notes

• Instructions are for S (M, L, XL, 2XL). When one number is given, it applies to all sizes.
• Join to work in the round; mark beginning of round at centre back (or at first raglan as noted).
• Work Fair Isle from the attached chart on all stocking-stitch sections of yoke, body and sleeves unless stated otherwise.
• Inline checks use final numbers only.

1. Neckband (crew, single rib)

Using 3.5 mm (or 3 mm for firmer rib) and MC, cast on 88 (96, 104, 112, 120) sts. Join in the rnd, being careful not to twist. PM for beg of rnd.

Work single rib for 3 cm (approx. 10–12 rnds).

Next rnd (set-up, still MC or join chart background): Knit all sts, placing markers for raglan as follows:

K 28 (32, 34, 36, 38) (Back), pm, k1 (raglan), pm,
k 14 (14, 16, 18, 20) (Right sleeve), pm, k1 (raglan), pm,
k 28 (32, 34, 36, 38) (Front), pm, k1 (raglan), pm,
k 14 (14, 16, 18, 20) (Left sleeve), pm, k1 (raglan), pm.

Beg of rnd remains at start of Back.
Check: 28+1+14+1+28+1+14+1 = 88 ✓ (S); 32+1+14+1+32+1+14+1 = 96 ✓ (M); 34+1+16+1+34+1+16+1 = 104 ✓ (L); 36+1+18+1+36+1+18+1 = 112 ✓ (XL); 38+1+20+1+38+1+20+1 = 120 ✓ (2XL).

2. German short rows (back neck lift)

Short rows use MC or chart background; they raise the back neck before full-yoke colourwork. Work flat turns as directed; DS count as one st when later worked closed.

Short-row 1 (RS): K across Back to second raglan st (end of Back raglan), sm, k1 (start of Right sleeve), k 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sleeve sts, turn.
Short-row 2 (WS): Make DS, p across to beg-of-rnd marker, sm, p across Back, sm, p1 (raglan), p 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) Left sleeve sts, turn.
Short-row 3 (RS): Make DS, k to previous DS, k DS closed as one st, k 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) more sts, turn.
Short-row 4 (WS): Make DS, p to previous DS, p DS closed as one st, p 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) more sts, turn.
Short-row 5 (RS): Make DS, k to previous DS, k DS closed, k 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) more sts, turn.
Short-row 6 (WS): Make DS, p to previous DS, p DS closed, p 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) more sts, turn.

Next rnd (RS, resume working in the round): Make DS, knit all the way around the yoke in pattern, knitting each DS closed as one st when you reach it. You are now working full rounds again. Back neck sits slightly higher than front ✓.

3. Yoke — Phase 1 (full raglan increases)

Begin attached Fair Isle chart on the next rnd (or after 1 plain MC rnd if you prefer a clean transition).

Increase rnd (Phase 1): Work chart / st st to 1 st before first raglan marker, *M1R, k1, sm, M1L, work in chart to 1 st before next raglan marker; rep from * at all 4 raglan lines (8 sts increased).

Next rnd: Work even in chart / st st (no increases), slipping markers.

Rep last 2 rnds (inc rnd then even rnd) until you have worked 31 (32, 34, 35, 38) Phase-1 increase rounds.
(If you prefer a slightly shorter yoke on larger sizes, you may work Phase-1 increases every round for the same number of increase rounds — fabric grows faster in depth; try on.)

Stitch count after Phase 1
Back / Front each: 90 (96, 102, 106, 114) sts
Each sleeve: 76 (78, 84, 88, 96) sts
Raglan: 4 sts
Total: 336 (352, 376, 392, 424) sts

Checks (example M): start sleeve 14 + 2×32 = 78 ✓; start front 32 + 2×32 = 96 ✓; total 96+78+96+78+4 = 352 ✓.

4. Yoke — Phase 2 (body-only increases)

Continue chart. Sleeves no longer increase.

Body increase rnd (Phase 2): Work in chart, increasing only on Back and Front sides of the raglan lines as follows at each raglan:
Work to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1 (raglan), sm, M1L only if the following section is Back or Front; if the following section is a sleeve, sm and work sleeve plain with no M1L.
(Net +4 sts: +2 Back, +2 Front.)

Next rnd: Work even in chart, slipping markers.

Rep last 2 rnds until you have worked 14 (16, 19, 24, 25) Phase-2 body increase rounds.

Stitch count after Phase 2
Back / Front each: 118 (128, 140, 154, 164) sts
Each sleeve: 76 (78, 84, 88, 96) sts (unchanged)
Raglan: 4
Total: 392 (416, 452, 492, 528) sts

M check: front 96 + 2×16 = 128 ✓; body-ready front+back+raglans = 128+128+4 = 260; + underarms next.

Work even in chart (if needed) until yoke depth from cast-on edge of neckband measures approx. 23.5 (25, 26.5, 27.5, 28.5) cm / 9¼ (9¾, 10½, 10¾, 11¼) in, or until armhole feels right when tried on. End at beg of rnd (centre back).

5. Separate sleeves from body

Underarm cast-on each side: 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts.

Separation rnd:
Work across Back 118 (128, 140, 154, 164) sts in chart, k1 raglan;
place next 76 (78, 84, 88, 96) Right sleeve sts on holder or waste yarn (remove sleeve markers; keep or reassign raglan as preferred);
cast on 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) underarm sts, pm for right side “seam”;
k1 raglan, work Front 118 (128, 140, 154, 164) sts, k1 raglan;
place next 76 (78, 84, 88, 96) Left sleeve sts on holder;
cast on 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) underarm sts, pm for left side;
k remaining raglan st if needed to close round.

Body stitch count now:
118+118+4 + 8+8 = 256 (S) ✓
128+128+4 + 10+10 = 280 (M) ✓
140+140+4 + 10+10 = 304 (L) ✓
154+154+4 + 12+12 = 336 (XL) ✓
164+164+4 + 12+12 = 360 (2XL) ✓

Place side markers at centre of each underarm cast-on if not already marked. Beg of rnd may move to right underarm if you prefer; otherwise keep centre back. Continue attached chart across body, working underarm sts into background/motif on following rnds (see Attached Stitch Chart notes).

6. Body

Work even in the rnd in Fair Isle chart until body measures 35 (35, 37, 37, 39) cm / 13¾ (13¾, 14½, 14½, 15¼) in from underarm, or 5 cm less than desired total length to hem.
(Your waist-to-neck ≈45.5 cm: with yoke ~25 cm, underarm-to-waist ≈20 cm; continue past waist for hip length as preferred. Hip ease is already in the straight body.)

Hem — single rib
Break CCs; continue in MC (or solid edge colour).
Work single rib (k1, p1) for 5 cm.
Cast off loosely in rib (use larger needle to cast off if cast-off feels tight).

7. Sleeves

Return 76 (78, 84, 88, 96) held sleeve sts to 3.5 mm DPNs or magic-loop circular.
With RS facing, rejoin MC/chart yarns at centre underarm.
Pick up and knit 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts across underarm cast-on, placing a marker at centre underarm for beg of rnd and sleeve “seam.”

Sleeve sts: 84 (88, 94, 100, 108)
Check M: 78 + 10 = 88 ✓; circumference ≈ 88 ÷ 2.6 = 33.8 cm ✓.

Join to work in the rnd. Work Fair Isle chart in st st, aligning motif with yoke as well as possible (centre a repeat on the sleeve top).

Sleeve shaping (taper)
Decrease rnd: K1, k2tog, work in chart to 3 sts before marker, ssk, k1 (2 sts decreased).

Work decrease rnd every 8th (7th, 7th, 6th, 6th) rnd until 48 (50, 52, 54, 56) sts remain, then work even if needed until sleeve from underarm measures 40 (40, 41, 41, 42) cm / 15¾ (15¾, 16¼, 16¼, 16½) in, or 5 cm less than desired length to cuff.
(User underarm length 45.5 cm including cuff ✓.)

Cuff — single rib
Break CCs; MC only.
Work single rib for 5 cm.
Cast off loosely in rib.

Rep for second sleeve.

8. Finishing

• Weave in all ends on WS, following matching colours where possible.
• Gently block flat or steam-block to measurements. Do not overstretch rib.
• Check Fair Isle floats are not pulling; snip and re-secure any tight floats if needed.
• Optional: reinforce underarm joins with a few mattress-stitch tidy-ups on the WS.

Schematic (key finished measurements)

Design notes for fitting (try-on points)

1. After Phase 1 — sleeves should feel generous but not huge at the upper arm line.
2. After Phase 2 / before separation — body width at underarm should match your ease preference; add or omit 2–4 Phase-2 repeats if needed (each Phase-2 inc rnd adds ~1.5 cm to bust).
3. Body and sleeve lengths are easy to lengthen or shorten before ribbing.
4. If Fair Isle pulls tighter than your swatch, go up a needle size for charted fabric only.

Colour & chart tips (Doctor Who all-over)

• Keep a dark MC (e.g. navy, charcoal, or brown) so light motif colours read clearly.
• Classic palette ideas: TARDIS blue + white panel lines; scarf stripes as horizontal bands; Gallifreyan-inspired circular motifs on a blank 16-st repeat; subtle tonal blue-on-blue for a quieter jumper.
• Fill the attached blank chart before you cast on; photocopy extras to test colourings.
• Beginners: start with 2 colours only (MC + 1 CC) on a simple 8-st geometric fill, then add more CCs on later vertical repeats.

End of pattern.
Enjoy your seamless top-down Doctor Who Fair Isle raglan jumper — and remember: in knitting, as in time travel, you can always unravel and try again.