Easy Top-Down Cowl Neck Pullover

A relaxed, seamless pullover worked entirely in the round from the cowl down. The neck is a tall 2×2 rib cowl; the yoke is a simple raglan; the body and sleeves are stockinette with ribbed hem and cuffs. Knit every round for stockinette — no purling on the body. Designed for a first sweater.

Skill level: Beginner (first garment). Skills: long-tail cast-on, joining in the round, knit, purl, kfb, k2tog, ssk, placing markers, holding stitches, picking up stitches, bind-off.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2X)

Shown in size M. To fit chest 32–34 (36–38, 40–42, 44–46, 48–50)" / 81.5–86.5 (91.5–96.5, 101.5–106.5, 112–117, 122–127) cm.

Recommended ease: 4–6" / 10–15 cm positive ease at the chest. Choose the finished size closest to your chest plus ease.

Throughout, instructions are given as S (M, L, XL, 2X). Highlight your size before you begin.

Finished measurements

• Cowl circumference (unstretched): 21½ (22½, 24, 25½, 27¼)" / 54.5 (57, 61, 65, 69) cm
• Cowl height: 8" / 20.5 cm (fold, scrunch, or wear standing)
• Yoke depth (base of cowl to underarm): 8½ (9, 9½, 10, 10½)" / 21.5 (23, 24, 25.5, 26.5) cm
• Chest circumference: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)" / 91.5 (101.5, 112, 122, 132) cm
• Length from underarm to hem: 16 (16½, 17, 17½, 18)" / 40.5 (42, 43, 44.5, 45.5) cm, including 2" / 5 cm rib
• Upper arm circumference: 12¾ (14½, 16½, 17½, 19½)" / 32.5 (37, 42, 44.5, 49.5) cm
• Sleeve length from underarm: 17 (17½, 18, 18½, 19)" / 43 (44.5, 45.5, 47, 48.5) cm, including 2" / 5 cm cuff
• Cuff circumference: 8 (8¾, 8¾, 9½, 9½)" / 20.5 (22, 22, 24, 24) cm

Yarn

Worsted weight (CYC 4).

Yardage: 1150 (1350, 1550, 1750, 2000) yd / 1050 (1235, 1420, 1600, 1830) m.

Wool or a wool blend is recommended for warmth, elasticity, and stitch definition. Smooth, light-colored yarn makes raglan lines easier to see.

Needles

• US 7 / 4.5 mm, 16" / 40 cm circular — cowl
• US 7 / 4.5 mm, 32" / 80 cm circular — yoke and body
• US 7 / 4.5 mm DPNs, or a long circular for magic loop — sleeves

Use the needle size needed to obtain gauge. If you are between sizes, going up a needle size gives a slightly drapier fabric.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers (one unique for beginning of round)
• Waste yarn or stitch holders (2)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Tape measure

Gauge

20 stitches and 28 rounds = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch in the round on US 7 / 4.5 mm, blocked.

Swatch in the round (or knit a flat swatch and count only the stockinette face, knowing round gauge can differ slightly). Check gauge before starting. At this gauge, 1" = 5 stitches and 7 rounds.

Abbreviations (US)

Kfb: Knit into the front of the stitch as usual but do not drop it off the left needle; knit into the back of the same stitch, then drop it off. 1 stitch becomes 2.

Ssk: Slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, insert left needle into the fronts of both slipped stitches from left to right, knit them together.

Notes

• Worked seamless and in the round from the cowl down. Stockinette in the round is knit every stitch, every round.
• The cast-on edge is the top of the cowl. Cast on loosely so it fits over the head. 2×2 rib stretches.
• Join without twisting. Lay the cast-on flat and confirm the edge runs in a single loop before joining.
• Use a unique marker for BOR. The other three markers are raglan markers.
• Top-down advantage: try it on before dividing the sleeves. The underarm divide should sit at your underarm. If it is high, work extra even rounds.
• Stitch counts appear in italics at checkpoints, with a quick validation.
• No short rows. Front and back are equal — the cowl is a round neck.

Pattern

Cowl

With 16" / 40 cm circular needle, using a long-tail cast-on (or another stretchy cast-on), CO 108 (112, 120, 128, 136) sts loosely. Place BOR marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

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

Repeat Rib rnd until cowl measures 8" / 20.5 cm from the cast-on edge.

Customization: For a slouchier cowl, work to 10–12" / 25.5–30.5 cm. For a shorter mock-neck, work 4–5" / 10–12.5 cm.

Switch to the 32" / 80 cm circular when the stitches feel crowded (you may switch now or during the yoke).

Yoke setup

The next round is knit (stockinette) and places the four raglan markers. BOR is the start of the Back.

Setup rnd: K 40 (42, 44, 48, 50) (Back), pm, k 14 (14, 16, 16, 18) (Left Sleeve), pm, k 40 (42, 44, 48, 50) (Front), pm, k 14 (14, 16, 16, 18) (Right Sleeve) to BOR.

108 (112, 120, 128, 136) sts still on the needle: 40+14+40+14 = 108 ✓ (42+14+42+14 = 112 ✓, 44+16+44+16 = 120 ✓, 48+16+48+16 = 128 ✓, 50+18+50+18 = 136 ✓).

Raglan increases

Inc rnd: *Kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slm; repeat from * 3 more times.

8 stitches increased — 2 in each section.

Even rnd: Knit all stitches, slipping markers.

Work Inc rnd once, then Even rnd once. Repeat these 2 rounds 20 (23, 27, 29, 33) more times.

You have worked the Inc rnd 21 (24, 28, 30, 34) times total.

Stitch count: 276 (304, 344, 368, 408) sts. 108 + (8 × 21) = 276 ✓; 112 + (8 × 24) = 304 ✓; 120 + (8 × 28) = 344 ✓; 128 + (8 × 30) = 368 ✓; 136 + (8 × 34) = 408 ✓.

Section counts after increases:

S: 40 + (2 × 21) = 82 Back, 14 + (2 × 21) = 56 sleeve ✓.

Yoke even

Knit every round (continue St st), slipping markers, until yoke measures 8½ (9, 9½, 10, 10½)" / 21.5 (23, 24, 25.5, 26.5) cm from the Setup rnd (the start of stockinette / base of the cowl), ending after an even (non-increase) round.

Try the sweater on. The fabric at the markers should reach your underarms with a little extra room. If it is short, work more even rounds.

Divide body and sleeves

Divide rnd:

1. Knit 82 (90, 100, 108, 118) Back stitches.
2. Place the next 56 (62, 72, 76, 86) Left Sleeve stitches on waste yarn or a holder. CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts onto the right needle for the left underarm. (Use a backward-loop / e-wrap cast-on.)
3. Knit 82 (90, 100, 108, 118) Front stitches.
4. Place the next 56 (62, 72, 76, 86) Right Sleeve stitches on waste yarn or a holder. CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts for the right underarm.
5. You are at BOR. The round now contains only body stitches.

Remove the three raglan markers (keep BOR). Optional: place side markers at the center of each underarm cast-on to mark the sides.

Body: 180 (200, 220, 240, 260) sts. S: 82 + 8 + 82 + 8 = 180 ✓ (36") ; M: 90 + 10 + 90 + 10 = 200 ✓ (40") ; L: 100 + 10 + 100 + 10 = 220 ✓ (44") ; XL: 108 + 12 + 108 + 12 = 240 ✓ (48") ; 2X: 118 + 12 + 118 + 12 = 260 ✓ (52").

Body

Work even in St st (knit every round) until body measures 14 (14½, 15, 15½, 16)" / 35.5 (37, 38, 40.5, 40.5) cm from the underarm divide.

Hem rib: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end. Repeat until rib measures 2" / 5 cm.

180 (200, 220, 240, 260) is a multiple of 4, so 2×2 rib lines up ✓.

Bind off loosely in rib (k the knits, p the purls). If the hem feels tight, use a larger needle for the bind-off, or a stretchy bind-off.

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same.

Return 56 (62, 72, 76, 86) held sleeve stitches to DPNs (or magic-loop circular). With the right side facing, beginning at the center of the underarm, pick up and knit 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts along the underarm cast-on, then knit across the sleeve stitches. Place BOR at the center of the underarm.

64 (72, 82, 88, 98) sts. 56 + 8 = 64 ✓; 62 + 10 = 72 ✓; 72 + 10 = 82 ✓; 76 + 12 = 88 ✓; 86 + 12 = 98 ✓.

If a small hole appears at either underarm corner, pick up 1 extra stitch in the gap and knit it together with an adjacent stitch on the next round so the count returns to 64 (72, 82, 88, 98).

Knit 3 rounds even.

Dec rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before BOR, ssk, k1. 2 sts decreased.

Work Dec rnd every 8th (7th, 6th, 5th, 4th) round 12 (14, 19, 20, 25) times total.

Cuff count: 40 (44, 44, 48, 48) sts. 64 − (2 × 12) = 40 ✓; 72 − (2 × 14) = 44 ✓; 82 − (2 × 19) = 44 ✓; 88 − (2 × 20) = 48 ✓; 98 − (2 × 25) = 48 ✓.

After the last decrease, work even in St st (if needed) until sleeve measures 15 (15½, 16, 16½, 17)" / 38 (39.5, 40.5, 42, 43) cm from the underarm.

Cuff rib: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end. Repeat until cuff measures 2" / 5 cm.

40 (44, 44, 48, 48) is a multiple of 4 ✓.

Bind off loosely in rib.

Repeat for the second sleeve.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends on the wrong side. At the underarms, use the tail to close any remaining gap, then weave in.
2. Block. Soak in lukewarm water with a little wool wash for 15–20 minutes. Press out water (do not wring). Lay flat to the finished measurements, gently shaping the cowl and smoothing the raglan lines. Let dry completely.
3. After blocking, weave in any remaining tails.

Customization

• Cowl height: 8" / 20.5 cm is a standing/foldable cowl. Work 4–5" for a mock neck, 10–12" for extra slouch. Cast-on count does not change.
• Length: Add or subtract even rounds on the body before the hem. Each 1" / 2.5 cm is about 7 rounds.
• Sleeves: For three-quarter sleeves, work to about 12" / 30.5 cm from the underarm including cuff, still decreasing to the cuff count. For short sleeves, divide, knit 1–2" / 2.5–5 cm even, then work 1" / 2.5 cm rib and bind off (skip most decreases; if the upper arm feels wide, decrease every other round 4–6 times first).
• Texture: After the cowl, seed stitch or moss stitch may replace stockinette on the yoke and body. Keep the same stitch counts. If you use a pattern with a repeat (e.g., a 4-st or 6-st texture), adjust the cast-on to a multiple of that repeat and of 4 so the cowl rib still works — then redistribute the four raglan sections so Front = Back and the two sleeves match.
• Fit: This is a relaxed raglan. If you prefer a closer sleeve, work decrease rounds more often. If the body is long enough but you want more ease, this design does not add body-only increases; choose a larger size instead.
• Yarn: DK will make a smaller sweater at this stitch count; bulky will make a larger one. Recalculate from your gauge: finished chest (inches) × your stitches per inch = target body count, then keep underarm and raglan structure the same in spirit.

Checklist before you bind off

• [ ] Cowl fits over the head and sits how you like
• [ ] Yoke depth reaches the underarm on the body
• [ ] Body stitch count is 180 (200, 220, 240, 260)
• [ ] Hem and cuffs are bound off loosely enough to stretch with the rib
• [ ] Both sleeves match in length

Enjoy your pullover.