Grayscale & Lavender Oversized Raglan Pullover

Top-down seamless crew neck with 6 stripe recipes

A boxy, try-on-as-you-go pullover worked in one piece from the neck down. Four raglan lines grow from the crew neck to the underarms. There is no sewing except weaving in ends. Ribbed neckband, hem, and cuffs frame six different stripe plans using Alize Lanagold Classic in Light Gray, Gray, Dark Gray, and Lavender.

Skill level: Beginner-friendly (first seamless sweater). If you can knit, purl, and work in the round, you can make this. New techniques (M1L, M1R, German short rows, jogless stripes) are written out in full.

Sizes

Women’s 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
Shown as oversized with about 6–8" / 15–20.5 cm positive ease. Pick the size closest to your actual bust; the ease is already built in.

Instructions are written S (M, L, XL, 2XL). When only one number appears, it applies to all sizes.

Finished measurements

Measurements are after wet blocking. Lengths are easy to change: try the sweater on before the hem and cuffs.

Yarn

Alize Lanagold Classic (49% wool, 51% acrylic; 262 yd / 240 m per 100 g ball), worsted weight, in:

• Color A: 684 Light Gray (світло-сірий)
• Color B: 21 Gray (сірий)
• Color C: 182 Dark Gray (темно-сірий)
• Color D: 200 Lavender (лавандовий)

Total yarn (all colors together):
1200 (1350, 1550, 1750, 2000) yd / 1100 (1235, 1420, 1600, 1830) m
5 (6, 7, 8, 9) balls of 100 g.

Ball counts by stripe variant are under Stripe Recipes. Buy one extra ball of your main ribbing color if you are a loose knitter or want a longer body.

Substitute: Any worsted yarn that matches gauge. A wool or wool-blend will look closest to Lanagold.

Needles

• US 7 / 4.5 mm — 16" (40 cm) circular for the neckband; 32" (80 cm) circular for the hem; double-pointed needles or a short circular / magic loop for the cuffs.
• US 8 / 5 mm — 32" (80 cm) circular for yoke and body; 16" (40 cm) circular or DPNs / magic loop for sleeves.

Use the needle size you need to match gauge, even if it is not US 8.

Notions

• 5 stitch markers (one unique for beginning of round, 4 for raglan lines)
• Waste yarn or extra cables for holding sleeve stitches
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Optional: row counter (very helpful for stripes)

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rounds = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch, worked in the round on US 8 / 5 mm needles, after blocking.

Work a circular swatch: cast on 28 sts, join, knit 32 rounds, bind off, wash, and dry flat. Measure the center 4".

• Too many stitches in 4" → go up a needle size.
• Too few stitches in 4" → go down a needle size.

Gauge matters more than the needle number printed on the ball band.

Construction notes

This is a top-down raglan worked seamlessly in the round.

Neckline method: Full-circumference crew neck. You cast on the entire neck, join, and work the neckband. German short rows then raise the back only. Do not cast on extra front-neck stitches after the short rows — the full neck is already on the needles.

Raglan increases: 8 stitches every other round (2 stitches at each of the 4 raglan lines) using M1L and M1R.

Fit: Oversized, straight body, no waist shaping. Drop-in sleeves are not used; the diagonal raglan lines run from neck to underarm.

Work the neckband, hem, and cuffs in the ribbing color given in your stripe recipe. Work the rest in stockinette (knit every round) while following that recipe.

Abbreviations (US)

BO — bind off
BOR — beginning of round
CO — cast on
DS — double stitch (German short row)
inc — increase
k — knit
k2tog — knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
m — marker
M1L — make 1 left (see Techniques)
M1R — make 1 right (see Techniques)
p — purl
pm — place marker
rep — repeat
rnd(s) — round(s)
RS — right side
sm — slip marker
ssk — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
st(s) — stitch(es)
St st — stockinette stitch (knit every round)
WS — wrong side
wyib — with yarn in back

Techniques

M1L (make 1 left)

From the front, lift the bar between the stitch just knitted and the next stitch with the left needle. Knit into the back of that loop. This increase leans left.

M1R (make 1 right)

From the back, lift the bar between the stitch just knitted and the next stitch with the left needle. Knit into the front of that loop. This increase leans right.

German short row — make a double stitch (DS)

After you turn the work, the working yarn is in front. Slip the first stitch purlwise. Pull the working yarn up and over the right needle to the back so the stitch looks like two legs on the needle. That is 1 DS. On a RS row, bring the yarn wyib ready to knit; on a WS row, bring it between the needles to the front ready to purl. When you meet a DS later, knit (or purl) both legs together as one stitch.

Jogless stripe (use this at every color change)

Knit the first round of the new color as usual. At the start of the second round of that color, lift the right leg of the stitch below the first stitch onto the left needle and k2tog with the first stitch. This tucks the jog.

Backward-loop cast-on (underarms)

Loop the working yarn over your thumb and place the loop on the right needle. Repeat for the required number of stitches. Keep these loops snug but not tight.

2×2 rib

K2, p2 around. Every round: knit the knits and purl the purls.

Stripe Recipes

Choose one variant before you start. Ribbing colors and stripe widths are listed below. The same knitting instructions follow all six recipes.

Start a yoke/body round counter at Round 1 of the yoke (the first stockinette round after the neckband, including short-row set-up). Sleeves get their own counter from the underarm; to match stripes at the underarm, begin each sleeve on the same stripe row the body was on at separation.

Leave 6" (15 cm) tails at every color change and weave them in on the WS during finishing. For stripes of 10 rounds or wider, break the old yarn. For 2- and 4-round stripes you may carry the unused color loosely up the WS for at most 4–6 rounds; otherwise break it so the floats do not pull.

Yarn amounts by variant

Balls are 100 g. “+ribbing” means that color also works neck, hem, and cuffs.

S (M, L, XL, 2XL) total still 5 (6, 7, 8, 9) balls.

Variant 1 — Mist to Storm (ombré fade)

A quiet gray fade with lavender “horizon” lines.

• Neckband: A
• Hem and cuffs: C
• Yoke: A
• After sleeve separation: 4 rnds D, then B until the body measures half the remaining length to the hem rib
• Lower body: 4 rnds D, then C to the hem rib
• Sleeves: A for the first third of the sleeve, 4 rnds D, B for the middle third, 4 rnds D, C to the cuff

Balls A / B / C / D: 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 (2 / 2 / 1 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 1, 3 / 2 / 2 / 1, 3 / 2 / 3 / 1)

Variant 2 — Equal Bands

Bold, graphic, and the easiest to memorize.

Repeat from the first yoke round through body and sleeves:

*10 rnds A, 10 rnds B, 10 rnds C, 10 rnds D; rep from *

Neckband, hem, and cuffs: C (or A if you prefer a lighter frame).

Balls A / B / C / D: 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 (2 / 2 / 1 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 2, 3 / 2 / 2 / 2)

Variant 3 — Pinstripe Quad

Skinny even stripes. Many ends — weave as you go.

Repeat from the first yoke round:

*2 rnds A, 2 rnds B, 2 rnds C, 2 rnds D; rep from *

Neckband, hem, and cuffs: A.

Tip: Work from two balls at a time if managing four attached yarns feels fussy; break and restart every 8 rounds.

Balls A / B / C / D: 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 (2 / 2 / 1 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 2, 3 / 2 / 2 / 2)

Variant 4 — Lavender Lightning

Wide gray fields, thin lavender flash.

Repeat from the first yoke round:

*16 rnds A, 16 rnds B, 16 rnds C, 4 rnds D; rep from *

Neckband: A. Hem and cuffs: C.

Balls A / B / C / D: 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 (2 / 2 / 1 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 1, 3 / 2 / 2 / 1, 3 / 2 / 3 / 1)

Variant 5 — Wide Gray, Thin Lavender

Three gray fields separated by lavender pinstripes.

Repeat from the first yoke round:

*20 rnds A, 4 rnds D, 20 rnds B, 4 rnds D, 20 rnds C, 4 rnds D; rep from *

Neckband, hem, and cuffs: C.

Balls A / B / C / D: 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 (2 / 2 / 1 / 1, 2 / 2 / 2 / 1, 3 / 2 / 2 / 1, 3 / 2 / 3 / 1)

Variant 6 — Striped Yoke, Quiet Body

The color-work energy sits on the shoulders; the body is restful.

• Neckband: C
• Entire yoke (cast-on through sleeve separation): *4 rnds D, 4 rnds A, 4 rnds B, 4 rnds C; rep from *
• Body: solid A to the hem rib
• Sleeves: solid A to the cuff rib
• Hem and cuffs: C

Balls A / B / C / D: 3 / 1 / 1 / 1 (3 / 1 / 1 / 1, 4 / 1 / 1 / 1, 4 / 1 / 2 / 1, 5 / 1 / 2 / 1)

Pattern

Neckband (full-circumference crew neck)

With smaller needle (US 7 / 4.5 mm) and the neckband color from your recipe, using a long-tail cast-on, CO 76 (80, 88, 92, 96) sts. Place a unique BOR marker and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist.

Check: 76 (80, 88, 92, 96) is a multiple of 4, so 2×2 rib fits evenly ✓.

Work 2×2 rib (k2, p2) for 1¼" / 3 cm, about 8 rounds.

Set up the yoke

Change to larger needle (US 8 / 5 mm). Cut the ribbing yarn if your recipe uses a different yoke color; join the first yoke color.

Set-up round: Knit and place the 4 raglan markers as follows:

K 34 (36, 40, 42, 44) Back sts, pm,
k 4 Left Sleeve sts, pm,
k 34 (36, 40, 42, 44) Front sts, pm,
k 4 Right Sleeve sts.

BOR marker is already at the start of the Back. You now have 5 markers: BOR + 4 raglan markers.

Check: 34 + 4 + 34 + 4 = 76 ✓
36 + 4 + 36 + 4 = 80 ✓
40 + 4 + 40 + 4 = 88 ✓
42 + 4 + 42 + 4 = 92 ✓
44 + 4 + 44 + 4 = 96 ✓

The 4 sleeve stitches look few. That is correct — the sleeves grow from the raglan increases.

Back short rows (German short rows)

These rows raise the back of the neck so the front sits a little lower. You are working back and forth on stitches that are already on the needles. Do not cast on extra front stitches.

Stitch order in the round: BOR → Back → Left Sleeve → Front → Right Sleeve → BOR.

Short Row 1 (RS): Knit all Back sts, sm, k 2 Left Sleeve sts, turn. MDS.

Short Row 2 (WS): Purl back to BOR, sm, p 2 Right Sleeve sts (the 2 sts of the Right Sleeve that sit next to the Back), turn. MDS.

Short Row 3 (RS): Knit to the DS, knit the DS as 1 st (both legs together), k 2 more, turn. MDS.

Short Row 4 (WS): Purl to the DS, purl the DS as 1 st, p 2 more, turn. MDS.

Short Rows 5–8: Rep Short Rows 3–4 twice more (4 short-row pairs total). Each pair walks 2 sts farther onto the sleeves and then 2–4 sts onto the Front. You are still using existing Front stitches — no extra cast-on.

Next (RS): Knit to BOR, knitting every DS as 1 st.

Next round: Knit 1 full round, knitting any remaining DS as 1 st. Stitch count is unchanged: 76 (80, 88, 92, 96) ✓.

Raglan yoke increases

You will increase 8 stitches every other round: one M1L and one M1R at each of the 4 raglan markers.

Increase round:
*Knit to the next raglan marker, M1L, sm, M1R; rep from * 3 more times, knit to BOR.
(8 sts increased)

Even round: Knit all sts, slipping markers.

Work Increase round then Even round 26 (29, 31, 34, 37) times.

Count checks (total sts after the listed increase rounds):

Stop when the markers hold:

• Back: 86 (94, 102, 110, 118) sts
• Left Sleeve: 56 (62, 66, 72, 78) sts
• Front: 86 (94, 102, 110, 118) sts
• Right Sleeve: 56 (62, 66, 72, 78) sts

Section math: each section gains 2 sts per increase round.
Front start 34 + (26 × 2) = 34 + 52 = 86 ✓
Sleeve start 4 + (26 × 2) = 4 + 52 = 56 ✓
(M: 36 + 58 = 94 Front, 4 + 58 = 62 Sleeve ✓
L: 40 + 62 = 102 Front, 4 + 62 = 66 Sleeve ✓
XL: 42 + 68 = 110 Front, 4 + 68 = 72 Sleeve ✓
2XL: 44 + 74 = 118 Front, 4 + 74 = 78 Sleeve ✓)

Totals: 86 + 56 + 86 + 56 = 284 ✓ (312, 336, 364, 392) ✓

If center-front yoke (base of neckband to the underarm line) is still shorter than 8¾ (9¾, 10¼, 11¼, 12¼)" / 22 (25, 26, 28.5, 31) cm, work even rounds until that length. If it is already there, go on. Try the yoke on: the underarm markers should sit at the top of your underarm with a comfortable, oversized armhole.

Separate body and sleeves

Have waste yarn ready. Note your stripe round number so the sleeves can start on the same row of the recipe (stripes will then match at the underarm).

Separation round:
Knit 86 (94, 102, 110, 118) Back sts,
place the next 56 (62, 66, 72, 78) Left Sleeve sts onto waste yarn, removing the two sleeve markers,
CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) underarm sts using the backward-loop method,
knit 86 (94, 102, 110, 118) Front sts,
place the next 56 (62, 66, 72, 78) Right Sleeve sts onto waste yarn,
CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) underarm sts.

Place BOR at the center of the second underarm (or leave it at the start of the Back — either is fine; just be consistent).

Body stitch count:
86 + 8 + 86 + 8 = 188 ✓
94 + 10 + 94 + 10 = 208 ✓
102 + 10 + 102 + 10 = 224 ✓
110 + 12 + 110 + 12 = 244 ✓
118 + 12 + 118 + 12 = 260 ✓

Bust check: 188 sts ÷ 18 sts × 4" = 41¾" ✓ (46¼, 49¾, 54¼, 57¾") ✓

Body

Work even in St st (knit every round), following your stripe recipe, until the body measures 12½ (13, 13½, 14, 14½)" / 32 (33, 34.5, 35.5, 37) cm from the underarm cast-on, or 2½" / 6.5 cm less than the total body length you want.

Hem
Change to smaller needle and the hem color from your recipe.
Work 2×2 rib for 2½" / 6.5 cm.
Check: 188 (208, 224, 244, 260) ÷ 4 = 47 (52, 56, 61, 65) ✓.

Bind off loosely in rib (use a needle one size larger if the edge feels tight).

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same way. Use DPNs, a short circular, or magic loop and the larger needle.

Place the held 56 (62, 66, 72, 78) sleeve sts back on the needle. Join the working yarn (same stripe row the body used at separation) at the center of the underarm. Pick up and knit 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts across the underarm cast-on — pick up 1 extra st in each underarm corner if you see a hole, then k2tog those extras on the next round so the count returns to target.

Place BOR at the center of the underarm.

Sleeve stitch count:
56 + 8 = 64 ✓
62 + 10 = 72 ✓
66 + 10 = 76 ✓
72 + 12 = 84 ✓
78 + 12 = 90 ✓

Knit 6 rounds even.

Decrease round: K1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before BOR, ssk, k1. (2 sts decreased)

Shape the sleeve as follows, keeping the stripe recipe going:

• S: Work Decrease round every 6th round 14 times.
  64 − (14 × 2) = 36 sts ✓
• M: Work Decrease round every 6th round 16 times.
  72 − (16 × 2) = 40 sts ✓
• L: Work Decrease round every 5th round 18 times.
  76 − (18 × 2) = 40 sts ✓
• XL: Work Decrease round every 5th round 20 times.
  84 − (20 × 2) = 44 sts ✓
• 2XL: Work Decrease round every 4th round 23 times.
  90 − (23 × 2) = 44 sts ✓

After the decreases, work even until the sleeve measures 15½ (16, 16½, 16½, 17)" / 39.5 (40.5, 42, 42, 43) cm from the underarm, or 2½" / 6.5 cm less than the desired total sleeve length.

Cuff
Change to smaller needle and the cuff color from your recipe.
Work 2×2 rib for 2½" / 6.5 cm.
Check: 36 (40, 40, 44, 44) ÷ 4 = 9 (10, 10, 11, 11) ✓.

Bind off loosely in rib.

Repeat for the second sleeve.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends on the WS. For stripe tails, split the plies and weave each half in a different direction so they stay put.
2. Close any remaining underarm gap with the tapestry needle (a stitch or two is enough).
3. Wet block: Soak in lukewarm water with a little wool wash for 15 minutes. Press out water (do not wring). Lay flat to the finished measurements. Let dry fully.
4. Trim remaining tails.

Beginner tips

• Count between markers every 5 increase rounds. Catching a missed M1 early is much easier than ripping a whole yoke.
• Try it on. After the yoke, slip stitches onto a longer cable or waste yarn and pull it over your head. The underarms should feel roomy, not tight.
• Length is not locked in. Add or subtract even rounds on the body and sleeves before the ribbing.
• M1L vs M1R. If one increase looks like a hole, you probably knitted into the wrong leg — undo that stitch and remake it. The fabric around the marker should look like a neat diagonal pair of stitches.
• Do not panic at 4 sleeve stitches. After 5 increase rounds each sleeve has 14 sts and already looks like a sleeve.
• Jogless join on round 2 of every new color keeps the BOR from looking like a zipper.
• Oversized cuffs and hem should be bound off loosely so they do not squeeze the boxy body.

Quick recap of the numbers

Happy knitting — pick a stripe recipe, put on a row counter, and enjoy the four colors stacking up from the neck down.