Harvest Flow Cardigan

A flowy, oversized top-down raglan cardigan with autumn diamond colorwork at hem and cuffs

Skill level: Easy
Construction: Seamless top-down raglan, knitted flat through the body and in the round on the sleeves.

This is an open, relaxed cardigan — deep armholes, generous ease, and a wide-ish neckline meant to be worn layered. Colorwork is a small 2-color diamond (9-st repeat, floats of 3 sts or fewer). Only two colors are used, and only two yarns are held on any row.

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL)

To fit bust: 34–36 (38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52, 54–56)" / 86.5–91.5 (96.5–101.5, 106.5–112, 117–122, 127–132, 137–142) cm

Shown as a size range; choose the size whose to-fit number matches your bust. The finished garment has about 8" / 20.5 cm of positive ease for an oversized, flowy hang.

Finished measurements (after blocking)

Metric (finished bust): 106.5 (117, 127, 137, 147.5, 157.5) cm.

The neckline is intentionally open. It will not sit like a fitted crew. Wear it open, or close the top button.

Yarn

Worsted weight (about 200–220 yd / 180–200 m per 100 g)

MC (main color) — rust, pumpkin, deep olive, or burgundy heather
1200 (1350, 1500, 1700, 1900, 2100) yd / 1100 (1235, 1370, 1555, 1740, 1920) m
6 (7, 7, 8, 9, 10) skeins at 220 yd / 201 m

CC (contrast) — mustard, gold, or warm cream
120 (130, 140, 160, 180, 200) yd / 110 (120, 130, 145, 165, 185) m
1 skein

Two-color autumn look: MC rust + CC gold, or MC forest + CC amber. Sample idea: MC burnt henna, CC goldenrod.

Needles

• US 8 / 5 mm circular, 32–40" / 80–100 cm, for body
• US 8 / 5 mm DPNs or 16" / 40 cm circular, for sleeves
• US 7 / 4.5 mm circular, 32–40" / 80–100 cm, for ribbing and button band
• US 7 / 4.5 mm DPNs or short circular, for cuff ribbing

Use the needle size you need to match gauge. If colorwork draws in, go up one needle size for the charts only.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers (plus 1 unique BOR marker for sleeves)
• Waste yarn or extra cables for holding sleeves
• Tapestry needle
• 6 (6, 6, 7, 7, 7) buttons, ¾–1" / 19–25 mm
• Optional: 2 locking markers for buttonhole placement

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on US 8 / 5 mm, blocked.

Swatch: Cast on 28 sts. Work 36 rows in stockinette. Bind off. Wash and dry as you will treat the cardigan. Measure the center 4" / 10 cm.
Also knit a small colorwork swatch (two 9-st repeats × 16 rows). Colorwork should match stockinette stitch width; change needle size for the charts if it does not.

Gauge is critical for fit. At this gauge: 4.5 sts = 1" and 6 rows = 1".

Abbreviations (US)

BO — bind off
BOR — beginning of round
CC — contrast color
CO — cast on
k — knit
k2tog — knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
MC — main color
M1L — make 1 left: lift the strand between needles from front to back, knit through the back loop
M1R — make 1 right: lift the strand between needles from back to front, knit through the front loop
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 RS, purl WS; knit every rnd in the round)
WS — wrong side
yo — yarn over

Notes

• Worked flat from the right-front edge (as worn) on RS rows. Sleeves are worked in the round.
• Raglan increases: on RS, work to marker, M1R, sm, M1L. That is 2 sts at each of 4 markers = 8 sts.
• After the sleeves reach their stitch count, switch to body-only increases (4 sts: skip the two sleeve markers).
• 3XL armhole is deep on purpose (13½") so the body can be oversized without a tight raglan.
• Colorwork at the hem is worked flat; on WS rows, purl every stitch in the color shown, carrying the unused yarn loosely on the WS. Colorwork at the cuffs is knit every round.
• Women’s button placement: buttonholes on the right front (as worn). Reverse bands if you prefer the other side.
• Slip markers as you meet them unless the instruction removes them.

Pattern

Neck and yoke

With US 8 / 5 mm and MC, using a long-tail cast-on, CO 76 (82, 88, 94, 104, 116) sts.

Setup row (WS): P10 (12, 12, 14, 16, 18), pm, p12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 16), pm, p32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 48), pm, p12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 16), pm, p10 (12, 12, 14, 16, 18).
(Sections: right front, sleeve, back, sleeve, left front. 10+12+32+12+10 = 76 ✓; 18+16+48+16+18 = 116 ✓.)

Raglan Inc Row (RS): K to marker, M1R, sm, M1L; [k to marker, M1R, sm, M1L] 3 times; k to end. (8 sts increased.)
WS: Purl.

Work Raglan Inc Row every RS row 22 (24, 26, 28, 28, 30) times, purling all WS rows.
Sleeve after these rows: 12 + 2×22 = 56 (M: 12+48 = 60; L: 14+52 = 66; XL: 14+56 = 70; 2XL: 16+56 = 72; 3XL: 16+60 = 76) ✓.

Body-only Inc Row (RS): K to first marker, M1R, sm, M1L, k to second marker, sm, k to third marker, M1R, sm, M1L, k to fourth marker, sm, k to end. (4 sts increased — fronts and back only; sleeves unchanged.)
WS: Purl.

Work Body-only Inc Row every RS row 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) times.
Total RS increase rows: 22+6 = 28 (30, 34, 36, 38, 40) ✓.

Stitch count at end of yoke

3XL check: RF 18+40 = 58; back 48+80 = 128; sleeves 16+60 = 76; 58+76+128+76+58 = 396 ✓.
Yoke depth is about 9½ (10¼, 11½, 12¼, 12¾, 13½)" / 24 (26, 29, 31, 32.5, 34.5) cm.

Divide body and sleeves

Divide row (RS): K38 (42, 46, 50, 54, 58) right-front sts, remove marker. Place next 56 (60, 66, 70, 72, 76) sleeve sts on waste yarn, remove marker. Using the backward-loop method, CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 14, 12) underarm sts. K88 (94, 104, 110, 116, 128) back sts, remove marker. Place next 56 (60, 66, 70, 72, 76) sleeve sts on waste yarn, remove marker. CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 14, 12) underarm sts. K38 (42, 46, 50, 54, 58) left-front sts.

Body sts: 38+8+88+8+38 = 180 (198, 216, 234, 252, 268) ✓.
3XL: 58+12+128+12+58 = 268 ✓.

Next row (WS): Purl across, purling the new underarm sts.

Body

Work even in St st (knit RS, purl WS) until body measures 11 (11, 12, 12, 12, 12)" / 28 (28, 30.5, 30.5, 30.5, 30.5) cm from the divide, ending with a WS row.

Size 3XL only — setup for colorwork (RS): Knit, increasing 2 sts evenly across the row. 270 sts (30 × 9 = 270 ✓). Purl 1 WS row.
All other sizes: Body is already a multiple of 9 (180 = 20×9, 198 = 22×9, 216 = 24×9, 234 = 26×9, 252 = 28×9 ✓). Begin colorwork on the next RS row.

Hem colorwork (worked flat)

Join CC. Work the Autumn Diamonds chart (see Chart section) over all body sts.

• RS rows: knit the 9-st repeat across.
• WS rows: purl the 9-st repeat across, reading the written WS rows as given (already in working order).
• Catch floats every 3 sts if a float feels long. Keep floats soft — tight floats pull the hem in.

Work Chart Rows 1–8 twice (16 rows). Cut CC.

With MC, work 2 rows St st.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm.

Hem ribbing:
RS: *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
WS: *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
(Every row begins with k1 so both front edges are knit stitches — a firm pickup edge.)

Work 1×1 rib until hem measures 2" / 5 cm. BO loosely in rib.

Sleeves

Place 56 (60, 66, 70, 72, 76) held sleeve sts on US 8 / 5 mm DPNs or short circular. With MC and RS facing, starting at the center of the underarm cast-on, pick up and knit 4 (5, 5, 6, 7, 6) sts along the first half of the underarm, knit the held sts, pick up and knit 4 (5, 5, 6, 7, 6) sts along the second half of the underarm. Pm for BOR.

64 (70, 76, 82, 86, 88) sts.
3XL: 6+76+6 = 88 ✓.

Knit 4 rnds even.

Decrease rnd: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. (2 sts decreased.)

Work Decrease rnd every 5th (4th, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd) rnd 14 (17, 20, 23, 25, 26) times.
36 sts remain all sizes.
S: 64 − 2×14 = 36 ✓. 3XL: 88 − 2×26 = 36 ✓.
36 = 4 × 9 ✓.

If the sleeve is short of 12 (12, 12½, 12½, 13, 13)" / 30.5 (30.5, 32, 32, 33, 33) cm from underarm, knit even to that length.

Cuff colorwork (in the round)

Join CC. Work Autumn Diamonds in the round: knit every round, 4 repeats of 9 sts. Work Chart Rows 1–8 twice (16 rnds). Cut CC.

With MC, knit 2 rnds.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm.

Cuff ribbing: *K1, p1; rep from * around. Work until cuff measures 2½" / 6.5 cm. BO loosely in rib.

Work the second sleeve the same way.

Button band

With US 7 / 4.5 mm, MC, and RS facing, beginning at the lower right front (as worn, hem edge):

Pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along the right front to the neck cast-on, pick up and knit 1 st in each neck cast-on st, then pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows down the left front to the hem.

Pickup guide (approximate — 3-in-4 along each front, plus neck CO):
Right front ≈ 113 (117, 127, 131, 135, 139) sts
Neck CO = 76 (82, 88, 94, 104, 116) sts
Left front ≈ 113 (117, 127, 131, 135, 139) sts
Total ≈ 302 (316, 342, 356, 374, 394) sts.

If the count is even, pick up 1 extra st at the center back neck so 1×1 rib starts and ends with a knit st. Do not stress the exact number; even pickup and a firm but not tight edge matter more.

Row 1 (WS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end (adjust by 1 st at the back neck if needed so the row ends with p1, k1).
Row 2 (RS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.

Work 3 more rows in 1×1 rib (5 rows total from pickup), ending with a WS row.

Buttonhole row (RS): Work in rib across the right-front section only, placing 6 (6, 6, 7, 7, 7) buttonholes evenly.
Buttonhole: work to hole, yo, k2tog, continue in rib.
Place the first hole ¾" / 2 cm below the neck corner and the last hole 1" / 2.5 cm above the hem. Space the remaining holes evenly between them (use locking markers on the RS before you work the row). Work in rib around the neck and down the left front with no holes.

Work 4 more rows in 1×1 rib (about 1½" / 4 cm band total). BO loosely in rib.

Finishing

Weave in ends, closing any small gaps at the underarms with the tail.

Block to the finished measurements. Soak in lukewarm water, press out water in a towel, and pin or pat the body into a relaxed rectangle — do not stretch the ribbing. The colorwork bands should lie flat; if they pull, pin them to the same width as the stockinette above.

Sew buttons to the left band opposite the buttonholes.

Autumn Diamonds colorwork

9-st repeat. 8 rows, worked twice (16 rows/rnds).
MC = main color  CC = gold / mustard

In the round (cuffs): knit every round.
Flat (hem): knit RS rows; purl WS rows in the same colors.

Written instructions (working order)

Row/Rnd 1 (RS): *K3 MC, k3 CC, k3 MC; rep from *.
Row 2 (WS, flat): *P3 MC, p3 CC, p3 MC; rep from *.
Rnd 2 (in the round): *K3 MC, k3 CC, k3 MC; rep from *.

Row/Rnd 3: *K2 MC, k2 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k2 MC; rep from *.
Row 4 (WS, flat): *P1 CC, p2 MC, p1 CC, p1 MC, p1 CC, p2 MC, p1 CC; rep from *.
Rnd 4 (in the round): *K1 CC, k2 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k1 CC; rep from *.

Row/Rnd 5: *K1 MC, k2 CC, k3 MC, k2 CC, k1 MC; rep from *.
Row 6 (WS, flat): P2 CC, p2 MC, p1 CC, p2 MC, p2 CC; wait — use the chart row below.
Use Chart Row 6 (safer than memorizing WS): on WS, purl 9 sts in this color order, reading left to right as written here:
Row 6 (WS): *P2 MC, p2 CC, p1 MC, p2 CC, p2 MC; rep from *.
Rnd 6: *K2 MC, k2 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k2 MC; rep from *.

Row/Rnd 7: *K3 MC, k3 CC, k3 MC; rep from *.
Row 8 (WS, flat): *P4 MC, p1 CC, p4 MC; rep from *.
Rnd 8: *K4 MC, k1 CC, k4 MC; rep from *.

Rep Rows/Rnds 1–8 once more.

Chart (9 sts)

Read RS / in-the-round rows left to right. Read WS rows right to left if you prefer the grid; the written WS rows above are already reversed for you.

X = CC  . = MC

Row 8:  . . . . X . . . .
Row 7:  . . . X X X . . .
Row 6:  . . X X . X X . .
Row 5:  . X X . . . X X .
Row 4:  X . . X . X . . X
Row 3:  . . X X . X X . .
Row 2:  . . . X X X . . .
Row 1:  . . . X X X . . .

Row 1 and Row 2 are the same colors stacked (a solid 3-st CC block) so the first contrast bar is crisp. Max float: 3 sts.

Schematic (blocked)

                 back neck
              |← 7–10¾" →|
         _______________
        /     yoke       \     yoke depth 9½ (10¼, 11½, 12¼, 12¾, 13½)"
       /   raglan lines   \
      /___________________\
      |                   |     bust 42 (46, 50, 54, 58, 62)" buttoned
      |       body        |
      |                   |     underarm to hem 15¾–17"
      |    colorwork  ~2¾"|
      |______ rib 2" _____|

Sleeves: upper arm 14¼ (15½, 17, 18¼, 19, 19½)"
         taper to cuff colorwork on 36 sts, then 2½" rib

3XL snapshot (inline checks)
CO 116 (18+16+48+16+18 = 116 ✓) → 30 full raglan RS rows + 10 body-only RS rows = 40 increase rows (80 rows + 1 setup = 81 rows ≈ 13½" ✓) → divide 58 | 76 | 128 | 76 | 58 → underarms 12+12 → body 268 ✓ → +2 at hem = 270 (30×9 ✓) → sleeves 88 → 26 decrease rnds → 36 cuff sts (4×9 ✓).