Northline Raglan Cardigan

Seamless top-down raglan cardigan in worsted weight

A classic hip-length cardigan worked in one piece from the neck down. Four raglan lines shape the yoke; sleeves are placed on hold at underarm, underarm stitches are cast on, and the body continues flat to the hem. Sleeves are worked in the round from the held stitches. A continuous 1×1 rib band is picked up along the front edges and neck, with seven buttonholes.

Skill level: Intermediate (raglan shaping, two-phase increases, picking up stitches, working in the round, buttonholes).

Sizes

Women’s Small (Medium, Large, 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 Choose a size with 2–4" (5–10 cm) of positive ease at the bust.

Instructions are written for Small with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Finished measurements (after blocking, buttoned)

Ease is included in the finished bust. The knitted body (fronts + back + underarms) equals the finished bust; button bands overlap and do not add circumference.

Yarn

Worsted weight yarn (CYC 4), approximately 200 yd / 183 m per 100 g. 1000 (1150, 1300, 1500, 1700) yd / 915 (1050, 1190, 1370, 1555) m Wool, wool-blend, or a wool/acrylic with good stitch definition and memory. Smooth plied yarns show the raglan lines cleanly.

Needles

• US 8 / 5 mm circular, 32" / 80 cm or longer (body); same size DPNs or long circular for magic-loop sleeves
• US 7 / 4.5 mm circular, 32" / 80 cm (ribbing and button band); matching small-circumference needles for cuffs Adjust needle size to obtain gauge.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers, plus 1 distinct marker for beginning of round on sleeves
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• 7 buttons, ¾" / 19 mm diameter

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on US 8 / 5 mm, blocked. 4.5 sts/inch; 6 rows/inch.

Gauge is critical for fit. Row gauge controls yoke depth; if your row gauge differs, the raglan will run long or short even when stitch gauge is correct.

Gauge swatch

With US 8 / 5 mm, CO 24 sts. Work 32 rows in stockinette (knit RS, purl WS). Bind off. Wet-block and let dry. Measure 18 sts and 24 rows in the center of the swatch (avoid edges).

• More than 18 sts in 4" → try a larger needle.
• Fewer than 18 sts in 4" → try a smaller needle. Match blocked gauge, not unblocked.

Abbreviations (US)

Pattern notes

• Cardigan is worked flat through yoke and body; sleeves are worked in the round.
• The first and last 2 sts of every row are knit on both RS and WS (garter selvedge) for a stable front edge.
• Raglan increases use M1R before each marker and M1L after each marker (8 sts increased on all-raglan rows; 4 sts on body-only rows).
• Two-phase yoke: increase at all four raglan lines until the sleeves are the correct width, then increase only on the body side of the markers until the body is the correct width.
• Women’s buttoning: buttonholes on the right front (wearer’s right).
• Slip markers as you come to them unless instructed otherwise.

Yoke

With US 8 / 5 mm circular and long-tail cast-on, CO 76 (88, 100, 108, 120) sts.

Setup row (WS): K2, purl to last 2 sts placing markers as follows, k2:

K2, p 6 (10, 12, 14, 16), PM, p 14 (14, 16, 16, 18), PM, p 32 (36, 40, 44, 48), PM, p 14 (14, 16, 16, 18), PM, p 6 (10, 12, 14, 16), k2.

Stitch map (including the 2-st garter edges inside the front counts): Left front 8 (12, 14, 16, 18) | sleeve 14 (14, 16, 16, 18) | back 32 (36, 40, 44, 48) | sleeve 14 (14, 16, 16, 18) | right front 8 (12, 14, 16, 18) = 76 (88, 100, 108, 120) ✓

Phase 1 — all raglan increases

Increase row (RS): K2, *knit to marker, M1R, slm, M1L; repeat from * 3 more times, knit to last 2 sts, k2. 8 sts increased.

WS row: K2, purl to last 2 sts, k2.

Repeat these 2 rows 17 (20, 22, 25, 27) more times — 18 (21, 23, 26, 28) increase rows total.

Stitch count: 76 (88, 100, 108, 120) + 18 (21, 23, 26, 28) × 8 = 220 (256, 284, 316, 344) ✓

Distribution:

• Each front: 26 (33, 37, 42, 46) sts
• Each sleeve: 50 (56, 62, 68, 74) sts
• Back: 68 (78, 86, 96, 104) sts Check S: 26 + 50 + 68 + 50 + 26 = 220 ✓

Phase 2 — body-only increases

Sleeves are now at their underarm width. Increase only into the fronts and back.

Body-only increase row (RS): K2, knit to marker, M1R, slm, knit across sleeve to next marker, slm, M1L, knit to next marker, M1R, slm, knit across sleeve to next marker, slm, M1L, knit to last 2 sts, k2. 4 sts increased (1 each front, 2 on the back).

WS row: K2, purl to last 2 sts, k2.

Repeat these 2 rows 8 (6, 6, 5, 5) more times — 9 (7, 7, 6, 6) body-only increase rows total.

Stitch count: 220 (256, 284, 316, 344) + 9 (7, 7, 6, 6) × 4 = 256 (284, 312, 340, 368) ✓

Distribution:

• Each front: 35 (40, 44, 48, 52) sts
• Each sleeve: 50 (56, 62, 68, 74) sts (unchanged)
• Back: 86 (92, 100, 108, 116) sts Check S: 35 + 50 + 86 + 50 + 35 = 256 ✓ Fronts + back = 156 (172, 188, 204, 220) ✓

Yoke measures approximately 9 (9¼, 10, 10¾, 11¼)" / 23 (23.5, 25.5, 27.5, 28.5) cm from CO, with 54 (56, 60, 64, 68) rows. If you are short of that depth, work even (k2, knit to last 2, k2 on RS; k2, purl to last 2, k2 on WS) until the measurement is reached before dividing. If you have already reached it, divide on the next RS row.

Divide for body and sleeves

Divide row (RS): K2, knit across left front to first marker (35 (40, 44, 48, 52) sts), remove marker, place next 50 (56, 62, 68, 74) sleeve sts on waste yarn, remove marker, knitted-CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts for underarm, knit across back (86 (92, 100, 108, 116) sts), remove marker, place next 50 (56, 62, 68, 74) sleeve sts on waste yarn, remove marker, knitted-CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts for underarm, knit across right front to last 2 sts, k2.

Body stitches: 156 (172, 188, 204, 220) + 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) + 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) = 172 (192, 208, 228, 244) ✓

Optional: on the underarm CO, PM after 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts to mark each “side seam” for reference when picking up sleeves.

Next row (WS): K2, purl to last 2 sts, k2.

Body

Continue even in stockinette with garter selvedges:

• RS: K2, knit to last 2 sts, k2.
• WS: K2, purl to last 2 sts, k2.

Work until body measures 12 (12½, 13, 13½, 14)" / 30.5 (32, 33, 34.5, 35.5) cm from underarm, ending after a WS row. Total length from back neck will be about 21 (21¾, 23, 24¼, 25¼)" / 53.5 (55, 58.5, 61.5, 64) cm before the hem rib.

Hem

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm.

Rib row (RS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end. Rib row (WS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end (knit the knits and purl the purls).

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

Front edges will be covered by the button bands; the k1/p1 mismatch at the two selvedges will not show.

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same.

Place 50 (56, 62, 68, 74) held sleeve sts onto US 8 / 5 mm DPNs or a long circular for magic loop. With RS facing, beginning at the center of the underarm CO, pick up and knit 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts along the first half of the underarm, knit the held sts, pick up and knit 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts along the remaining underarm. PM for BOR at center underarm.

58 (66, 72, 80, 86) sts. Check: 50 + 8 = 58 (S); 56 + 10 = 66 (M); 62 + 10 = 72 (L); 68 + 12 = 80 (XL); 74 + 12 = 86 (2XL) ✓

If a small hole appears at either underarm corner, pick up 1 extra st in the gap and decrease it away (k2tog) on the next round.

Knit 6 rounds even (about 1" / 2.5 cm).

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

Work decrease round every 8 (6, 5, 5, 4)th round 11 (14, 16, 18, 20) times. 58 (66, 72, 80, 86) − 2 × 11 (14, 16, 18, 20) = 36 (38, 40, 44, 46) sts ✓

Then knit even until sleeve measures 15 (15½, 16, 16, 16½)" / 38 (39.5, 40.5, 40.5, 42) cm from underarm.

Cuff

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm.

Work 1×1 rib (*k1, p1; repeat from * to end of rnd) for 2" / 5 cm. BO loosely in rib.

Repeat for second sleeve.

Button band and neckband

With US 7 / 4.5 mm circular, RS facing, beginning at the lower right-front hem corner:

Pick up and knit approximately 104 (108, 112, 118, 124) sts along the right front edge (about 3 sts for every 4 rows), 76 (88, 100, 108, 120) sts around the neck (1 st for each CO st), and 104 (108, 112, 118, 124) sts along the left front edge.

Total: 284 (304, 324, 344, 368) sts ✓ — all even, ready for 1×1 rib.

If your row count differs, keep the 3-for-4 rate on the fronts and 1-for-1 on the neck, then increase or decrease 1 st on the first rib row if needed so the total is even. Do not stretch or pack the pickup; a slightly firm pickup makes a neater band.

Rib row (WS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end. Rib row (RS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.

Work 4 rows of 1×1 rib, ending after a WS row.

Buttonholes

Buttonholes are worked on the right front only (the first 104 (108, 112, 118, 124) sts, from hem up to the neck corner).

Buttonhole row (RS): Remaining in 1×1 rib, work 7 buttonholes evenly on the right-front section: the first about ¾" / 2 cm from the hem edge, the last about ¾" / 2 cm before the neck corner, and the other five equally spaced between them.

At each buttonhole: work to a knit stitch, k2tog, yo, then continue in rib. (The yo sits in the purl column on the following row; purl it as a purl to keep the rib.)

Work the remaining left-front and neck stitches in established rib with no buttonholes.

Work 5 more rows of 1×1 rib (band measures about 1¼" / 3 cm). BO loosely in rib.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends, using yarn tails at the underarms to close any remaining gaps.
2. Wet-block the cardigan to the finished measurements. Pin the fronts straight, the yoke smooth along the raglan lines, and the sleeves to length. Do not overstretch the ribbing.
3. After the garment is dry, sew seven ¾" / 19 mm buttons to the left front band, opposite the buttonholes.
4. Steam the bands lightly if they flare, or let the block set the rib.

Fit checkpoints

• After Phase 1: Each sleeve should measure about 11 (12½, 13¾, 15, 16½)" / 28 (32, 35, 38, 42) cm across the held stitches (before underarm pickup). That is expected; underarm stitches add the rest of the upper-arm ease.
• At the divide: Try the yoke on. The raglan lines should run from neck to a point 1–1½" / 2.5–4 cm below your actual underarm. If the yoke is short, work even before dividing. If it is long and the stitch counts are already correct, divide now — a slightly long raglan is more wearable than a tight underarm.
• Body length: 14 (14½, 15, 15½, 16)" / 35.5 (37, 38, 39.5, 40.5) cm from underarm to BO, including the 2" / 5 cm hem, is hip length. Add or subtract even rows before the rib to shorten or lengthen.
• Sleeve length: 17 (17½, 18, 18, 18½)" / 43 (44.5, 45.5, 45.5, 47) cm from underarm to BO, including the 2" / 5 cm cuff. Adjust even rounds after decreases to fit your arm.

Schematic (text)

          back neck 7 (8, 9, 9¾, 10¾)"
         _______________
        /     yoke      \     yoke depth
       /                 \    9 (9¼, 10, 10¾, 11¼)"
      /                   \
     |                     |
     |        BODY         |  bust / hem
     |                     |  38¼ (42¾, 46¼, 50¾, 54¼)"
     |                     |
     |                     |  underarm to hem
     |_____________________|  14 (14½, 15, 15½, 16)"

     sleeve length 17 (17½, 18, 18, 18½)"
     upper arm 13 (14¾, 16, 17¾, 19)"

Total back length = yoke depth + underarm-to-hem = 23 (23¾, 25, 26¼, 27¼)".