Ridgeway

Seamless Top-Down Raglan Cardigan

A classic round-neck cardigan worked in one piece from the neck down. Four raglan lines shape the yoke; sleeves are set aside at the underarm while the body continues flat to a ribbed hem. Sleeves are then worked in the round. Ribbed button bands and a matching neckband finish the fronts.

Skill level: Intermediate (raglan increases, picking up stitches, knitting in the round, buttonholes).

Sizes

S (M, L, XL, 2XL)

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

Instructions are written for the smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. Circle your size throughout before you begin.

Finished measurements

Measured after blocking, with fronts meeting (button bands will overlap by one band width).

Choose a size with 5–10 cm (2–4 in) of positive ease at the bust.

Yarn

Aran / worsted-weight yarn; a smooth wool or wool-blend with good stitch definition.

Metreage: 1000 (1150, 1300, 1450, 1650) m / 1090 (1260, 1420, 1590, 1800) yd

Shown equivalent: approximately 530 (610, 690, 770, 870) g at 190 m per 100 g.

Allow extra if you lengthen the body or sleeves. Always knit a tension square in your chosen yarn.

Needles

• 5 mm circular needle, 80–100 cm long, for the yoke and body
• 5 mm double-pointed needles, or a second circular for magic loop, for the sleeves
• 4.5 mm circular needle, 80–100 cm long, for ribbing (hem, cuffs, bands)
• 4.5 mm double-pointed needles (or magic loop) for cuff ribbing

Use the needle size required to match tension; change the ribbing needles to 0.5 mm smaller than your main needle.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• 6 buttons, 18–20 mm diameter

Tension (gauge)

18 stitches and 24 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in stocking stitch on 5 mm needles, after blocking.

Swatch: Cast on 28 stitches. Work 36 rows in stocking stitch. Cast off. Wash and dry the swatch as you will treat the finished cardigan. Measure 18 stitches and 24 rows in the centre.

If you have too many stitches in 10 cm, change to a larger needle. If you have too few, change to a smaller needle. Tension must be accurate — a difference of 1 stitch in 10 cm changes the bust by about 5–6 cm.

Abbreviations

BO — bind off / cast off
CO — cast on
k — knit
k2tog — knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
M1L — make 1 left: lift the strand between needles from front to back and knit through the back loop (left-leaning increase)
M1R — make 1 right: lift the strand between needles from back to front and knit through the front loop (right-leaning increase)
p — purl
pm — place marker
rep — repeat
rm — remove marker
RS — right side
sm — slip marker
ssk — slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit the 2 slipped stitches together through the back loop (left-leaning decrease)
st(s) — stitch(es)
st st — stocking stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows; knit every round in the round)
WS — wrong side
wyib — with yarn in back
yo — yarn over

Pattern notes

• The cardigan is worked flat through the yoke and body, then the sleeves are worked in the round.
• Raglan increases are worked on every RS row: M1R, k1, slip marker, k1, M1L at each of the four markers (8 stitches increased). The two knit stitches either side of each marker form a 2-stitch raglan line.
• Stitch counts are given at the end of key sections with a check (✓).
• When working 2×2 rib flat on the hem, both front edges are knit stitches on the RS.
• Buttonholes sit on the right front as worn (wearer’s right). Reverse the bands if you prefer the opposite closure.
• Slip markers as you come to them unless instructed otherwise.

Yoke

With 5 mm circular needle, using a long-tail cast-on, CO 86 (98, 106, 118, 122) sts.

Set-up row (WS): Purl 17 (19, 21, 23, 24), pm, purl 8 (10, 10, 12, 12), pm, purl 36 (40, 44, 48, 50), pm, purl 8 (10, 10, 12, 12), pm, purl 17 (19, 21, 23, 24).

[17 (19, 21, 23, 24) + 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) + 36 (40, 44, 48, 50) + 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) + 17 (19, 21, 23, 24) = 86 (98, 106, 118, 122) ✓]

The sections are: Right Front | Sleeve | Back | Sleeve | Left Front.

Raglan increase row (RS): *Knit to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; rep from * 3 more times, knit to end. (8 sts increased)

WS row: Purl.

Rep the last 2 rows a further 21 (23, 25, 27, 30) times — 22 (24, 26, 28, 31) increase rows in total.

Stitch count after all raglan increases:

262 (290, 314, 342, 370) sts.

[86 + (8 × 22) = 262 ✓; 98 + (8 × 24) = 290 ✓; 106 + (8 × 26) = 314 ✓; 118 + (8 × 28) = 342 ✓; 122 + (8 × 31) = 370 ✓]

Section counts:

• Right front: 39 (43, 47, 51, 55) sts [17 + 22 = 39 ✓; 19 + 24 = 43 ✓; 21 + 26 = 47 ✓; 23 + 28 = 51 ✓; 24 + 31 = 55 ✓]
• Sleeve: 52 (58, 62, 68, 74) sts [8 + 44 = 52 ✓; 10 + 48 = 58 ✓; 10 + 52 = 62 ✓; 12 + 56 = 68 ✓; 12 + 62 = 74 ✓]
• Back: 80 (88, 96, 104, 112) sts [36 + 44 = 80 ✓; 40 + 48 = 88 ✓; 44 + 52 = 96 ✓; 48 + 56 = 104 ✓; 50 + 62 = 112 ✓]
• Sleeve: 52 (58, 62, 68, 74) sts
• Left front: 39 (43, 47, 51, 55) sts

[39 + 52 + 80 + 52 + 39 = 262 ✓; 43 + 58 + 88 + 58 + 43 = 290 ✓; 47 + 62 + 96 + 62 + 47 = 314 ✓; 51 + 68 + 104 + 68 + 51 = 342 ✓; 55 + 74 + 112 + 74 + 55 = 370 ✓]

Even section: Starting with a RS row, work 6 (6, 6, 6, 4) rows even in stocking stitch, ending with a WS row.

Yoke measures approximately 21 (22.5, 24, 26, 27.5) cm / 8¼ (8¾, 9½, 10¼, 10¾) in from the cast-on edge at the centre back.

Divide body and sleeves

Divide row (RS): Knit 39 (43, 47, 51, 55) right-front sts, rm, slip the next 52 (58, 62, 68, 74) sleeve sts onto waste yarn, rm, cable CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) underarm sts, knit 80 (88, 96, 104, 112) back sts, rm, slip the next 52 (58, 62, 68, 74) sleeve sts onto waste yarn, rm, cable CO 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) underarm sts, knit 39 (43, 47, 51, 55) left-front sts.

Body: 174 (194, 210, 230, 246) sts.

[39 + 8 + 80 + 8 + 39 = 174 ✓; 43 + 10 + 88 + 10 + 43 = 194 ✓; 47 + 10 + 96 + 10 + 47 = 210 ✓; 51 + 12 + 104 + 12 + 51 = 230 ✓; 55 + 12 + 112 + 12 + 55 = 246 ✓]

Body

Working on these 174 (194, 210, 230, 246) sts only, continue in stocking stitch (knit RS, purl WS) until the body measures 33 (34, 35, 36, 37) cm / 13 (13½, 13¾, 14¼, 14½) in from the underarm divide, ending with a WS row.

Hem

Change to 4.5 mm circular needle.

RS: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.

WS: P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.

These two rows set 2×2 rib with knit stitches at both front edges. [174, 194, 210, 230, 246 are all 4n + 2 ✓]

Continue in rib until the hem measures 5 cm / 2 in.

Cast off loosely in rib.

Body measures 38 (39, 40, 41, 42) cm / 15 (15¼, 15¾, 16¼, 16½) in from the underarm.

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same.

With RS facing and 5 mm dpns (or magic loop), return the 52 (58, 62, 68, 74) held sleeve sts to the needle. Beginning at the centre of the underarm cast-on, pick up and knit 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts along the first half of the underarm, knit across the held sleeve sts, pick up and knit 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts along the remaining underarm. Pm for beginning of round.

60 (68, 72, 80, 86) sts.

[52 + 8 = 60 ✓; 58 + 10 = 68 ✓; 62 + 10 = 72 ✓; 68 + 12 = 80 ✓; 74 + 12 = 86 ✓]

If a small hole appears at either underarm corner, pick up an extra stitch in the gap and knit it together with the adjacent stitch on the next round, keeping the count at 60 (68, 72, 80, 86).

Knit 6 rounds even.

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

Work the decrease round every 6th (6th, 5th, 5th, 4th) round a further 11 (13, 15, 17, 20) times — 12 (14, 16, 18, 21) decrease rounds in total.

36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts.

[60 − (2 × 12) = 36 ✓; 68 − (2 × 14) = 40 ✓; 72 − (2 × 16) = 40 ✓; 80 − (2 × 18) = 44 ✓; 86 − (2 × 21) = 44 ✓]

Continue even in stocking stitch until the sleeve measures 38 (39, 40, 40, 41) cm / 15 (15¼, 15¾, 15¾, 16¼) in from the underarm.

Cuff

Change to 4.5 mm needles.

Work in 2×2 rib (*k2, p2; rep from * to end of round) until the cuff measures 5 cm / 2 in. [36 (40, 40, 44, 44) is a multiple of 4 ✓]

Cast off loosely in rib.

Sleeve measures 43 (44, 45, 45, 46) cm / 17 (17¼, 17¾, 17¾, 18) in from the underarm.

Button bands

With 4.5 mm circular needle and RS facing, pick up stitches along the front edges at a rate of 3 stitches for every 4 rows, aiming for the counts below. A chain-edge or stocking-stitch edge both work; pick up in the ditch just inside the edge stitch for a neat join.

Right front (buttonhole band)

With RS facing, beginning at the right-front hem edge, pick up and knit 109 (115, 119, 123, 127) sts evenly up the right front to the neck edge.

Row 1 (WS): *P1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.

Row 2 (RS): *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.

Row 3: As Row 1.

Buttonhole row (RS): Work 6 (4, 6, 8, 5) sts in established rib, *yo, k2tog, work 17 (19, 19, 19, 21) sts in established rib; rep from * 4 more times, yo, k2tog, work 6 (4, 6, 8, 5) sts in established rib.

[S: 6 + 5 × (2 + 17) + 2 + 6 = 109 ✓
M: 4 + 5 × (2 + 19) + 2 + 4 = 115 ✓
L: 6 + 5 × (2 + 19) + 2 + 6 = 119 ✓
XL: 8 + 5 × (2 + 19) + 2 + 8 = 123 ✓
2XL: 5 + 5 × (2 + 21) + 2 + 5 = 127 ✓]

Work 4 more rows in 1×1 rib as set, beginning with a WS row.

Cast off loosely in rib.

The band is approximately 3 cm / 1¼ in wide, with 6 buttonholes spaced evenly from hem to neck.

Left front (button band)

With RS facing, beginning at the left-front neck edge, pick up and knit 109 (115, 119, 123, 127) sts evenly down the left front to the hem.

Work 8 rows in 1×1 rib as for the right front (Row 1 WS: *p1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1; Row 2 RS: *k1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1), with no buttonholes.

Cast off loosely in rib.

Neckband

With 4.5 mm circular needle and RS facing, beginning at the top of the right front band, pick up and knit 7 sts across the top of the right band, pick up and knit 87 (99, 107, 119, 123) sts around the original neck cast-on (one stitch for each cast-on stitch plus 1 extra at centre back), pick up and knit 7 sts across the top of the left front band.

101 (113, 121, 133, 137) sts. [7 + 87 + 7 = 101 ✓; 7 + 99 + 7 = 113 ✓; 7 + 107 + 7 = 121 ✓; 7 + 119 + 7 = 133 ✓; 7 + 123 + 7 = 137 ✓ — all odd, so both ends are knit stitches]

Row 1 (WS): *P1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.

Row 2 (RS): *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.

Rep these 2 rows until the neckband measures 3 cm / 1¼ in, ending with a WS row.

Cast off loosely in rib.

Finishing

Weave in all ends, using yarn tails at the underarms to close any remaining gaps.

Block the cardigan to the finished measurements, pinning the fronts straight and the raglan lines as smooth diagonals. Allow to dry completely.

Sew six buttons to the left front band, opposite the buttonholes. Use the yarn or matching sewing thread; work a small thread shank if the fabric is thick so the buttons sit cleanly.

Schematic (key measurements)

                    back neck
                 |← 20–28 cm →|
                /              \
               /    yoke        \
              /   21–27.5 cm     \
             /____________________\
            |                      |
            |        bust          |
            |    96.5–137 cm       |
            |                      |
            |   body 38–42 cm      |
            |                      |
            |______________________|
                    hem

Sleeve: upper arm 33.5–48 cm
        length from underarm 43–46 cm
        wrist 20–24.5 cm

Total length, back neck to hem: 59 (61.5, 64, 67, 69.5) cm / 23¼ (24¼, 25¼, 26½, 27¼) in.