The Tailored One-Button Cardigan

A seamless top-down raglan in stocking stitch — Advanced

A close-fitting long-sleeved cardigan worked seamlessly from the neck down. Gentle waist shaping creates a tailored silhouette, while a single decorative button at the centre chest gives a clean, modern open-front finish. Worked in stocking stitch throughout with slim ribbed button bands.

Sizes

*Finished bust includes button-band overlap. Designed with approx. 2.5 cm (1") positive ease for a tailored fit. Figures given as S (M, L, XL, 2XL).

Finished measurements

• Body length, neck to hem: 58 (59, 60, 61, 62) cm
• Sleeve length, underarm to cuff: 45 cm
• Raglan depth: 20 (21, 22, 23, 24) cm

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted / Aran-weight (Craft Yarn Council #4), smooth wool or wool blend recommended. Approx. 900 (1000, 1150, 1300, 1450) m / 984 (1094, 1258, 1422, 1586) yds.
• Needles:
  • 5 mm (UK 6 / US 8) circular needle, 80–100 cm — for body.
  • 5 mm double-pointed or short circular for sleeves (magic loop suitable).
  • 4 mm (UK 8 / US 6) circular, 80 cm — for button bands.
• Notions: 4 stitch markers (raglan) + 1 distinct marker (beg of round/centre), stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle, 1 button approx. 22–25 mm.

Tension (Gauge)

20 sts and 28 rows = 10 cm (4") over stocking stitch, using 5 mm needles, after blocking.

Work a generous swatch of at least 12 × 12 cm, block it as you intend to block the finished garment, then measure. Tension is critical to fit. If you have too few stitches per 10 cm, go down a needle size; too many, go up.

Abbreviations (UK)

• k — knit; p — purl
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• RS / WS — right side / wrong side
• k2tog — knit two together (right-leaning dec)
• ssk — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning dec)
• kfb — knit into front and back of stitch (1 st increased)
• m1 — make one (lift bar between sts, knit through back); m1L / m1R for directional
• yo — yarn over
• pm / sm — place marker / slip marker
• rep — repeat
• rnd — round

Construction Notes

This cardigan is worked flat from the neck to the underarm as a top-down raglan, then continues flat to the hem with waist shaping. The sleeve stitches are held, then worked in the round to the cuff. Slim ribbed bands are picked up along the front edges; a single centred buttonhole sits at mid-chest.

Raglan increases (worked on RS rows): 8 sts increased per RS row — 2 sts at each of the 4 raglan lines. The pattern uses m1L before and m1R after each raglan marker.

THE YOKE (worked flat)

With 5 mm needle, cast on 84 (88, 92, 96, 100) sts.

Set-up row (WS): k2 (front band edge, keep in garter), p to last 2 sts, k2.

Place markers (RS): Distribute stitches as follows, placing a raglan marker (pm) between each section:

• Right Front: 14 (14, 15, 16, 16) sts, pm,
• Right Sleeve: 12 (13, 13, 14, 15) sts, pm,
• Back: 32 (34, 36, 38, 40) sts, pm,
• Left Sleeve: 12 (13, 13, 14, 15) sts, pm,
• Left Front: 14 (14, 15, 16, 16) sts.

Check: 14+12+32+12+14 = 84 (S) ✓ / 14+13+34+13+14 = 88 (M) ✓ / 15+13+36+13+15 = 92 (L) ✓ / 16+14+38+14+16 = 98… ✗ correction: XL = 96 → 16+14+36+14+16 = 96 ✓ (Back XL = 36); 2XL 16+15+38+15+16 = 100 ✓.

Corrected marker set-up:

• Back sts: 32 (34, 36, 36, 38)
• Sleeve sts: 12 (13, 13, 14, 15)
• Front sts: 14 (14, 15, 16, 16) each

Verify totals: S 14+12+32+12+14=84 ✓ · M 14+13+34+13+14=88 ✓ · L 15+13+36+13+15=92 ✓ · XL 16+14+36+14+16=96 ✓ · 2XL 16+15+38+15+16=100 ✓.

Raglan increases

Increase row (RS): *k to 1 st before marker, m1R, k1, sm, k1, m1L; rep from * 3 more times, k to end. (8 sts increased) Keep the first and last 2 sts in garter stitch as a temporary edge.

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

Repeat these 2 rows a total of 26 (28, 30, 32, 34) times.

Stitch count check (M): 88 + (28 × 8) = 88 + 224 = 312 sts.

After all increases:

• Total sts: 292 (312, 332, 352, 372)
• Fronts: 40 (42, 45, 48, 50) each
• Sleeves: 64 (69, 73, 78, 83) each
• Back: 84 (90, 96, 100, 106)

Verify (M): 42+69+90+69+42 = 312 ✓.

Raglan depth should measure approx. 20 (21, 22, 23, 24) cm. Adjust by working more/fewer increase repeats if needed (in multiples that keep count even).

DIVIDE FOR BODY & SLEEVES

Dividing row (RS):

1. k across Right Front to raglan marker, remove marker.
2. Place next 64 (69, 73, 78, 83) sleeve sts on waste yarn, remove marker.
3. Cast on 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) underarm sts using backward-loop, pm at centre of these (this is the side "seam" marker).
4. k across Back to next marker, remove marker.
5. Place next 64 (69, 73, 78, 83) sleeve sts on waste yarn, remove marker.
6. Cast on 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) underarm sts, pm at centre.
7. k across Left Front to end.

Body stitch count: Fronts 40 (42, 45, 48, 50) each + Back 84 (90, 96, 100, 106) + underarm CO 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) × 2 = 176 (188, 202, 214, 226) sts.

Bust check (M): 188 sts ÷ 20 sts per 10 cm = 94 cm at needle. With the two 4 cm button bands overlapping ≈ +8 cm → ≈102 cm finished bust ✓.

THE BODY (worked flat, in stocking stitch)

Keep the first and last 2 sts in garter throughout (the pick-up edge for bands stays tidy).

Work straight in st st (k on RS, k2 p to last 2 k2 on WS) for 4 cm, ending with a WS row.

Waist shaping (tailored fit)

You will place two shaping "darts" at each side marker.

Decrease row (RS): *k to 3 sts before side marker, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk; rep from * once more, k to end. (4 sts decreased)

Work decrease row, then work 5 rows straight. Repeat these 6 rows 4 times total. = 16 sts decreased → 160 (172, 186, 198, 210) sts.

Work straight for 4 cm (this is the waist).

Increase row (RS): *k to 2 sts before side marker, m1R, k1, sm, k1, m1L; rep from * once more, k to end. (4 sts increased)

Work increase row, then 5 rows straight. Repeat these 6 rows 4 times total. = 16 sts increased → back to 176 (188, 202, 214, 226) sts (hip = bust).

Continue straight in st st until body measures 58 (59, 60, 61, 62) cm from the neck cast-on at centre back, or 2.5 cm short of desired length, ending with a WS row.

Hem

Change to 4 mm needle. Rib row (RS): k2, *k1, p1; rep to last 2 sts, k2. Rib row (WS): k2, *p1, k1; rep to last 2 sts, k2. Work in k1, p1 rib for 2.5 cm. Cast off loosely in rib.

THE SLEEVES (worked in the round)

Transfer one set of held sleeve sts — 64 (69, 73, 78, 83) — to 5 mm dpns/short circular.

Beginning at the centre of the underarm cast-on: pick up and knit 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) sts along first half of underarm, k across sleeve sts, pick up and knit 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts along remaining underarm. pm for beginning of round at centre underarm.

Sleeve stitch count: 64 (69, 73, 78, 83) + 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) = 70 (76, 81, 87, 93) sts.

Work 6 rounds in st st (k every rnd).

Sleeve taper

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

Work decrease round, then knit 7 (6, 6, 5, 5) rounds straight. Repeat these rounds until 44 (46, 49, 53, 57) sts remain: = decrease rounds worked: 13 (15, 16, 17, 18) times.

Check (M): 76 − (15 × 2) = 76 − 30 = 46 ✓.

Continue straight until sleeve measures 42.5 cm from underarm, or 2.5 cm short of desired length.

Cuff

Change to 4 mm needles. Work in k1, p1 rib for 2.5 cm. Cast off loosely in rib.

Work the second sleeve identically.

BUTTON BANDS

Both bands are worked in k1, p1 rib on 4 mm needles. Pick up with RS facing, starting at the lower edge.

Pick-up rate: approx. 3 sts for every 4 rows along the front edges (skip the garter selvedge stitch cleanly).

Left Front Band (button band — no buttonhole)

With RS facing, beginning at lower left front, pick up and knit an odd number of sts — approx. 108 (110, 112, 114, 116) sts along the left front edge (adjust to your row count; ensure an odd number so rib begins and ends with k1).

Work in k1, p1 rib for 8 rows (approx. 3 cm). Cast off in rib.

Right Front Band (buttonhole band — single centred buttonhole)

With RS facing, beginning at lower right front, pick up and knit the same number of sts as the left band: 108 (110, 112, 114, 116) sts.

Locate the buttonhole: The single button sits at mid-chest, approx. 20 (21, 22, 23, 24) cm above the lower hem edge (i.e. roughly at the natural bustline, just below the raglan divide). Count up the picked-up sts from the lower edge to find the stitch nearest this height — this is your buttonhole centre stitch, st B.

Work as follows:

• Rows 1–3: k1, p1 rib across.
• Row 4 (buttonhole row, RS): rib to 1 st before st B, k2tog, yo (this makes a one-stitch eyelet buttonhole sized for a 22–25 mm button; for a larger button use a 2-stitch buttonhole: k2tog, yo twice, ssk on the following row drop/knit one loop), rib to end.
• Rows 5–8: rib across, working (k1 into the yo) on Row 5 to maintain stitch count.

Cast off in rib.

Editor's note: Because there is only one closure, ensure the buttonhole aligns exactly with the button on the opposite band. Pin the fronts closed and check the position before cutting yarn.

FINISHING

1. Weave in all ends neatly on the WS.
2. Close any small gaps at the underarms using the tails.
3. Block the cardigan to the finished measurements: pin the body to the bust/length figures for your size and gently steam or wet-block. Blocking evens out the stocking stitch and opens the raglan lines.
4. Sew the single button onto the left band, positioned exactly opposite the buttonhole at mid-chest. Reinforce with a shank if the fabric is thick.
5. Give the bands a final light press so they lie flat.

Schematic Summary (finished, blocked)

Enjoy your tailored one-button cardigan — a clean, elegant layering piece with just enough shaping to flatter and a single statement fastening.