Top-Down M1 Raglan Jumper

A seamless crew-neck raglan jumper worked from the top down in DK yarn. The neck is cast on at full circumference and finished with 1×1 rib, then German short rows raise the back neck only. Raglan shaping uses paired M1L / M1R increases. The beginning of the round sits in the middle of the left sleeve so the jumper stays symmetrical: equal front and back, equal sleeves.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Construction: Top-down raglan, worked in the round (Method 1 — full-circumference neckline)

Finished measurements

One size (as specified). Figures are after blocking, at the stated tension.

This gives a relaxed to oversized fit on a 90–110 cm (35–43 in) chest, or a standard fit on a 125–133 cm (49–52 in) chest. Body length is cropped-to-hip; add rounds of stocking stitch before the hem if you want more length.

Yarn

DK weight (8-ply)

Meterage: 1,200 m (1,310 yds)

Allow extra if you lengthen the body or sleeves.

Needles

• 3.5 mm (UK 9, US 4) circular, 80 cm, and DPNs (or a second circular / magic loop) for neckband, hem and cuffs
• 4 mm (UK 8, US 6) circular, 80 cm, and DPNs (or magic loop) for yoke, body and sleeves

Use a needle size that gives the stated tension.

Notions

• 5 stitch markers (1 distinct for beginning of round)
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Tension (gauge)

22 stitches and 30 rounds = 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 4 mm needles, after blocking.

Always work a tension square. Change needle size if needed so that stitch and row tension match. The round counts in this pattern are exact; if your row tension differs, lengths will change.

Abbreviations (UK)

Techniques

M1R (right-leaning increase): From the back, lift the running strand between the needles onto the left needle. Knit it through the front loop.

M1L (left-leaning increase): From the front, lift the running strand between the needles onto the left needle. Knit it through the back loop.

German short rows — double stitch (DS):

• After a RS (knit) row: turn. Slip 1 purlwise wyif. Pull the working yarn firmly over the top of the right needle to the back until the stitch shows two legs. Yarn is in back, ready to purl after you bring it forward between the needles.
• After a WS (purl) row: turn. Bring yarn to the front. Slip 1 purlwise wyif. Pull the working yarn firmly over the top of the right needle to the back until the stitch shows two legs. Yarn is in back, ready to knit.
• When you meet a DS later, work both legs together as one stitch (knit or purl as the row requires). Do not wrap and turn; do not pick a wrap.

1×1 rib (in the round): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.

Raglan increase round: *Knit to marker, M1L, slm, M1R; rep from * 3 more times, knit to BOR. (8 sts increased — 2 at each raglan line.)

Notes

• The jumper is worked seamlessly in the round from the neck down.
• Beginning of round is the centre of the left sleeve for the whole yoke. Front and back are the same width; both sleeves are the same width.
• Four raglan markers divide the round. There is no extra raglan “seam” stitch; the paired M1L / M1R increases form the diagonal lines.
• German short rows raise the back only. Do not cast on extra front-neck stitches — the full neck is already on the needles.
• After the yoke is divided, BOR for the body and sleeves moves to the underarm.
• Join new yarn at a side or underarm, not at centre front.

Marker map after set-up (124 sts):

              Front 56
         A                B
      3 /                  \ 3     left sleeve = 3 + 3, split by BOR
    BOR                      6     right sleeve = 6
      3 \                  /
         D                C
              Back 56

Round order from BOR: 3 left-sleeve (front half), marker A, 56 front, marker B, 6 right sleeve, marker C, 56 back, marker D, 3 left-sleeve (back half).

Pattern

Neckband

With 3.5 mm needles and a stretchy method, cast on 124 sts. Join to work in the round, taking care not to twist, and place the distinct BOR marker.

Work 8 rounds of 1×1 rib (*k1, p1; rep from * to end).

Set-up

Change to 4 mm needles.

Set-up round: K3, pm A, k56, pm B, k6, pm C, k56, pm D, k3. (3 + 56 + 6 + 56 + 3 = 124 sts ✓)

Markers A–D are the four raglan lines. BOR remains in the middle of the left sleeve.

German short rows (back neck)

These short rows raise the back. Centre front is not worked extra. Work DS as described in Techniques. Markers stay in place; slip them as you meet them.

Short row 1 (RS): Knit to marker C, slm, knit until 8 sts remain before marker D, turn.

Short row 2 (WS): DS, purl until 8 sts remain before marker C, turn.

Short row 3 (RS): DS, knit to the DS, knit the DS as 1 st, k6, turn.

Short row 4 (WS): DS, purl to the DS, purl the DS as 1 st, p6, turn.

Short rows 5–10: Rep Short rows 3–4 three more times. (5 short-row pairs. Turning points step 6 sts further each pair and finish about 10 sts into each front shoulder; centre front is untouched ✓)

Next row (RS): DS, knit in round direction to BOR, working any DS as 1 st.

Next round: Knit all the way around, working any remaining DS as 1 st. (124 sts. All DS resolved. Back neck has 10 extra rows ✓)

Yoke

Work raglan increases every other round as follows.

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

Even round: Knit.

Work Increase round once more. (124 + 8 = 132 sts ✓)

Work Even round.

Continue in this way — Increase round, then Even round — until you have worked the Increase round 39 times in total, ending with an Even round.

(39 × 8 = 312 sts increased; 124 + 312 = 436 sts ✓)

Yoke checkpoint — 436 sts, distributed as:

You have worked 78 yoke rounds after the short-row resolve (39 increase + 39 even).

Divide body and sleeves

Work in round order from BOR (still mid left sleeve):

1. Slip the next 42 sts onto waste yarn (left sleeve, front half).
2. Knit 134 front sts.
3. Slip the next 84 sts onto waste yarn (right sleeve).
4. Using a backward-loop (or knitted) cast-on, CO 12 sts for the right underarm.
5. Knit 134 back sts.
6. Slip the next 42 sts onto waste yarn (left sleeve, back half).
7. CO 12 sts for the left underarm.
8. Join to the front to work the body in the round.

Body = 134 + 12 + 134 + 12 = 292 sts ✓

Place BOR at the centre of the 12 left-underarm stitches just cast on. (Yoke BOR at mid-sleeve is now retired.)

Left sleeve is waiting on two pieces of waste yarn (42 + 42 = 84); right sleeve is on one (84).

Body

With 4 mm needles and 292 sts, knit 77 rounds even in stocking stitch. (77 rnds ≈ 25.5 cm)

Change to 3.5 mm needles.

Work 12 rounds of 1×1 rib.

(77 + 12 = 89 rounds from the divide ✓)

Cast off loosely in rib.

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same way.

Return 84 sleeve sts to 4 mm needles. With RS facing, starting at the underarm, pick up and knit 12 sts along the underarm cast-on. Place BOR at the centre of these 12 picked-up stitches (6 on each side of BOR). Join to work in the round.

(84 + 12 = 96 sts ✓)

For the left sleeve, return both held groups so the fabric is not twisted: the 12 underarm sts sit between the two halves of the sleeve.

Knit 6 rounds even.

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

*Work Decrease round, then knit 5 rounds even; rep from * 16 more times.

(17 decrease rounds × 2 sts = 34 sts decreased; 96 − 34 = 62 sts ✓)

Rounds used: 6 even + 17 × (1 dec + 5 even) = 6 + 102 = 108 rounds of stocking stitch ✓

Change to 3.5 mm needles.

Work 12 rounds of 1×1 rib on 62 sts.

(108 + 12 = 120 rounds from the underarm ✓)

Cast off loosely in rib.

Finishing

Weave in ends, closing any small gap at the underarm corners with the tail.

Wet block flat to the measurements. Do not stretch the rib. Let dry fully before moving.

Stitch-count summary

Schematic (blocked)

                    neck 56.5 cm
                 ________________
                /    yoke 26 cm  \     back yoke 29.5 cm
               /                  \
         _____/                    \_____
        |     |  chest 133 cm       |     |
        |     |                     |     |
 sleeve |     |     body 29.5 cm    |     | sleeve 40 cm
 40 cm  |     |                     |     |
        |     |                     |     |
         \___/                       \___/
          cuff 28 cm              hem 133 cm

Work extra stocking-stitch rounds before the hem or cuffs if you want more length; stitch counts at the rib do not change.