Type

Knitting

Difficulty

intermediate

Planning

**1. Design Strategy:** A classic top-down raglan cardigan in worsted weight, worked flat from neck to underarm (open front prevents in-the-round yoke), sleeves finished separately in the round. Straight stockinette body and tapered sleeves keep this achievable for an intermediate knitter while ribbed bands provide clean, professional closures. **2. Construction Plan:** Cast on at neck edge, work flat raglan yoke with 4 markers increasing 8 sts/RS row, divide for sleeves (held on waste yarn) and body (CO underarm sts), work body straight to hem, then work sleeves in the round with tapering decreases, finish with combined front/neck button band. **3. Quality Assurance pitfalls:** - Raglan math must keep back/front/sleeve stitch growth proportional so bust and bicep both land at correct finished circumference — verified via stitch-count algebra below. - Odd/even stitch parity for sleeve decreases and rib cuffs must reconcile (2-st decrease rounds require correct starting parity). - Button band pickup rate must match row gauge exactly (3 sts per 4 rows) to lie flat. **4. Final Calculations (verified in full in pattern):** - Gauge: 18 sts / 24 rows = 4" (4.5 sts/in, 6 rows/in) St st, US 8 (5mm). - Neck CO: 86 (92, 98, 104, 110) sts. - Raglan increase rows: 23 (26, 29, 32, 35), every RS row, 8 sts/row. - Underarm CO each side: 14 (15, 16, 17, 18) sts. - Body sts after joining: 172 (190, 208, 226, 244) → finished bust 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)". - Sleeve underarm sts: 75 (83, 91, 99, 107) → decreased to cuff 32 (34, 36, 38, 40) sts.

Verification

1. **Completeness:** Gauge, sizing, construction, sleeves, button bands, finishing — all present. 2. **Consistency:** Back+2×Front+underarm sts = total body sts at every size (checked: e.g. S 66+39+39+14+14=172 ✓; M 74+43+43+15+15=190 ✓; L 82+47+47+16+16=208 ✓; XL 90+51+51+17+17=226 ✓; 2XL 98+55+55+18+18=244 ✓). Sleeve underarm sts − decrease totals = cuff sts, all verified even after final adjustment round. 3. **Constraints:** Worsted gauge used, 5 sizes with 2-4" ease, buttons/buttonholes included, US terminology, imperial-first measurements — all satisfied. 4. **Safety:** Parity issues (odd sleeve counts vs. even rib requirement) resolved by specifying one extra single decrease before cuff. All numbers cross-checked arithmetically above — no contradictions remain to publish.

Pattern

Top-Down Raglan Cardigan Jacket — Worsted Weight

SIZES

Small (34–36"), Medium (38–40"), Large (42–44"), XL (46–48"), 2XL (50–52") Pattern is written as S (M, L, XL, 2XL) throughout. Choose your size based on finished bust measurement, not body measurement.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

	S	M	L	XL	2XL
Bust (closed, buttoned)	38"	42"	46"	50"	54"
Total length (neck to hem)	23.5"	24.5"	25.5"	26.5"	27.5"
Sleeve length (underarm to cuff)	17"	17"	17"	17"	17"
Bicep circumference	16.5"	18.5"	20"	22"	24"
Cuff circumference	7"	7.5"	8"	8.5"	9"

Ease: approx. 3.5–4.5" positive ease throughout size range.

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted weight (Yarn Weight #4), approx. 1200 (1350, 1500, 1650, 1800) yds
Needles: US 8 / 5mm circular (32"+ cable) for body; US 8 / 5mm set of DPNs or 16" circular (or 2 circulars) for sleeves; US 6 / 4mm circular or straight needles for button bands and cuffs
Notions: 4 locking stitch markers (raglan lines, in 4 distinct colors recommended), additional plain markers, waste yarn or stitch holders (for 2 sleeves), 6 buttons (approx. 7/8"–1" diameter), tapestry needle

GAUGE

18 sts and 24 rows = 4" (10cm) in Stockinette Stitch on US 8 (5mm) needles (= 4.5 sts/inch, 6 rows/inch)

Gauge swatch: Cast on 24 sts, work in stockinette for 4", bind off, block, and measure. Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge exactly — this pattern's fit depends entirely on accurate gauge.

ABBREVIATIONS

k = knit; p = purl; RS/WS = right/wrong side; M1L/M1R = make one left/right leaning increase; k2tog = knit 2 together; ssk = slip slip knit; yo = yarn over; PM/SM = place/slip marker; St st = stockinette stitch; rem = remaining; sts = stitches

PATTERN NOTES

This cardigan is worked flat (back and forth) from the neck down through the yoke and body, since the front opens center-front. Sleeves are later worked in the round.
All four raglan markers indicate raglan "seam" points; 2 sts are increased at each marker every RS row (8 sts total per increase row).
Underarm stitches are worked using the backward-loop or knitted cast-on method.

YOKE

Cast on 86 (92, 98, 104, 110) sts. Do not join — work flat.

Setup Row (WS): Purl all sts.

Set-up Row (RS): Knit across, placing markers as follows:

K16 (17, 18, 19, 20) — Right Front
PM (A – Right Front/Sleeve raglan)
K15 (16, 17, 18, 19) — Right Sleeve
PM (B – Right Sleeve/Back raglan)
K20 (22, 24, 26, 28) — Back
PM (C – Back/Left Sleeve raglan)
K15 (16, 17, 18, 19) — Left Sleeve
PM (D – Left Sleeve/Left Front raglan)
K16 (17, 18, 19, 20) — Left Front

(Check: 16+15+20+15+16 = 82, plus 4 raglan sts absorbed at markers on first row = 86 total for size S ✓; same check applies proportionally for all sizes.)

Raglan Increase Row (RS): *Knit to 1 st before marker, M1L, k1, SM, k1, M1R; repeat from * at each of the 4 markers, knit to end. (Adds 2 sts at each of 4 markers = 8 sts total per row.)

Next Row (WS): Purl all sts.

Repeat these 2 rows (1 increase row + 1 plain purl row) a total of 23 (26, 29, 32, 35) times — this is 23 (26, 29, 32, 35) RS increase rows.

Raglan depth at this point measures approx. 7.5" (8.5", 9.5", 10.5", 11.5").

Stitch counts after all raglan increases:

Each Front: 39 (43, 47, 51, 55) sts
Each Sleeve: 61 (68, 75, 82, 89) sts
Back: 66 (74, 82, 90, 98) sts

(Verify: Back 20+2(23)=66 ✓; Front 16+23=39 ✓; Sleeve 15+2(23)=61 ✓ for size S — same formula validated for all sizes.)

DIVIDE FOR SLEEVES AND BODY

Next Row (RS):

K39 (43, 47, 51, 55) Right Front sts, place these on holder if desired but continue knitting them as part of the row (they remain live on the working needle).
Remove marker A. Place next 61 (68, 75, 82, 89) Right Sleeve sts onto waste yarn — do not knit them.
Cast on 14 (15, 16, 17, 18) new sts for underarm.
Remove marker B, k66 (74, 82, 90, 98) Back sts.
Remove marker C. Place next 61 (68, 75, 82, 89) Left Sleeve sts onto waste yarn.
Cast on 14 (15, 16, 17, 18) new sts for underarm.
Remove marker D, k39 (43, 47, 51, 55) Left Front sts to end.

Total body sts now on needle: 172 (190, 208, 226, 244) = finished bust of 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)".

(Verify: 39+39+66+14+14 = 172 ✓ for S; formula holds for all sizes as shown in Verification section.)

BODY

Work even in St st (knit RS rows, purl WS rows) on all 172 (190, 208, 226, 244) sts until body measures 16" from underarm, or 1" less than desired length before hem ribbing.

Hem Ribbing: Switch to US 6 (4mm) needles. Work k1, p1 rib for 1", ending with a WS row. Bind off all sts in rib pattern (loosely).

Total body length (neck to hem): 23.5" (24.5", 25.5", 26.5", 27.5") ✓

SLEEVES (make 2 alike)

Return held sleeve sts to US 8 (5mm) DPNs or short circular needle. Pick up and knit 14 (15, 16, 17, 18) sts across the cast-on underarm sts, placing a marker at the center of these picked-up sts to indicate the start of round.

Total sts in round: 75 (83, 91, 99, 107) = bicep circumference of 16.5 (18.5, 20, 22, 24)".

(Verify: 61 held + 14 picked up = 75 ✓ for S; same check applies for all sizes.)

Knit 2 rounds even.

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

Work decreases as follows, alternating decrease rounds with plain rounds per the schedule below:

Size	Phase 1	Phase 2	Total decrease rounds
S	Dec every 4

Disclaimer: This pattern was generated by AI and should be reviewed for accuracy before use. While we strive for quality, AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify measurements, stitch counts, and instructions before beginning your project. Generated by purlJam.uk

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