Vertical Stripe Raglan Pullover

Top-down seamless raglan in double crochet (US)

Skill: Intermediate (raglan rate, underarm joins, and stacked color changes). Worked in one color, this is suitable for a confident beginner.

Construction: Worked seamlessly from the neck down in joined rounds. Four raglan points increase every round. Sleeves are held, underarms chained, body continued, then sleeves worked top down.

Crochet fabric grows when worn. This pattern uses about 2–4 in (5–10 cm) positive ease. Choose a size with finished chest close to your actual chest plus that ease.

Sizes

XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL)

Finished chest: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54) in / 86.5 (96.5, 106.5, 117, 127, 137) cm
To fit chest: approx. 30–32 (34–36, 38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52) in
Yoke depth to underarm: approx. 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5) in
Body length from underarm: 14 in / 35.5 cm (adjustable)
Sleeve length from underarm: 17.5 in / 44.5 cm (adjustable)

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

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted (4), wool or wool blend (cotton is less forgiving).
  MC: 900 (1000, 1120, 1250, 1400, 1550) yd
  CC: 700 (780, 880, 980, 1100, 1220) yd
  Two high-contrast solids read as vertical stripes; low-contrast yarns mute the effect.
• Hook: US I/9 (5.5 mm) for body; US H/8 (5.0 mm) for ribbing and neck.
• Stitch markers (4 raglan + 1 BOR)
• Waste yarn or spare cords for sleeves
• Tapestry needle

Gauge

14 dc and 8 rnds = 4 in (10 cm) in dc in the round, blocked, with I/9 hook.
Check gauge in the round; flat swatches often run tighter.

Abbreviations (US)

ch — chain
sc — single crochet
hdc — half double crochet
dc — double crochet
sl st — slip stitch
st(s) — stitch(es)
rnd — round
BLO — back loop only
BOR — beginning of round
MC / CC — main color / contrast color
pm / sm — place / slip marker

Stitch guide

Raglan increase: In ch-1 raglan space, work (dc, ch 1, dc). This adds 2 sts at each of 4 points = +8 sts per rnd.

Vertical stripes: Work in 4-st color blocks: *4 dc MC, 4 dc CC; repeat from * around. Change color on the last yarn-over of the last st of a block. Carry the unused color loosely up the WS (or cut and weave if preferred). After raglan increases, extra sts join the nearest block of the same color so columns stay stacked. Do not work increases inside a 4-st block; always increase in the ch-1 space.

Join: Sl st to first dc of rnd (not the turning ch). Ch 2 at start of rnd does not count as a st.

Neck

With smaller hook and MC, ch 68 (72, 76, 80, 84, 88). Join with sl st to first ch, being careful not to twist. Ch 1.

Setup rnd: Sc in each ch around; join. 68 (72, 76, 80, 84, 88) sc.

Change to larger hook.

Divide for raglan (all sizes): Place markers for 4 raglan points as follows, counting from BOR (center back):

• Back: 20 (22, 22, 24, 24, 26) sts
• Raglan point 1
• Sleeve: 10 (10, 12, 12, 14, 14) sts
• Raglan point 2
• Front: 20 (22, 22, 24, 24, 26) sts
• Raglan point 3
• Sleeve: 10 (10, 12, 12, 14, 14) sts
• Raglan point 4

Check: 20+10+20+10 + 8 raglan-setup sts accounted by working the first increase rnd into the marked stitches. (Back + front + 2 sleeves = 60 (64, 68, 72, 76, 80); remaining 8 sts are the four 2-st raglan bases.)

Join CC. Begin stripe pattern on Rnd 1.

Yoke

Rnd 1: Ch 2, *dc in each st to next raglan marker, (dc, ch 1, dc) in marked st, move marker to ch-1 space; repeat from * 3 more times, dc to end, working in 4-st MC/CC blocks. Join. 76 (80, 84, 88, 92, 96) sts.

Rnd 2: Ch 2, *dc in each dc to next raglan ch-1, (dc, ch 1, dc) in ch-1 space; repeat from * 3 more times, dc to end in established stripes. Join. +8 sts.

Repeat Rnd 2 until you have worked 16 (17, 18, 19, 20, 21) increase rnds total (including Rnd 1).

Stitch count at underarm: 188 (200, 212, 224, 236, 248) sts.

Section counts at underarm (between raglan ch-1 spaces):
Back 52 (56, 58, 62, 64, 68)
Each sleeve 42 (44, 48, 50, 54, 56)
Front 52 (56, 58, 62, 64, 68)
(52+42+52+42 = 188 ✓; S: 56+44+56+44 = 200 ✓; M: 58+48+58+48 = 212 ✓; L: 62+50+62+50 = 224 ✓; XL: 64+54+64+54 = 236 ✓; XXL: 68+56+68+56 = 248 ✓)

Yoke depth should measure about 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5) in. Add or omit 1 even rnd (no increases) if needed for fit, keeping stripes stacked.

Separate body and sleeves

Split rnd: Ch 2, dc across back to first raglan ch-1, dc in ch-1, ch 6 (6, 8, 8, 8, 10) for underarm, skip sleeve sts and next raglan ch-1, dc in following raglan ch-1 and across front to next raglan ch-1, dc in that ch-1, ch 6 (6, 8, 8, 8, 10) for second underarm, skip remaining sleeve, dc in last raglan ch-1 and to BOR. Join.

Place each skipped sleeve (including its two raglan ch-1 sts) on waste yarn.

Body stitch count: 52+52 + 6+6 = 116 (S: 56+56+6+6 = 124; M: 58+58+8+8 = 132; L: 62+62+8+8 = 140; XL: 64+64+8+8 = 144; XXL: 68+68+10+10 = 156) wait — align to chest:

Target body: 34/38/42/46/50/54 in × 14 sts/4 in = 119 / 133 / 147 / 161 / 175 / 189, round to multiple of 4 for stripes:

Use underarm chains so body is 120 (132, 148, 160, 176, 188) sts.

Correct split: After dc in raglan ch-1 at each side, ch 8 (10, 16, 18, 24, 26) total split as two equal underarms 4 (5, 8, 9, 12, 13) each? Prefer even chains: ch 8 (10, 16, 16, 24, 26) across each underarm would double. Use ch 8 (10, 16, 18, 24, 26) once per underarm:

Back+front 104 (112, 116, 124, 128, 136) + 8+8 (10+10, 16+16, 18+18, 24+24, 26+26) = 120 (132, 148, 160, 176, 188) ✓
120/14×4 = 34.3 in; 132→37.7; 148→42.3; 160→45.7; 176→50.3; 188→53.7 in ✓

Work dc in each underarm ch, continuing 4-st stripes (assign underarm sts to MC or CC so columns line up with body).

Body

Work even in dc and established vertical stripes until body measures 14 in / 35.5 cm from underarm, or desired length minus 2 in for ribbing.

Hem ribbing (smaller hook):
Ch 9. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch (8 sc). *Sl st in next 2 body sts, turn, sc BLO in 8 rib sts, ch 1, turn, sc BLO in 8; repeat from * around. Join rib ends with sl st or whipstitch. Fasten off.

Sleeves (make 2)

Return held sleeve sts to larger hook; join yarn at center of underarm chain.

Pick-up rnd: Ch 2, dc in each underarm ch, dc in each sleeve st (including the two raglan sts). Join.

Sleeve start: 42 (44, 48, 50, 54, 56) + 8 (10, 16, 18, 24, 26) = 50 (54, 64, 68, 78, 82) sts. If not a multiple of 4, dc2tog 2 sts evenly on this rnd so stripe multiple is 4: work to 48 (52, 64, 68, 76, 80) sts.

Decrease: Work even for 2 rnds. Then *dc2tog at underarm (or 2 sts apart at underarm), dc around; work 3 (3, 2, 2, 2, 1) rnd(s) even; repeat from * until 28 (28, 32, 32, 36, 36) sts remain (multiple of 4). Keep stripe columns by decreasing in the same color pair when possible.

Work even until sleeve measures 15.5 in / 39.5 cm from underarm, or 2 in less than desired.

Cuff (smaller hook): Ch 9, attach 8-st sc BLO ribbing as for hem. Fasten off.

Neck finishing

With smaller hook and MC, join at back neck. Work 1 rnd sc around neck, then 2 rnds sc BLO (or 8-st sideways rib as hem, picking up about 68–88 sts). Fasten off.

Finishing

Weave ends along solid stitch columns, not across chain spaces. Block to schematic measurements: wet-block or steam, pin chest width and yoke depth, open dc fabric. Vertical stripes should hang straight; if they spiral, you joined with a shift—next time join in the same st without stepping over.

Schematic (approx.)
Chest: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54) in
Yoke to underarm: 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5) in
Body from underarm to hem: 16 in including rib
Sleeve from underarm to cuff: 17.5 in including rib
Upper arm: about 13.7 (14.9, 18.3, 19.4, 21.7, 22.9) in before decreases

Enjoy your pullover.