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Summer is just around the corner, but we still have some chilly evenings and rainy days when you want to feel the warmth and comfort of a light jacket or beautifully knitted sweater. This top down raglan sweated was made for my lovely little daughter who is still way to young and will have to wait at least a year to get her hands on it. Would be nice to make an adult version of this knitted sweater to have a “family look” style, but I haven’t made my mind yet (busy young mom doesn’t have much time for knitting). This raglan sweater with cables was worked from the top to down, and includes detailed yoke and raglan calculation that can be adjusted for any size. If you like cables as much as I do, feel free to knit the whole set that includes two-color cable knit hat, teal ocean knit cable mittens and braided headband. Don’t forget to share your projects with me on Crazy Hands Knitting Facebook Group or Crazy Hands Knitting Instagram Page.
Knitting materials and knitting tools:
<> Circular needles in size US 6/ UK 8 (4 mm) and US 3/ UK 10 (3.25 mm);
<> Alize baby wool – 40% wool, 40% acrylic, 20% bamboo. Light blue color: 50 grams = 175 m. (192 yds.) In total 5.5 balls.
<> Stitch markers.
Finished measurements of the knit top down raglan sweater:
Age: 2-3 years old baby;
Head circumference – 52 cm (20.5 inches);
Chest circumference – 60 сm (23.6 inches);
Raglan depth – 15 cm (5.9 inches) or 25% of the chest circumference;
Length – 29 cm (11.4 inches) from underarm;
Gauge: 18 stitches = 10 cm (4 inches in stockinette stitch)
25 rows = 10 cm in stockinette stitch
26 stitches = 10 cm (ribbing k1*p1 not stretched), 14 stitches = 10 cm (ribbing k1, p1 stretched)
Note for knitters:
Knit with two strands of yarn at once
Common abbreviations of knitting stitches:
k – knit
p – purl
pm – place marker
inc – increase
yo – yarn over
Cable 3 Back (C3B): Slip 3 knit stitches to the extra needle and hold in back of work, 3k from the left hand needle, 3k from the extra needle.
Cable 3 Front (C3F): Slip 3 knit stitches to the extra needle and hold in front of work, 3k from the left hand needle, 3k from the extra needle.
k3tog – knit three together
p2tog –purl two together
k2tog – knit two together
Top down knit raglan sweater pattern
Shaping raglan sweater’s yoke with short rows
Head circumference (52 cm) * Gauge of the stretched rib (1.4 sts per 1 cm) = 72.8≈74 stitches
Using smaller circular needles cast on 74 stitches. Place marker and join to work in the round.
Round 1-5: Rib k1, p1 around.
Because human body is not shaped exactly the same front to back, with a help of short rows, we are going to knit yoke that will have the front neckline lower than the back one for about 3 cm that is equal to 8 rows according to the stitch gauge. Hereby, short rows will make a more anatomically shaped front yoke and neckline. At the end the sweater will have better fit and will be more comfortable to wear.
25 rows = 10 cm in stockinette stitch
3 cm = 7.5≈8 rows
Yoke calculation:
<> 2 sts for each raglan line – 4 raglan lines/8 sts in total;
<> 74 sts–8 sts=66 sts
<> 66 sts / 3 =24 (sleeves, 12 sts for each sleeve) +21 (front)+21 (back)
As I said earlier the back neckline of the sweater will be higher than the front one for 8 rows and at the end will have more stitches due to raglan increases (+8 stitches).
So here we have to adjust the number of stitches of the back and front parts that should be equal when we finish working short rows.
21-4=17 stitches for the back part (when you finish working with short rows it means you add 8 stitches for the raglan line and the number of stitches for the back part will be equal the number of stitches for the front part 17+8=25 stitches. Increases are worked on right-side rows only).
21+4=25 stitches for the front part.
Please don’t worry it only looks hard but as soon as you start knitting you will easily understand calculation theory.
If you look at the picture we are going to have 4 short rows turn markers from each side.
Try to redistribute turn markers between sleeve stitches as even as possible. In my case it is 2nd, 6th, 9th and 11th sts.
Change to large needles and divide stitches as follows:
Round 6: p1, pm (raglan line), k17 (back), pm, p2, pm (raglan line), k12 (sleeve), pm, p2, pm (raglan line), k25 (front), pm, p2, pm (raglan line), k12 (sleeve), pm, p1.
Round 7: p1, pm, inc, k17, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k12, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k25, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k12, inc, pm, p1.
Make increases before and after raglan lines.
Start working short rows
Row 1: p1, pm, inc, k17, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k2, turn.
Row 2: yo, p3, pm, k2, pm, p19, pm, k2, pm, p2, turn.
Row 3: yo, k2, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k19, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k3, yo and next stitch knit two together, k3, turn. We knit yo and next stitch together in order to close the gap you made by turning your work.
Row 4: yo, p8, pm, k2, pm, p21, pm, k2, pm, p3, yo and next stitch purl two together (slip yo and next stitch as if to knit, slide them back onto the left needle and p2tog through the back loops), p3, turn.
Row 5: yo, k7, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k21, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k8, yo and next stitch knit two together, k2, turn.
Row 6: yo, p12, pm, k2, pm, p23, pm, k2, pm, p8, yo and next stitch purl two together, p2, turn.
Row 7: yo, k11, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k23, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k12, yo and next stitch knit two together, k1, turn.
Row 8: yo, p15, pm, k2, pm, p25, pm, k2, pm, p12, yo and next stitch purl two together, p1, turn.
Row 9: yo, k14, inc, pm, p1.
You are done working short rows. If you count stitches now you are going to have 25 stitches for the back part and 16 stitches for each sleeve. Continue working raglan in the round. From this point make increases every other round
Round 1: p1, pm, k25, pm, p2, pm, k16, pm, p2, pm, k25, pm, p2, pm, k16, pm, p1.
Round 2: p1, pm, inc, k25, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k16, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k25, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k16, inc, pm, p1.
Round 3: p1, pm, k27, pm, p2, pm, k18, pm, p2, pm, k27, pm, p2, pm, k18, pm, p1. Increased stitches work through the back loop.
Round 4: p1, pm, inc, k27, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k18, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k27, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k18, inc, pm, p1.
Round 5: p1, pm, k29, pm, p2, pm, k20, pm, p2, pm, k29, pm, p2, pm, k20, pm, p1.
In the next Round we are going to start knitting cables to the sleeves.
Round 6: p1, pm, inc, k29, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k10, C3B, k4, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k29, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k10, C3B, k4, inc, pm, p1.
Round 7: p1, pm, k31, pm, p2, pm, k22, pm, p2, pm, k31, pm, p2, pm, k22, pm, p1.
Round 8: p1, pm, inc, k31, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k8, C3B, C3B, k2, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k31, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k8, C3B, C3B, k2, inc, pm, p1.
Round 9: p1, pm, k33, pm, p2, pm, k24, pm, p2, pm, k33, pm, p2, pm, k24, pm, p1.
Round 10: p1, pm, inc, k33, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k12, C3B, k6, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k33, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k12, C3B, k6, inc, pm, p1.
Round 11: p1, pm, k35, pm, p2, pm, k26, pm, p2, pm, k35, pm, p2, pm, k26, pm, p1.
Round 12: p1, pm, inc, k35, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k7, C3F, k13, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k35, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k7, C3F, k13, inc, pm, p1.
Round 13: p1, pm, k37, pm, p2, pm, k28, pm, p2, pm, k37, pm, p2, pm, k28, pm, p1.
Round 14: p1, pm, inc, k37, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k5, C3F, C3F, k11, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k37, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k5, C3F, C3F, k11, inc, pm, p1.
Round 15: p1, pm, k39, pm, p2, pm, k30, pm, p2, pm, k39, pm, p2, pm, k30, pm, p1.
Round 16: p1, pm, inc, k39, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k9, C3F, k15, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k39, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k9, C3F, k15, inc, pm, p1.
Round 17: p1, pm, k41, pm, p2, pm, k32, pm, p2, pm, k41, pm, p2, pm, k32, pm, p1.
Round 18: p1, pm, inc, k41, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k16, C3B, k10, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k41, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k16, C3B, k10, inc, pm, p1.
Round 19: p1, pm, k43, pm, p2, pm, k34, pm, p2, pm, k43, pm, p2, pm, k34, pm, p1.
Round 20: p1, pm, inc, k43, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k14, C3B, C3B, k8, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k43, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k14, C3B, C3B, k8, inc, pm, p1.
Round 21: p1, pm, k45, pm, p2, pm, k36, pm, p2, pm, k45, pm, p2, pm, k36, pm, p1.
Round 22: p1, pm, inc, k45, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k18, C3B, k12, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k45, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k18, C3B, k12, inc, pm, p1.
Round 23: p1, pm, k47, pm, p2, pm, k38, pm, p2, pm, k47, pm, p2, pm, k38, pm, p1.
Round 24: p1, pm, inc, k47, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k13, C3F, k19, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k47, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k13, C3F, k19, inc, pm, p1.
Round 25: p1, pm, k49, pm, p2, pm, k40, pm, p2, pm, k49, pm, p2, pm, k40, pm, p1.
Round 26: p1, pm, inc, k49, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k11, C3F, C3F, k17, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k49, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k11, C3F, C3F, k17, inc, pm, p1.
Round 27: p1, pm, k51, pm, p2, pm, k42, pm, p2, pm, k51, pm, p2, pm, k42, pm, p1.
Round 28: p1, pm, inc, k51, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k15, C3F, k21, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k51, inc, pm, p2, pm, inc, k15, C3F, k21, inc, pm, p1.
Round 29: p1, pm, k53, pm, p2, pm, k44, pm, p2, pm, k53, pm, p2, pm, k44, pm, p1.
Round 30: k55 (back), slip next 46 sleeve stitches to waste yarn, cast on 4 stitches, k55 (front), slip next 46 sleeve stitches to waste yarn, cast on 4 stitches, join to work in the round. (118 stitches in total)
Work in the round until you reach desired length.
Shaping a dipped hem with a help of short rows
Place markers as shown on the picture.
Row 1: k65 (until black stitch marker), turn.
Row 2: yo, p75 (until red stitch marker), turn.
Row 3: yo, k73 (until last 2 stitches and yo), turn.
Row 4: yo, p71, turn.
Row 5: yo, k69, turn.
Row 6: yo, p67, turn.
Row 7: yo, k65, turn.
Row 8: yo, p63, turn.
Row 9: yo, k61, turn.
Row 10: yo, p59, turn.
Row 11: yo, k57, turn.
Row 12: yo, p55, turn.
Row 13: yo, k53, turn.
Row 14: yo, p51, turn.
Row 15: yo, k49, turn.
Row 16: yo, p47, turn and pm that indicates new beginning of the round.
Now work in the round:
Round 17: yo, knit all stitches around. (Yo from the previous round always knit together with the next stitch to avoid the gap)
Change to smaller needles and rib 1*1 for 3 cm or 1.5 inches.
Binding off: k1, p1 pass stitch over, *k1 pass stitch over, p1 pass stitch over, repeat from * till the end of the round.
Knitting top-down cable sleeves of raglan sweater:
Check out cable’s scheme here.
Transfer sleeve stitches from the waste yarn and pick up 2 stitches from body at underarm, place marker, pick up 2 stitches from body at underarm. Attach new working yarn and start knitting in the round from the point where you’ve placed a stitch marker.
Round 1: k1, k3tog (slip next stitch from the left needle to the right, pick up 1 stitch from the raglan line, slip back first stitch to the left needle and knit next 3 stitches together. Don’t worry if you still have small holes under the arms, we will stitch them up later), k22, C3B, k16, k3tog, k1.
Round 2: knit all stitches.
Round 3: k21, C3B, C3B, k15.
Round 4: knit all stitches.
Round 5: k24, C3B, k 18.
Round 6: knit all stitches.
Round 7: k18, C3F, k24.
Round 8: knit all stitches.
Round 9: k15, C3F, C3F, k21.
Round 10: knit all stitches.
Round 11: repeat Round 7.
Round 12: knit all stitches.
Round 13: k24, C3B, k18.
Repeat Rounds 2-13 until you reach desired length.
Before ribbing part knit decrease round: *k2, k2tog, repeat from * till the end of the round.
Rib 1*1 for 9 cm or 3.5 inches, bind off.
Knit second sleeve in the same way.
14 comments
If I were to make an adult size small how would many would I cast on?
Hi, It depends on your gauge and measurements. I can not tell you without this information
what are the stitch numbers where you put the markers to divide the sleeves and the front and back?
Hi. I am saying it in the pattern 66 sts / 3 =24 (sleeves, 12 sts for each sleeve) +21 (front)+21 (back)
I love this pattern, do have the same but for adult women?
Hi, no I don’t have but I have written clear calculation that if you follow it you can knit the sweater for yourself.:)
Is it possible for you to give us this pattern for a size 10 girls? I just love it!!
Hi, Currently my baby is just 1.5 years so honestly I dont think I am going to make it for 10 years old child. But if you follow all calculations I have done, you can knit the size you want even for adult. 🙂
lovely design! I can’t wait to make it.
thanks for your feedback. Looking forward to seeing your sweater
Just started – it has me increase on round 7, athen k17. Next round i(row 1 of short rows) is still has k 17, which should have increased to 19. I’m going to skip the increase this row so my numbers aren’t off the rest of the time
Great, let me know if you need my help
I love this sweater! Hope you will present a pattern for adult size when you get the time for it! Would you say this one is easy or intermediate/advanced? I’m a total beginner, have knitted your neckwarmer so far. I love it! I love your videos as they are easy to follow. Thank you so much for your instructionvideos!
Thank you Pernilla. I would call it intermediate level because the sweater has raglan with short rows and cables. If you manage to do it, you can call yourself half-professional already 🙂