Cropped Raglan Cardigans in King Cole Authentic DK - 4125 - Downloadable PDF

Cropped Raglan Cardigans Knitting Pattern – King Cole Authentic DK (Pattern 4125)

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole presents Cropped Raglan Cardigans worked in King Cole Authentic DK yarn. The pattern covers a generous size range of 71/76 cm to 112/117 cm (28/30 in to 44/46 in), making it suitable for a wide variety of figures. As the name suggests, the finished garments feature a cropped length and classic raglan sleeve shaping, giving them a relaxed yet structured silhouette that is perennially popular in handknitted knitwear.

About the Designs

The pattern includes two cardigan variations — referenced within the instructions as a textured Cardigan and a second design sharing the same raglan construction. Both versions are cropped cardigans, meaning they sit above or at the natural waist rather than extending to hip length. This cropped profile makes them ideal for layering over tops, dresses, or high-waisted trousers. The raglan yoke is a defining feature: rather than a traditional set-in sleeve, the sleeve and body are shaped simultaneously along diagonal decrease lines that run from the underarm to the neckline, creating a smooth, angled seam that is both comfortable to wear and satisfying to knit.

Construction and Shaping

The cardigans are constructed in separate pieces — Back, Left Front, Right Front, and Sleeves — which are then joined. The raglan shaping is worked through a series of paired decreases on every right-side row. Specific decrease techniques referenced in the pattern include:

• s1, K1, psso (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over) — used on one side of the raglan shaping to create a left-leaning decrease
• K2tog (knit two together) — used on the opposite side to create a right-leaning decrease, ensuring the raglan lines are neat and symmetrical

These two decrease methods are paired deliberately so that the diagonal raglan lines mirror each other attractively on the finished garment. The instructions also reference picking up stitches along shaped and straight edges for finishing, with precise stitch counts such as 42 [48:54:58:64] stitches evenly along shaped edge and 70 stitches evenly along straight edges, indicating careful attention to a professional finish around the yoke and neckline.

The pattern notes a total stitch count of 303 [315:327:337:349] stitches at the point where all pieces are joined across the yoke, which gives a sense of the scale and the precision required when working across the raglan seam joins. A back neck cast-off of 38 [38:38:40:40] stitches shapes the neckline, and the Left Sleeve contributes 19 stitches from the cast-off stitches at the top, illustrating how the raglan yoke pieces interlock neatly.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern draws on a range of knitting stitches and techniques appropriate for an intermediate-level knitter:

• Knit stitch (K) — the foundation of the fabric throughout
• Purl stitch (P) — used on wrong-side rows to build stocking stitch or textured fabric
• s1, K1, psso — a classic left-leaning single decrease used in raglan shaping
• K2tog — a right-leaning single decrease used in raglan shaping
• Cast off — used at the back neck and sleeve top to shape the neckline opening
• Picking up stitches evenly — along both shaped and straight edges for the yoke join and any bands or borders
• Textured stitch pattern — one of the two cardigan versions features a textured design, adding surface interest beyond plain stocking stitch
• Raglan shaping — worked over multiple rows with decreases at each end, set up over the first two rows and then repeated consistently

The abbreviation psso (pass slipped stitch over) is listed as a special abbreviation within the pattern, suggesting the instructions include a gloss