Cardigan, Shrug & Wrap in King Cole DK - 4411 - Downloadable PDF

Cardigan, Shrug & Wrap Knitting Pattern – King Cole DK (Pattern 4411)

This King Cole pattern 4411 is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern offering three distinct designs in one leaflet: a classic cardigan, a shrug, and a wrap. All three garments are knitted in King Cole DK (double knit) weight yarn and are sized to fit bust measurements of 81–107 cm (32–42 in), making them suitable for a wide range of sizes. The pattern is rated as intermediate in difficulty, making it ideal for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and simple lace techniques but are ready to develop their skills further. A donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation for every King Cole pattern purchased.

Materials and Tension

All three designs in this pattern are worked in King Cole DK yarn. The recommended needles are 3.75mm and 4mm knitting needles, with both sizes used within the pattern — the smaller 3.75mm needles are typically used for ribbing or border sections, while the 4mm needles are used for the main body fabric.

Achieving the correct tension is essential before beginning any of the garments. The stated tension is:

• 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm (4in) over the lace pattern on 4mm needles
• 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm (4in) over stocking stitch on 4mm needles

Knitters are advised to work a tension square before starting and to adjust needle size accordingly — moving to finer needles if the stitch count is too low, or to larger needles if the stitch count is too high.

Design One: Cardigan

The cardigan is a structured, shaped garment featuring a back, a left front, and corresponding right front sections. It is constructed in separate pieces that are seamed together, following a traditional set-in or drop-shoulder construction typical of classic knitwear design.

Construction and Shaping

The back is cast on using 3.75mm needles, beginning with a garter stitch border section. The stitch counts vary by size, with cast-on numbers ranging from 95 to 123 stitches across the six sizes. After the border, the work transitions to the main pattern on 4mm needles. Shaping is worked throughout the body and at the armhole and shoulder areas, with stitches cast off at the shoulder in a stepped manner — for example, casting off 12–14 stitches at the shoulder edges.

The left front mirrors the back in structure, cast on with 45 to 59 stitches depending on size, and worked to match the back from the border upward. Shaping at the front edge and armhole creates the characteristic open-front cardigan silhouette.

Stitch Techniques Used in the Cardigan

• Garter stitch (gst) – every row knitted; used for borders and transitional sections
• Stocking stitch (st-st) – right side knit, wrong side purl; used for the main body fabric
• Reversed stocking stitch (rev st-st) – right side purl, wrong side knit; used as a contrast texture in certain sections
• Lace pattern – a repeating eyelet and decrease pattern featuring yarn-over increases (yon, yfwd, yrn) paired with decreases (K2tog, sl1, K1, psso, and sl1, K2tog, psso) to create an open, decorative fabric

Lace Pattern Detail

The lace pattern is a multi-row repeat worked over an odd number of stitches, creating a balanced, symmetrical design. Key rows include sequences such as:

• K2tog, yon, K5, yon, sl1, K1, psso repeated across the row with offset stitch counts at each end to centre the pattern for each size