Coco Raglan Sweater

Coco Raglan Sweater by Jo Sharp

What is Being Made

The Coco Raglan Sweater is a timeless raglan-style pullover sweater designed by Jo Sharp. This knitted garment features a classic raglan construction, where the sleeves are seamlessly integrated into the body through diagonal armhole shaping. The sweater offers multiple design variations, providing options for different bodice lengths, rib styles, sleeve configurations, and collar treatments, making it a versatile project suitable for various preferences and occasions.

Knitting Techniques

This project employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginner-level crafters. The construction begins with casting on stitches and incorporates ribbed edging worked in a k2, p2 (knit 2, purl 2) pattern. The main body is worked in stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric. The sweater utilizes raglan shaping, a technique where decreases are strategically placed to create diagonal lines from the armholes to the neckline, eliminating the need for set-in sleeves. The pattern includes cast-off sequences at specific points to establish the armhole depth and width, with initial cast-offs of 6 stitches followed by decreasing sequences of 3 and 2 stitches to create the characteristic raglan slope.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (k): The fundamental stitch creating the smooth face of stockinette stitch
• Purl stitch (p): Used in ribbing and as reverse stockinette elements for textural variety
• Ribbing (k2, p2): An elastic, textured pattern used for cuffs and waistband sections, measuring 10cm on most versions or 4cm on version 2
• Stockinette stitch (st st): The primary fabric stitch worked continuously after the ribbed sections
• Decreases (dec right): Right-leaning decreases used to shape the raglan armholes
• Cast-on and cast-off: Edge techniques used to begin the sweater and finish seams

Materials

The Coco Raglan Sweater is knitted using Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed yarn, a premium aran-weight yarn. The pattern requires 50 balls of yarn in the specified color, with quantities varying by size (A, B, C, and D available). Knitting needles in two sizes are required: 4.50mm needles for the ribbed sections and 5.00mm needles for the main body worked in stockinette stitch. The aran weight yarn and needle sizes produce a fabric with good drape and structure, ideal for creating a well-fitting raglan sweater.

Sizing and Fit

The pattern provides multiple size options with corresponding stitch counts and finished measurements. Cast-on quantities range from 88 to 108 stitches depending on size selection. The bodice length varies between versions, measuring either 30cm to 35cm for versions 1, 3, 4, and 5, or 38cm to 43cm for version 2, allowing customization of the sweater's overall proportions.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner-level project, the Coco Raglan Sweater is accessible to knitters new to garment construction. The pattern uses basic stitches and straightforward shaping techniques, making it an excellent introduction to raglan sweater construction without overwhelming complexity.