Sweater and Cardigan Knitted in King Cole DK - 5675 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole DK Sweater and Cardigan – Pattern 5675: Full Summary

Pattern 5675 from King Cole is a knitting pattern offering two classic garments in one leaflet: a pullover sweater and a cardigan. Both designs are worked in King Cole DK (double knitting weight) yarn and are sized to fit chest measurements of 86–112 cm (34–44 in), making them suitable for a broad range of adult sizes. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, meaning it is well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping, ribbing, and reading multi-size instructions, but who may not yet have tackled complex colourwork or advanced construction techniques.

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What Is Being Made

The Sweater

The sweater is a classic pullover construction worked in separate pieces — back, front, and sleeves — that are seamed together. The body fabric is worked predominantly in garter stitch, giving the garment a relaxed, textured appearance with excellent drape and warmth. The lower edges and cuffs feature a knit-purl rib border for a neat, elasticated finish. The neckline is shaped and finished with a neckband that is picked up and worked in rib, then folded back so that the seam sits neatly on the inside when the neckband is turned down.

The Cardigan

The cardigan shares the same yarn weight, needle sizes, and general construction approach as the sweater. Like the sweater, it features garter stitch as the main body fabric and ribbed borders. The open-front cardigan format adds button bands or front borders, making it a versatile layering piece. Both garments share the same sizing range and tension requirements, so knitters can choose whichever style suits them without needing to source different materials.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting in pieces: Both garments are constructed by knitting separate flat panels — back, front(s), and sleeves — which are then sewn together. This is a traditional construction method well suited to intermediate knitters.
• Tension/gauge swatch: The pattern strongly emphasises checking tension before beginning. Knitters are instructed to knit a tension square and adjust needle size accordingly — going to finer needles if stitches are too loose, or larger needles if too tight.
• Casting on and casting off: Standard cast-on and cast-off methods are used throughout, including a cast-off in rib to maintain elasticity at the neckband edge.
• Neck shaping: The sweater neckline is shaped by placing stitches on a holder (thread), then working each side of the neck separately. Decreases are worked on consecutive rows and then on alternate rows to create a smooth, gradual neck curve.
• Picking up stitches: The neckband is created by picking up and knitting stitches evenly around the neck opening — approximately one stitch from every two rows along the sleeve edge — a technique that creates a clean, professional finish.
• Seaming: The neckband seam is deliberately reversed so that it sits on the underside when the neckband is folded back, demonstrating an attention to finishing detail.
• Decreasing: Shaping throughout both garments uses standard decrease methods to reduce stitch counts at armholes, sleeves, and necklines.
• Increasing: Sleeve shaping uses increases to build the sleeve from cuff to underarm.

Stitches Used

Garter Stitch (gst)

Garter stitch — where every row is knitted — forms the main fabric of both the sweater and the cardigan. It is one of the most fundamental knitting stitches, producing a squishy, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. Because every row is knit, garter stitch is forgiving for intermediate knitters and creates a fabric that lies flat without curling at the edges. The tension for this pattern is set at 20 stitches and 40 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over garter stitch on 4 mm needles, which is the standard tension for DK weight yarn worked in this stitch.

Knit-Purl Rib

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