Sweater & Hoodie in King Cole Bramble DK - 5645 - Downloadable PDF

Pattern Summary: Sweater & Hoodie in King Cole Bramble DK – Pattern 5645

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole presents two classic children's designs: a Round Neck Sweater and a Hoodie, both knitted in King Cole Bramble DK yarn. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and covers a wide range of sizes from 56–76 cm (22–30 inches) chest, making it suitable for babies and young children across several growth stages. Purchasing this pattern also contributes a donation to the Pink Ribbon Foundation, reflecting King Cole's ongoing charitable commitment.

About the Designs

Round Neck Sweater

The Round Neck Sweater is a timeless, everyday children's pullover featuring a neat, comfortable neckline and a clean, classic silhouette. It is constructed in separate pieces — back, front, and sleeves — which are then seamed together, making it an excellent project for knitters building their garment-construction skills.

• Body: The back and front are both cast on using the thumb method, beginning with a 2x2 rib border worked on 3¼mm needles for a neat, stretchy hem. The main body is then worked in stocking stitch on 4mm needles.
• Neck Shaping: The front features a shaped round neck, with stitches divided and placed on a stitch holder while each side of the neck is worked separately. The back neck stitches are also held on a stitch holder for later pickup.
• Neckband: After joining the left shoulder seam, stitches are picked up evenly around the neck opening and worked in 2x2 rib for a snug, tidy finish. The neckband is cast off loosely in rib to ensure comfortable fit over a child's head.
• Shoulder Shaping: Shoulders are shaped with cast-off rows at the beginning of right-side and wrong-side rows, creating a structured, well-fitted shoulder line.
• Sleeve Cuffs: Both sleeves feature matching cuffs worked in 2x2 rib, consistent with the hem and neckband for a cohesive, polished look.

Hoodie

The Hoodie design shares the same yarn and needle requirements as the sweater but adds the practical and playful detail of a hood, making it a popular choice for active children. Like the sweater, it is constructed in pieces and seamed, with ribbed borders providing structure at the cuffs and hem.

• The hood is a key design feature, worked as an extension of the neckline and providing extra warmth and a sporty aesthetic.
• Construction follows a similar approach to the sweater, with stocking stitch as the main fabric and 2x2 rib used for all borders and cuffs.

Techniques Used

• Thumb method cast on — a firm, stretchy cast-on well suited to rib borders
• 2x2 rib (knit 2, purl 2) — used for hems, cuffs, and neckbands throughout both garments
• Stocking stitch — the primary fabric of both designs, creating a smooth, classic knitted surface
• Increasing and decreasing — used to shape the sleeves, neck, and shoulders
• Working with stitch holders — stitches are placed on holders at the neck and shoulders, a key intermediate technique for garment knitting
• Picking up stitches — used to create the neckband by picking up stitches evenly around the neck edge after seaming
• Seaming — shoulder, sleeve, and neckband seams are joined to assemble the finished garment
• Tension/gauge checking — the pattern emphasises the importance of achieving the stated tension before beginning

Stitches Used

• Knit (k)
• Purl (p)
• Purl two together (p2tog