Ladies' Cardigans in King Cole Drifter Chunky - 4599 - Downloadable PDF

Ladies' Cardigans Knitted in King Cole Drifter Chunky – Pattern 4599

Pattern 4599 from King Cole is a knitting pattern for ladies' cardigans, designed to be worked in King Cole Drifter Chunky yarn. The pattern covers a generous range of sizes, from 81/86 cm to 122/127 cm (32/34 in to 48/50 in), making it inclusive and suitable for a wide variety of figures. This is a downloadable PDF pattern, available to purchase and print at home.

King Cole notes that for every pattern purchased, a donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation, adding a charitable dimension to your knitting project.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a classic ladies' cardigan — a timeless wardrobe staple that is both practical and stylish. The chunky weight of the yarn means the fabric knits up quickly, making this an appealing project for knitters who enjoy seeing fast progress. The cardigan is designed with a flattering, wearable silhouette suited to everyday use.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: King Cole Drifter Chunky — a chunky weight yarn known for its softly variegated, tonal colour effects created by the unique Drifter spinning technique, which blends multiple fibres and shades into a single strand for a naturally beautiful finish.
• Needles: 6 mm knitting needles are specified as the recommended size, though knitters are advised to adjust needle size up or down as needed to achieve the correct tension.

Tension

The stated tension is 14 stitches and 20 rows to 10 cm (4 in), measured over stocking stitch on 6 mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is essential to ensure the finished cardigan matches the intended measurements and sizing. If your tension produces fewer stitches than stated, switch to thinner needles; if it produces more stitches, switch to thicker needles.

Techniques Used

• Stocking stitch — the primary fabric stitch, created by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic knitted fabric.
• Garter stitch (g-st) — worked by knitting every row on both the right side and wrong side, creating a ridged, reversible fabric often used for borders, cuffs, and edgings.
• Increasing and decreasing — standard shaping techniques used throughout the construction of the cardigan to create armhole shaping, neckline shaping, and any waist or bust shaping as required.
• Right side and wrong side working — the pattern distinguishes clearly between rs (right side) and ws (wrong side) rows, which is important for maintaining the correct stitch pattern and orientation of the fabric.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k) — the foundational knitting stitch, used extensively throughout.
• Purl (p) — worked on wrong side rows in stocking stitch sections.
• Garter stitch — knit on every row, typically used for borders and edging details.
• Stocking stitch — the main body fabric of the cardigan.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. Knitters should be comfortable with basic knit and purl stitches, simple shaping techniques such as increasing and decreasing, and following a multi-size pattern. The chunky yarn weight and straightforward stitch patterns make the construction approachable, while the garment shaping provides enough interest and challenge to engage an intermediate-level knitter.

Pattern Format

Pattern 4599 is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing you to access and print the instructions immediately after purchase. The leaflet instructs knitters to circle the size they wish to make before beginning, which is a helpful way to keep track of the correct instructions across the size range when working from a printed copy.

A Note on King Cole Drifter Chunky

King