Cardigan & Top Knitted in King Cole Drifter DK - 5629 - Downloadable PDF

Cardigan & Top Knitted in King Cole Drifter DK – Pattern 5629

Pattern 5629 from King Cole is a knitting pattern for two classic women's garments: a cardigan and a top, both knitted in King Cole Drifter DK yarn. Designed at an intermediate difficulty level, this downloadable PDF pattern covers a generous size range of 76/81 cm to 117/122 cm (30/32 in to 46/48 in), making it accessible to a wide range of body shapes. A notable feature of this pattern is that for every King Cole pattern purchased, a donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation.

About King Cole Drifter DK

Both garments in this pattern are worked in King Cole Drifter DK, a double knitting weight yarn known for its softly variegated, tonal colour effects that add visual interest to even straightforward stitch patterns. The yarn's drifting colour transitions mean that simple stocking stitch and ribbing take on a naturally textured, multi-tonal appearance without any additional colourwork techniques. The pattern is worked on 3.25mm and 4mm knitting needles, with the finer needles used for ribbed edgings and the larger needles used for the main body fabric.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is essential for both garments. The stated tension is 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch using 4mm needles. Knitters are advised to work a tension square before beginning and to adjust needle size accordingly — moving to finer needles if fewer stitches than stated are achieved, or to larger needles if more stitches are achieved.

The Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The cardigan is a classic, structured women's knitted cardigan with shaped armholes, a defined front opening, and neat edgings. It is worked in separate pieces — including a left front — which are then seamed together. The construction follows a traditional set-in or tailored approach, with distinct shaping at the armhole and neck edges.

Techniques Used

• Casting on and casting off, including mid-row cast-offs for armhole shaping
• Armhole shaping through decreasing stitches at the beginning of rows
• Neck shaping using decreases worked at the neck edge on right-side and wrong-side rows
• Increasing using the M1 (Make 1) method — picking up the loop between the last and next stitch and working into the back of it to avoid a hole
• Decreasing using techniques such as K2tog, sl1, K1, psso (pass slipped stitch over), and P2tog
• Working alternate row shaping — decreasing in next and every following alternate row — a standard intermediate-level technique for smooth, gradual shaping
• Seaming and finishing of individual knitted pieces

Stitches Used

• Stocking Stitch (St-St): The main fabric stitch, formed by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, creating a smooth, classic knitted surface
• 1x1 Rib: Used for edgings and borders, alternating knit and purl stitches to create a stretchy, neat finish — worked as K1, P1 across right-side rows and P1, K1 across wrong-side rows

Materials

• Yarn: King Cole Drifter DK (double knitting weight)
• Needles: 3.25mm needles (for ribbed edgings) and 4mm needles (for main stocking stitch fabric)

The Top

What Is Being Made

The second design in pattern 5629 is a knitted top, also worked in King Cole Drifter DK. Like the cardigan,