Sweater and Cardigan Knitted in King Cole Beaches DK - 5732 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole 5732 – Sweater and Cardigan Knitted in King Cole Beaches DK: Full Pattern Summary

Pattern King Cole 5732 is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole that covers two classic garments: a pullover sweater and a cardigan, both knitted in King Cole Beaches DK yarn. The designs are graded across a wide size range of 81–127 cm (32–50 in) chest, 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 techniques but looking to develop their skills further.

About the Designs

The Sweater

The sweater is a classic pullover worked in stocking stitch as the main fabric, with a 1×1 rib border detail. The front features careful neck shaping, with stitches cast off and decreased in a structured sequence to create a neat, fitted neckline. Shoulder shaping is also included, worked through a series of cast-off rows to give the garment a well-tailored fit across the shoulders. The front begins with a rib section worked on 3.25mm needles, transitioning to the main stocking stitch body on 4mm needles.

The Cardigan

The cardigan shares the same yarn and stitch vocabulary as the sweater but is constructed as an open-fronted garment, typically featuring separate front panels, a back, and sleeves joined together. Like the sweater, it uses stocking stitch for the main body fabric and 1×1 rib for borders and cuffs. Shaping details follow a similar logic to the sweater, with structured neck and shoulder shaping worked through cast-off and decrease sequences.

Techniques Used

• Casting on and casting off – including mid-row cast-offs for shoulder and neck shaping
• Neck shaping – worked through a combination of cast-off stitches and row-by-row decreases, including decreases on every row, every alternate row, and every fourth row
• Shoulder shaping – achieved through stepped cast-offs across multiple rows
• Increasing and decreasing – using standard decrease methods such as patt2tog and general dec techniques as specified in the pattern
• Tension/gauge management – the pattern places strong emphasis on achieving the correct tension before beginning, with clear guidance on needle adjustments
• Rib knitting – the 1×1 rib is worked in a specific sequence to create a neat, stretchy border
• Working in pattern (patt) – maintaining established stitch patterns while simultaneously working shaping rows

Stitches Used

• Stocking Stitch (St-St) – the primary fabric stitch, formed by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side; this creates a smooth, classic knitted fabric ideal for showcasing the tonal or variegated qualities of King Cole Beaches DK
• 1×1 Rib – worked by alternating knit and purl stitches across the row, creating an elastic, textured border used at hems, cuffs, and neckbands; the rib is set up slightly differently on right-side and wrong-side rows to ensure the columns of knit and purl stitches align correctly
• Knit (K) and Purl (P) – the two fundamental knitting stitches that form the basis of all fabric in this pattern

Materials

Yarn

Both garments are designed to be knitted in King Cole Beaches DK, a double knitting (DK) weight yarn. Beaches DK is known for its softly variegated, tonal colourways that evoke coastal and natural landscapes, meaning the stocking stitch fabric will display the yarn's colour transitions to beautiful effect without complex stitch patterning competing for attention. The self-striping or tonal nature of