Sweater and Cardigan Knitted in King Cole Cottonsoft DK - 5737 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole Cottonsoft DK Sweater and Cardigan – Pattern 5737 Summary

Pattern 5737 from King Cole is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern presenting two classic garments: a pullover sweater and a cardigan, both knitted in King Cole Cottonsoft DK yarn. Designed at an intermediate difficulty level, this pattern is suitable for knitters who are comfortable working with multiple stitch types, shaping techniques, and following multi-size instructions. The finished garments are sized to fit bust measurements ranging from 81 cm to 107 cm (32 in to 42 in), making the pattern accessible across a range of sizes.

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Garments Included

The Sweater

The sweater is a classic pullover construction worked in separate pieces — back, front, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. The garment features a decorative lace eyelet pattern as its main fabric, giving it a delicate, feminine texture that works beautifully in a cotton-blend DK yarn. The lace pattern is achieved through a combination of yarn-forward increases and paired decreases, creating an elegant openwork effect across the body and sleeves.

The back is cast on using 3.75mm needles, beginning with a 2×2 rib (knit 2, purl 2) border for a neat, elasticated edge. The main body is then worked on 4mm needles in the lace pattern. Stitch counts at cast-on range across the six sizes, beginning at 110 stitches for the smallest size up to 146 stitches for the largest.

The sleeves are also cast on with 3.75mm needles, beginning with the same 22-row rib section before transitioning to the main lace pattern on 4mm needles. Sleeve cast-on stitch counts range from 54 to 66 stitches depending on size.

The Cardigan

The cardigan shares the same yarn, needle sizes, tension, and decorative lace stitch pattern as the sweater, but is constructed as an open-front garment. The front sections are worked in two separate pieces, each shaped individually, with the pattern providing clear instructions for completing the second front side to mirror the first. The cardigan front shaping includes neckline decreases worked symmetrically, with the pattern specifying exact stitch counts at key shaping points — for example, working to a specified number of stitches such as 15 to 19 stitches at the shoulder depending on size.

Techniques Used

• 2×2 Rib: Used for welts and cuffs, worked by alternating knit 2 and purl 2 stitches to create a stretchy, structured border.
• Lace Eyelet Pattern: The main stitch pattern of both garments, created using yarn-forward (yfwd), yarn-over-needle (yon), and yarn-round-needle (yrn) increases paired with knit 2 together (K2tog) and slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (sl1, K1, psso) decreases to maintain stitch count while forming decorative holes.
• Stocking Stitch (st-st): Referenced within the pattern for certain sections, worked with the right side knit and wrong side purled.
• Reversed Stocking Stitch (rev st-st): Also referenced, worked with the right side purled and wrong side knitted, offering a textural contrast where used.
• Garter Stitch (gst): Every row knitted, used as a simple, flat texture in select areas of the pattern.
• Shaping: Includes both increases (inc) and decreases (dec) for armhole, neckline, and sleeve shaping throughout both garments.
• Tension Checking: The pattern strongly emphasises knitting a tension square before beginning, with guidance to adjust needle size if the stitch or row count differs from the stated tension.

Stitches Used

• Knit (