Sweaters in Cottonsoft DK PDF in King Cole - 5877 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole 5877 – Sweaters Knitted in Cottonsoft DK: Full Pattern Summary

King Cole pattern 5877 is a downloadable PDF offering instructions for two knitted sweaters worked in King Cole DK weight yarn. The pattern is graded as intermediate in difficulty and is sized to fit chest measurements of 81–107 cm (32–42 in), making it suitable for a broad range of adult sizes. As with all King Cole patterns, a donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with every purchase.

Designs Included

Design 1: Round Neck Sweater

The first garment is a classic round neck sweater, a timeless wardrobe staple that suits a wide range of knitting skill levels within the intermediate category. The round neckline is one of the most traditional sweater constructions in hand knitting, typically finished with a neat ribbed neckband picked up and worked in the round or flat after the main pieces are seamed together.

• Tension: 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over the stitch pattern on 4 mm needles
• Construction: Worked in separate flat pieces — typically front, back, and sleeves — then seamed
• Needle size: 4 mm knitting needles

The tension specification of 22 stitches and 28 rows per 10 cm is characteristic of a standard DK fabric, and King Cole strongly advises knitters to work a tension square before beginning to ensure accurate sizing. Achieving the correct tension is especially important across a size range as wide as 81–107 cm.

Design 2: V Neck Sweater

The second garment is a V neck sweater, offering a slightly more tailored and contemporary silhouette compared to the round neck version. The V neckline requires careful shaping on both the left and right front sections, with stitches decreased symmetrically toward the centre front to form the characteristic angled opening. This makes it a rewarding project for intermediate knitters looking to develop their shaping skills.

• Tension: 20 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over the stitch pattern on 4 mm needles
• Construction: Flat-knitted pieces seamed together, with V-neck shaping worked into the front panels
• Needle size: 4 mm knitting needles

It is notable that the stitch count differs between the two designs — 22 sts per 10 cm for the round neck versus 20 sts per 10 cm for the V neck — despite both using 4 mm needles. This reflects a difference in the stitch patterns used for each garment, reinforcing why checking tension individually for each project is essential.

Techniques Used

Both sweaters draw on a core set of classic hand-knitting techniques appropriate for an intermediate knitter:

• Stocking stitch (st-st): Knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side — the smooth, classic fabric used across the main body sections
• Reversed stocking stitch (rev st-st): Purl on the right side, knit on the wrong side — creates a textured, bumpy surface sometimes used for contrast panels or trims
• Garter stitch (gst): Every row knitted, producing a ridged, non-curling fabric often used for borders and edgings
• Increasing (inc) and decreasing (dec): Used for sleeve shaping, armhole shaping, and V-neck shaping
• Pass slipped stitch over (psso): A decrease technique used to create neat, directional shaping
• Slipping stitches (sl): Used within shaping sequences
• Working through the back of stitches (tbs): Creates twisted stitches for a neater finish in certain decrease methods
• Seaming: Joining knitted pieces together