Cardigan & Sweater in King Cole Big Value Super Chunky Tints - 5030 - Downloadable PDF

Cardigan & Sweater Knitting Pattern in King Cole Big Value Super Chunky Tints – Pattern 5030

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole presents two cosy, cold-weather designs: a raglan-sleeve cardigan and a raglan-sleeve sweater, both knitted in the brand's popular Big Value Super Chunky Tints yarn. Designed for intermediate knitters, the pattern covers a generous range of sizes from 71/76 cm (28/30 in) up to 112/117 cm (44/46 in) chest, making it suitable for a wide variety of body types. The quick-knit super chunky weight means both garments work up at impressive speed, rewarding knitters with substantial, warm results in relatively little time.

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Designs Included in This Pattern

• Raglan Sleeve Cardigan – A classic open-front cardigan featuring the signature raglan sleeve construction, worked in King Cole Big Value Super Chunky Tints yarn.
• Raglan Sleeve Sweater – A pullover sweater sharing the same raglan shaping and yarn, offering a coordinating closed-front alternative to the cardigan.

Construction and Design Details

Both garments are built around the raglan sleeve silhouette, a classic knitwear construction in which the sleeve extends in one diagonal seam all the way to the neckline, eliminating a traditional set-in shoulder seam. This approach creates a relaxed, comfortable fit across the shoulders and upper body, and is particularly well-suited to chunky-weight knitting because the shaping is achieved through straightforward decrease sequences rather than complex short-row or set-in techniques. The raglan line itself becomes a subtle design feature on the finished garment.

The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, meaning it is ideal for knitters who are comfortable with basic knit and purl stitches and are ready to work through shaping instructions such as increases, decreases, and multi-section garment assembly. The super chunky gauge makes tension easier to check and mistakes easier to spot and correct, which is helpful when working through raglan shaping for the first time.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Knit stitch (K) – The foundational stitch used throughout both garments.
• Purl stitch (P) – Used in combination with knit stitches to create the main fabric texture and any ribbed edgings.
• Pattern stitch (patt) – The body fabric is worked in a defined stitch pattern, with a tension of 10 stitches and 14 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over the main pattern.
• Raglan shaping – Worked at a tension of 10 stitches and 15 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over the raglan sections using 10 mm knitting needles.
• Decreasing (dec) – Used to shape the raglan seam lines on both the body pieces and the sleeves.
• Increasing (inc) – Used to shape the sleeves as they widen from cuff to underarm.
• Slip stitch (sl1) – Stitches are slipped knitways as part of the decrease technique.
• Pass slipped stitch over (psso) – Combined with slip stitches to form neat, directional decreases along the raglan lines.
• Through back of loop (tbl) – A technique used to twist stitches for a neater finish in specific decrease or increase contexts.
• Alternating rows (alt) – Shaping is worked on alternate rows, a standard approach for gradual, even raglan decreases.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is essential for a well-fitting finished garment. The pattern specifies 10 stitches and 14 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over the main stitch pattern, and 10 stitches and 15 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over the raglan sections. Both are measured using 10