Cardigan and Sweater Knitted in King Cole Splash DK - 5765 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole Splash DK Cardigan and Sweater – Pattern 5765: Detailed Summary

This downloadable PDF from King Cole (pattern number 5765) provides instructions for two classic knitwear designs: a cardigan and a sweater, both knitted in King Cole Splash DK yarn. The pattern is rated as intermediate in difficulty and is suitable for knitters who are comfortable working with stitch patterns beyond basic stocking stitch. The finished garments are sized to fit chest measurements of 81–107 cm (32–42 in), making the range accessible for a variety of adult sizes.

About the Designs

The Cardigan

The cardigan is a front-opening garment worked in a textured stitch pattern, giving it visual interest and a tactile quality that sets it apart from a plain stocking stitch design. As an open-front style, it is a versatile layering piece suited to a wide range of casual and smart-casual occasions. The use of King Cole Splash DK yarn adds a naturally decorative quality to the fabric, as the yarn's characteristic colour variations or texture contribute to the finished look without requiring complex colourwork techniques.

The Sweater

The sweater is a pullover style, also worked in King Cole Splash DK. Like the cardigan, it is constructed using a stitch pattern rather than plain stocking stitch throughout, adding depth and character to the fabric. The sweater shares the same size range as the cardigan, and both garments are designed to be knitted on 4mm needles, which is the standard needle size for DK weight yarn.

Yarn and Materials

Both garments in this pattern are designed to be knitted using King Cole Splash DK yarn, a double knitting (DK) weight yarn from the well-known British brand King Cole. DK weight yarn is one of the most popular yarn weights for garment knitting, offering a balance between speed of knitting and fine detail. The recommended needles are 4mm knitting needles, which are standard for DK yarn and produce a fabric with good stitch definition.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is emphasised in the pattern, and two separate tension measurements are given, reflecting the different stitch patterns used across the two designs:

• 26 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over the stitch pattern on 4mm needles
• 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 4mm needles

The pattern explicitly advises knitters to knit a tension square before commencing the garment, as achieving the correct tension is essential for the finished garment to match the stated measurements. The higher stitch count per 10 cm in the pattern tension compared to stocking stitch tension indicates that the main stitch pattern produces a slightly denser, more compact fabric.

Techniques and Stitches Used

As an intermediate-level knitting pattern, this design calls upon a range of standard knitting techniques and stitches. The abbreviations listed in the pattern give a clear indication of what skills are required:

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) – the two fundamental knitting stitches that form the basis of all the stitch patterns used
• Stocking stitch (st-st) – worked with the right side knit and wrong side purled, this is the most common knitted fabric structure and is used in sections of both garments
• Reversed stocking stitch (rev st-st) – the mirror image of stocking stitch, with the purl side used as the right side, creating a textured, bumpy surface often used for contrast panels or borders
• Garter stitch (gst) – every row knitted, producing a ridged, reversible fabric frequently used for borders, bands, and hems
• Stitch pattern (patt) – a repeating sequence of stitches that creates the main textured fabric of the garments
• Increasing (inc) and decreasing (dec) – used to shape the garments at