Cardigan and Top in King Cole Summer 4ply - 5849 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole 5849 – Knitted Cardigan and Top in Summer 4ply: Full Pattern Summary

Pattern King Cole 5849 is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern from the well-established British yarn brand King Cole. It provides instructions for two separate children's garments: a classic knitted cardigan and a knitted top, both worked in King Cole 4ply yarn. The pattern covers chest sizes from 56 cm to 71 cm (22 in to 28 in), making it suitable for babies and young children across a range of ages. Rated as a beginner-level project, this leaflet is an excellent choice for knitters who are building confidence with garment construction while still producing a polished, wearable result.

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About the Yarn and Needles

Both garments are designed to be knitted in King Cole Summer 4ply yarn. The 4ply weight produces a fine, lightweight fabric that is ideal for children's warm-weather or transitional-season garments. The delicate weight of the yarn means the finished pieces are soft against young skin and have a neat, refined appearance.

• Primary needle size: 3.25mm needles, used for the main body sections worked in stocking stitch
• Secondary needle size: 3mm needles, used for the neckband and ribbed edgings

As with all knitting patterns, achieving the correct tension is essential before beginning either garment. The stated tension is 28 stitches and 36 rows to 10 cm (4 in) measured over stocking stitch on 3.25mm needles. Knitters are advised to work a tension square first and adjust needle size accordingly — moving to finer needles if the swatch is too loose, or to larger needles if it is too tight.

The Cardigan

Construction and Structure

The cardigan is a traditionally constructed children's knitted garment worked in separate flat pieces that are then seamed together. The pieces include a back, two fronts (right and left), sleeves, and a neckband. This classic construction method is well suited to beginner knitters as each section is manageable in size and the techniques involved are straightforward.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stocking stitch (st-st): The main fabric of the cardigan is worked in stocking stitch — knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side — creating a smooth, classic surface texture.
• Rib stitch: A 1×1 rib (alternating knit 1, purl 1) is used for the welts and edgings. The back begins with 12 rows of rib before the body is worked in stocking stitch. This ribbing provides elasticity and a neat, professional finish at the lower edges.
• Armhole shaping: Stitches are cast off at the beginning of rows and then decreased at the armhole edge on successive rows and alternate rows to create a clean, fitted armhole.
• Neck shaping: The front neck is shaped by placing a set number of stitches onto a thread holder and then working decreases at the neck edge over several rows to form a smooth neckline curve.
• Neckband: After the shoulder seams are sewn, stitches are picked up evenly around the neck opening — including the held stitches from the thread — and a neat neckband is worked in rib.

Key Techniques Explained

The pattern makes use of several standard knitting techniques that beginners will find clearly referenced in the abbreviations section:

• Increasing (inc): Used to add stitches where shaping requires a wider fabric, such as in sleeve shaping.
• Decreasing (dec): Used to reduce stitch counts at armholes and neck edges, worked by knitting or purling two stitches together (tog).
• Slipping stitches (sl): Stitches are slipped onto a thread or spare needle to be held and worked later, particularly during neck sh