Raglan Jackets in King Cole DK - 4251 - Downloadable PDF

Raglan Jackets Knitted in King Cole DK – Pattern 4251

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole presents a collection of raglan jackets designed for knitters of intermediate skill level. The pattern covers a generous size range of 71/76 cm to 112/117 cm (28/30 in to 44/46 in), making it suitable for a wide variety of adult figures. As with all King Cole patterns, a donation is made to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with every purchase.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces raglan-style jackets — a classic garment silhouette where the sleeves extend in one piece up to the collar, eliminating a traditional shoulder seam. This construction creates a comfortable, relaxed fit across the shoulders and upper body, and is a perennially popular choice in knitwear design. The raglan shaping is achieved through carefully placed increases and decreases along the sleeve and body panels, giving the finished jacket its characteristic diagonal seam lines.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: King Cole DK (double knit weight yarn)
• Needles: 4mm (US size 6) knitting needles, or the size required to achieve the correct tension
• Knitters are advised to swatch before beginning — if fewer stitches than stated are achieved over 10 cm, switch to a finer needle; if more stitches are achieved, switch to a larger needle

Tension

The stated tension for this pattern is 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) measured over stocking stitch using 4mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is essential for the jacket to knit up to the correct size and proportions, so swatching is strongly recommended before casting on the main pieces.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stocking Stitch (St-St): The primary fabric stitch used throughout the main body and sleeves, created by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side. This produces a smooth, classic knitted fabric.
• 1x1 Rib: A ribbing stitch pattern formed by alternating one knit stitch and one purl stitch across the row. Ribbing is typically used for cuffs, hems, and button bands, as it is naturally elastic and helps garment edges retain their shape.
• Wrap 1: A short-row or stitch-wrapping technique referenced in the pattern's special abbreviations, used to prevent holes or gaps when working specific shaping sections.
• Raglan Shaping: Achieved through the use of decrease and increase techniques along the raglan seam lines, including methods such as slip one stitch knitways (sl1), pass slipped stitch over (psso), and working stitches through the back of the loop (tbl) for neat, directional decreases.
• Knit (K) and Purl (P) stitches form the foundation of all stitch patterns used in the jacket.

Key Abbreviations and Techniques Explained

• alt – alternate rows or stitches, used to space shaping evenly
• dec – decrease, reducing stitch count to shape the raglan lines and other areas
• inc – increase, adding stitches where needed for sleeve shaping
• psso – pass slipped stitch over, a left-leaning decrease technique
• tbl – through the back of the loop, twisting a stitch to create a neat decrease
• rs / ws – right side and wrong side, indicating which face of the fabric is facing the knitter on a given row
• rep – repeat, indicating sections of the pattern to be worked multiple times

Pattern Format and Sizing

This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing instant access after purchase. It covers sizes from 71/76 cm up to