Short Sleeved Cardigan & Top in King Cole Opium/Opium Palette Chunky - 5064pdf - Downloadable PDF

Pattern Summary: Short Sleeved Cardigan & Top in King Cole Opium / Opium Palette Chunky (Pattern 5064)

This King Cole pattern 5064 is a downloadable PDF providing instructions for two classic knitwear designs: a short sleeved cardigan and a short sleeved top, both knitted in King Cole Opium or King Cole Opium Palette Chunky yarn. The designs are rated as intermediate in difficulty and are sized to fit bust measurements ranging from 71/76 cm (28/30 in) up to 112/117 cm (44/46 in), making them accessible across a wide range of sizes including larger sizes. A donation to the Pink Ribbon Foundation is made with every King Cole pattern purchased.

Design Overview

The Short Sleeved Cardigan

The cardigan is a relaxed, wearable layering piece featuring short sleeves, a shaped front opening, and a neat neckline. The pattern includes instructions for a Left Front section with decorative eyelet detailing worked into the border, as well as full shaping for the armhole, sleeve top, and neck. The construction follows a traditional set-in sleeve method, with separate pieces worked for the fronts, back, and sleeves, which are then seamed together.

The cardigan opens at the front and features a garter stitch border at the lower edge, transitioning into the main body fabric. An eyelet row is incorporated into the border, created using a K2tog yfwd (knit two together, yarn forward) sequence, which produces a delicate decorative detail — ideal for threading a ribbon or simply as a visual feature. This kind of eyelet construction is a classic technique in knitting, creating small, neat holes in a row by pairing a decrease with a yarn-over to maintain the stitch count.

Armhole shaping is achieved through decreases worked at the armhole edge in every row and then in alternate rows, gradually tapering the fabric to create a clean, fitted armhole. Neck shaping is also included, ensuring a well-finished front neckline. The sleeve top is shaped with cast-offs at the beginning of rows followed by further decreases to create the classic sleeve cap that fits neatly into the set-in armhole.

The Short Sleeved Top

The short sleeved top is a companion design included in the same pattern leaflet, offering a simpler, pull-on alternative to the cardigan. Like the cardigan, it is worked in King Cole Opium or Opium Palette Chunky and shares the same tension, needle sizes, and general construction approach. The top is suited to knitters who prefer a straightforward, versatile wardrobe staple that can be worn alone or layered.

Techniques Used

• Stocking Stitch (St-St): The primary fabric stitch used throughout both garments. Worked by alternating a knit row (right side) with a purl row (wrong side), stocking stitch produces a smooth, classic fabric with a neat appearance on the right side. It is the most widely used stitch in garment knitting and drapes well in chunky-weight yarn.
• Garter Stitch (G-St): Used for the lower border edges. Garter stitch is formed by knitting every row, producing a ridged, reversible fabric that lies flat without curling — making it ideal for hems and borders.
• Eyelet Lace Row: A decorative row worked using K2tog, yfwd repeats, creating a row of small holes across the fabric. This is a simple but effective lace technique commonly used in borders and trims.
• Armhole Shaping: Decreases worked at the armhole edge in every row and in alternate rows to create a shaped, set-in armhole.
• Sleeve Top Shaping: Cast-offs at the beginning of rows followed by further decreases to form a sleeve cap compatible with the set-in armhole.
• Neck Shaping: Decreases worked to shape the front neckline of the cardigan.
• Stitch Increases Across a Row: Stitches are increased evenly across a row when transitioning from the border needle size to the main needle size, a technique used to adjust the stitch count for the correct body tension.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K)