Sweater, Cardigan & Hat in King Cole DK - 4375 - Downloadable PDF

Sweater, Cardigan & Hat in King Cole DK – Pattern 4375 Summary

This intermediate-level knitting pattern (King Cole leaflet 4375) offers three coordinating designs in one downloadable PDF: a pullover sweater, a cardigan, and a hat, all worked in King Cole DK weight yarn. The pattern is sized to fit chest measurements of 61–81 cm (24–32 in), making it well suited to children. King Cole donates to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with every pattern purchase.

Materials & Tension

All three designs call for King Cole DK yarn, used with 4 mm needles for the main fabric and 3.75 mm needles for the ribbed welts and borders. Achieving the correct tension is essential: the pattern specifies 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) measured over reversed stocking stitch on 4 mm needles. Knitters are advised to work a tension swatch before beginning and to adjust needle size up or down as needed to match this gauge exactly. The pattern also references a main shade (M) and a contrast shade (C), suggesting the designs incorporate colour work or contrast detailing.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Reversed stocking stitch (rev st-st): The primary fabric stitch, worked with the purl side as the right side and the knit side as the wrong side. This gives the finished fabric a distinctive textured, matte appearance compared to standard stocking stitch.
• 2×2 rib: Used for welts and borders, worked as K2, P2 repeat. This creates a stretchy, neat edging on cuffs, hems, and neckbands.
• Cable stitches: Two cable abbreviations are defined — C6B (cable 6 back) and C6F (cable 6 front). Both involve slipping 3 stitches onto a cable needle, holding them at the back or front of the work respectively, knitting the next 3 stitches from the left-hand needle, then knitting the 3 held stitches from the cable needle. These classic 6-stitch cables create bold, rope-like twisted columns that add visual interest and texture to the fabric.
• Increasing and decreasing: Standard shaping techniques are used throughout, including inc (increase into a stitch) and dec (decrease), used to shape armholes, sleeves, and necklines.
• Neck shaping: Back neck shaping is worked by putting centre stitches onto a holder and working each shoulder side separately, with decreases worked on alternate rows to create a neat, fitted neckline.
• Slipping stitches: Used as part of the cable technique and general pattern construction.
• Yarn round needle (yrn): Noted in the abbreviations, this technique creates a yarn-over loop, typically used for decorative eyelets or buttonholes.

The Pullover Sweater

The sweater is a classic pullover construction worked in pieces — back, front, and sleeves — then seamed. The back is cast on with 3.75 mm needles and begins with a 2×2 rib welt before changing to 4 mm needles for the main body worked in reversed stocking stitch, incorporating the cable panel pattern. Stitch counts at cast-on range across the five sizes: 74, 78, 86, 90, and 94 stitches. The pattern panel is carefully integrated with plain reversed stocking stitch borders on each side, with the border stitch counts varying by size to keep the cable panel centred. Neck shaping divides the work, with centre neck stitches — 22, 24, 26, 26, or 28 stitches depending on size — placed on a holder, and each shoulder completed separately with decreases on the next and following alternate row, leaving 31, 30, 30, 30, or 30 stitches per shoulder before casting off.

The Cardigan

The cardigan shares the same yarn,