Sweater & Tunic in King Cole DK - 4374 - Downloadable PDF

Sweater & Tunic in King Cole DK – Pattern 4374

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole presents two distinct garments — a Sweater and a Tunic — both worked in King Cole DK yarn. Designed for intermediate knitters, the pattern covers chest sizes ranging from 61 cm to 81 cm (24 in to 32 in), making it suitable for children or petite adults depending on the size selected. Each purchase of this King Cole pattern contributes a donation to the Pink Ribbon Foundation, adding a charitable dimension to every project.

About the Two Designs

The Sweater

The Sweater is a classic knitted top worked in the round of sizes, featuring a structured body with a combination of textural stitch patterns. The back is cast on using 3.75mm needles and transitions to the main body worked on 4mm needles. The design incorporates a richly detailed central panel alongside seed stitch sections, giving the garment a sophisticated, tactile surface interest. The sleeves are worked in a seed stitch pattern, which forms the basis of the tension swatch for the entire project.

The Tunic

The Tunic shares the same yarn and needle specifications but offers a longer silhouette, making it a versatile layering piece. Like the Sweater, it uses a combination of cable and seed stitch detailing, giving both garments a cohesive aesthetic while remaining distinct wearable items. The extended length of the Tunic makes it ideal for wearing over leggings or slim trousers.

Stitches and Techniques Used

Both garments draw on a rich variety of knitting stitches and techniques, making this pattern an excellent project for knitters looking to develop their skills beyond basic knit-and-purl construction.

• Seed Stitch (Moss Stitch): Used prominently throughout, particularly on the sleeves, seed stitch alternates knit and purl stitches to create a bumpy, non-curling fabric with excellent texture.
• Garter Stitch: Referenced as gst in the pattern, this is worked by knitting every row and is used in specific sections for a ridged, flat finish.
• Cable 4 Back (C4B): A classic right-leaning cable twist worked by slipping 2 stitches to a cable needle held at the back, knitting the next 2 stitches, then knitting the held stitches. This creates a bold, rope-like cable column.
• Cable 4 Front (C4F): The left-leaning counterpart to C4B, worked with the cable needle held at the front of the work. Together with C4B, these cables form the central decorative panel of the garments.
• Cable 3 Back (C3B): A three-stitch cable crossing worked by slipping 1 stitch to a cable needle at the back, knitting 2 stitches, then purling the held stitch. This technique is used to create diagonal travelling stitches within the cable panel.
• Cable 3 Front (C3F): The mirror image of C3B, with the cable needle held at the front. Purling one stitch then knitting the 2 held stitches creates the opposite diagonal direction, allowing cables to fan and cross elegantly.
• Rib and Seed Stitch Edgings: The pattern uses combinations of knit and purl ribbing at cast-on edges and borders to provide elasticity and a neat finish.
• Increasing and Decreasing: Standard shaping techniques including inc (increase), dec (decrease), psso (pass slipped stitch over), and working stitches tog (together) are used throughout for armhole, neck, and sleeve shaping.
• Slip Stitch Techniques: Stitches are slipped (sl) onto a cable needle as part of the cable crossing process, a fundamental skill for cable knitting.

Knitting Techniques Overview

Cable knitting, as used extensively in this pattern, involves temporarily placing stitches on a separate cable needle while working other stitches, then returning to the held stitches. This reordering of stitches creates the twisted, three-dimensional rope and lattice