Top and Short Sleeved Cardigan in King Cole Authentic DK - 4126 - Downloadable PDF

Top and Short Sleeved Cardigan in King Cole Authentic DK – Pattern 4126

This advanced-level knitting pattern (King Cole pattern number 4126) offers two coordinating designs in one downloadable PDF: a knitted top and a short sleeved cardigan. Both garments are worked in King Cole Authentic DK yarn and are sized to fit bust measurements ranging from 71/76 cm to 112/117 cm (28/30 in to 44/46 in), making the pattern accessible across a wide range of sizes.

About the Two Designs

The Knitted Top

The top is a fitted, standalone garment designed to be worn on its own or layered beneath the matching cardigan. Like the cardigan, it is constructed in King Cole Authentic DK weight yarn, ensuring a consistent drape and gauge across both pieces when worn together as a set.

The Short Sleeved Cardigan

The cardigan features short sleeves and is shaped using raglan construction, a classic technique in which the sleeves and body are joined and decreased simultaneously toward the neckline rather than being set in at a traditional armhole. This creates a smooth, diagonal seam line running from the underarm to the collar, giving the finished garment a neat, close-fitting shoulder and a flattering silhouette. The raglan shaping involves careful paired decreases worked on every row and every alternate row, requiring close attention to the pattern instructions — one of the reasons this design is rated as advanced difficulty.

Construction and Techniques

Both garments in pattern 4126 are knitted flat in separate pieces and then seamed together. Key construction techniques featured across the two designs include:

• Raglan sleeve shaping — decreases are worked at raglan edges on every row and every following alternate row, requiring the knitter to track multiple shaping sequences simultaneously
• Neckline shaping — stitches are decreased at the neck edge in every row to create a smooth, fitted neckline; stitches are also picked up evenly along the left side of the neck
• 1x1 rib — a classic ribbing stitch pattern (knit 1, purl 1 alternating) used for borders and edgings, adding stretch and a tidy, professional finish to cuffs, hems, and neckbands
• Seaming and finishing — the separately knitted pieces are joined, with attention to aligning raglan seam lines correctly

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch — the foundation of the main fabric sections
• Purl stitch — used in combination with knit stitches within the ribbing
• 1x1 rib (knit 1, purl 1) — used for borders and edgings throughout both garments
• Decrease stitches — worked at raglan and neck edges to shape the garments; the pattern references specific special abbreviations for these shaping techniques

Materials

Yarn

Both designs are knitted in King Cole Authentic DK, a double knit (DK) weight yarn. DK weight is a versatile, medium-light yarn that produces a fabric with good stitch definition, making it well suited to the clean lines and structured shaping of these garments. The pattern specifies a tension (gauge) swatch should be worked before beginning, which is especially important at advanced level where precise fit across multiple sizes depends on matching the stated tension exactly.

Needles

As is standard for DK weight knitting patterns, appropriate knitting needles for achieving the stated tension are specified within the pattern PDF. Knitters should refer to the tension section of the pattern for the recommended needle size and adjust up or down as necessary to match gauge.

Sizing and Fit

Pattern 4126 is graded across five sizes, covering bust measurements of 71/76, 81/86, 91/97, 102/107, and 112/117 cm (28/30 to 44/46 inches). The stitch counts and row instructions