Top and Sweater in King Cole Bamboo 4Ply - 4132 - Downloadable PDF

Top and Sweater in King Cole Bamboo 4Ply – Pattern 4132

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole presents two distinct garments: a top and a sweater, both knitted in King Cole Bamboo 4Ply yarn. Rated as advanced in difficulty, this pattern is ideal for experienced knitters looking to refine their skills with fitted shaping and fine-weight yarn construction. The pattern covers a wide range of sizes, from 71/76 cm to 112/117 cm (28/30 in to 44/46 in), making it suitable for a broad spectrum of figures.

About the Yarn and Materials

Both garments are worked in King Cole Bamboo 4Ply, a lightweight yarn that combines the natural softness and lustre of bamboo fibre with a fluid drape — qualities that make it particularly well suited to close-fitting tops and lightweight sweaters. As a 4 ply weight yarn, it produces a fine, delicate fabric with excellent stitch definition. Knitters will require 4 ply-appropriate knitting needles as specified in the tension section of the pattern.

Tension and Sizing

As with all advanced knitting patterns, achieving the correct tension is essential before beginning either garment. The pattern includes a tension guide to ensure the finished measurements match the intended size. Working a tension swatch in the specified stitch pattern before casting on is strongly recommended, particularly given the fine nature of 4 ply yarn where small variations can significantly affect the finished dimensions.

Design One: The Top

The top is a fitted, lightweight garment designed to be worn as a standalone piece or layered. Its construction involves careful armhole shaping, with stitches cast off at the beginning of rows and then reduced further through a series of structured decrease rows.

Techniques and Shaping

• Armhole shaping begins with casting off 8 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows, followed by paired decrease rows to taper the armhole neatly.
• Decreases are worked using slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (psso) at one edge and K2tog at the other, creating fully fashioned, mirrored reductions that are visible as a design detail on the right side of the fabric.
• Purl-side decreases use P2tog and P2togtbl to maintain symmetry on wrong-side rows.
• A border of 3 stitches (K3 or P3) is maintained at each edge throughout the shaping rows, giving a neat, structured selvedge.
• After shaping is complete, the work continues without further shaping until the armhole reaches the required measurement.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) — the foundational stitches of the fabric
• K2tog — a right-leaning decrease
• Slip 1, K1, psso (skpo) — a left-leaning decrease for balanced fully fashioned shaping
• P2tog and P2togtbl — purl-side decreases worked on wrong-side rows
• A stitch pattern (patt) is referenced throughout, indicating that a textured or lace panel may form part of the body fabric, adding visual interest beyond plain stocking stitch

Design Two: The Sweater

The sweater is a more substantial garment than the top, offering additional coverage while retaining the lightweight, breathable character of King Cole Bamboo 4Ply. Like the top, it features carefully constructed armhole shaping and is worked across the same size range of 71/76 cm to 112/117 cm.

Techniques and Shaping

• Armhole shaping follows a similar fully fashioned approach, with cast-off rows at the armhole opening followed by paired decrease rows worked on both right-side and wrong-side rows.
• The decrease sequences reduce stitch counts progressively across multiple repeat rows — for