Cardigan & Sweater in King Cole Drifter DK - 4544 - Downloadable PDF

Cardigan & Sweater in King Cole Drifter DK – Pattern 4544

This King Cole pattern 4544 is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern offering two classic designs for adults: a cardigan and a sweater (jumper), both knitted in King Cole Drifter DK yarn. The pattern is graded as intermediate in difficulty and is sized to fit chest measurements ranging from 86 cm to 112 cm (34 in to 44 in), making it accessible across a broad range of sizes. Both garments share the same yarn and needle requirements, giving knitters the flexibility to choose the style that suits them best — or to knit both as a coordinating set.

As an added benefit, King Cole donates to the Pink Ribbon Foundation for every pattern purchased, so buying this pattern supports a meaningful charitable cause.

About the Designs

The two garments in this pattern — the cardigan and the sweater — are both worked in King Cole Drifter DK, a yarn celebrated for its beautiful tonal and self-striping colour effects. The yarn's gradual colour transitions mean that even straightforward stitch patterns take on a rich, visually interesting character without any additional colour-work techniques required from the knitter. Both designs are well-suited to everyday wear and have a timeless, relaxed aesthetic.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The pattern makes use of several classic knitting stitches and techniques appropriate for an intermediate knitter:

• Stocking stitch (st-st) – The primary fabric stitch, worked with knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side. This creates the smooth, classic jersey surface seen on the main body and sleeves of both garments.
• Double moss stitch (dbl moss-st) – A textured stitch pattern created by alternating knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence across two rows, then reversing on the following two rows. This produces a dense, attractive fabric often used for borders, yokes, or contrast panels, adding tactile interest to the finished garments.
• Increasing and decreasing – Standard shaping techniques are used throughout, including inc (increase) and dec (decrease) methods to shape the sleeves, armholes, and neckline.
• Slip stitch techniques – Including sl (slip) and psso (pass slipped stitch over), which are commonly used in neat, paired decreases for shaping.
• Yarn round needle (yrn) – Used to create yarn-over increases, often associated with decorative detailing or buttonhole construction in the cardigan.
• Knitting in the round / flat knitting – Both garments are constructed using flat knitting techniques, working back and forth in rows.

Tension

The stated tension for both designs is 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) measured over stocking stitch using 4 mm needles. Checking tension before beginning is strongly recommended, as it directly affects the finished size of the garment. If your tension square has fewer stitches or rows than stated, switch to finer needles; if it has more, switch to larger needles.

Materials

• Yarn: King Cole Drifter DK — a double knit weight yarn known for its softly blended, tonal colour effects that create natural striping as you knit.
• Needles: 4 mm knitting needles are used for the main fabric. A smaller needle size is typically also required for ribbing and borders in patterns of this type.
• Additional notions: For the cardigan, buttons will be required; the exact number would be specified within the full pattern instructions.

Who Is This Pattern For?

This pattern is ideal for intermediate knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping, reading multi-size patterns, and working a variety of stitch types including both smooth and textured stitches. The use of King Cole Drifter DK yarn means the colour interest is built into the yarn itself, so the knitter can focus on construction