Cardigan and Slipover in King Cole Big Value Aran - 4919 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole Big Value Aran Pattern 4919 – Cardigan and Slipover for Babies and Children

Pattern 4919 from King Cole is a knitting pattern offering two classic designs for babies and children: a Cardigan and a Slipover, both knitted in King Cole Big Value Aran yarn. The pattern covers chest sizes from 36 cm to 56 cm (14 in to 22 in), making it suitable for a range of ages from baby through to toddler and young child. Both garments feature traditional Aran-style detailing, giving them a timeless, heritage appeal that combines warmth with decorative texture.

This is rated as an advanced knitting pattern, making it best suited to experienced knitters who are comfortable working from complex stitch instructions, managing multiple pattern rows simultaneously, and using a cable needle with confidence. Knitters new to cables and bobbles may find this pattern a rewarding challenge to develop their skills further.

About the Yarn and Needles

Both designs are worked in King Cole Big Value Aran, a popular, budget-friendly Aran weight yarn. Aran weight yarn is a medium-heavy yarn that knits up quickly and produces a fabric with excellent stitch definition — ideal for showcasing the cable and textured panels featured in this pattern. The recommended needle size is 5mm knitting needles, along with a cable needle (CN), which is essential for working the cable panel and crossing stitches.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is particularly important in this pattern, as multiple tension measurements are given for different stitch types used across the garments:

• 18 stitches and 24 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over stocking stitch using 5mm needles
• 16 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm / 4 in over the textured pattern using 5mm needles
• The cable panel of 20 stitches measures approximately 8 cm / 3 in in width

Knitters should always work a tension swatch before beginning and adjust needle size as needed to match these measurements precisely.

The Cardigan

The Cardigan is a traditional button-up garment featuring a richly textured Aran-style construction. It combines several stitch types and techniques to create a fabric with visual depth and warmth. The body and sleeves incorporate a central cable panel alongside other stitch patterns, creating the classic layered look associated with Aran knitwear.

Stitches and Techniques Used in the Cardigan

• Stocking Stitch (St-St): The foundation stitch of the garment, worked by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, creating a smooth, flat fabric.
• 1x1 Rib: Used for welts, cuffs, and borders, alternating knit and purl stitches to create a stretchy, neat edging.
• Garter Stitch (G-St): Worked by knitting every row, producing a ridged, reversible fabric used in specific sections of the garment.
• Cable Panel (20 stitches): A structured 20-stitch cable panel runs as a central feature. This panel uses multiple cable and twist stitches to create a raised, interlocking rope-like design characteristic of traditional Aran patterns.
• Bobbles (MB): Made by knitting into the front, back, and front of a stitch, then working short rows before completing with a slip, K2tog, and pass slipped stitch over. Bobbles add decorative raised texture to the fabric.
• T3B (Twist 3 Back): A stitch where one stitch is slipped to the cable needle and held at the back, two stitches are knitted, then the held stitch is purled — creating a right-leaning twist.
• T3F (Twist 3 Front): Two stitches are slipped to the cable needle and held at the front, one stitch is purled, then the two held stitches are knitted — creating a left-leaning twist.
• C4B (Cable 4 Back): Two stitches slipped to the cable needle held