Slouch Tunic & Cowl Neck Top in King Cole Opium - 4670 - Downloadable PDF

Slouch Tunic & Cowl Neck Top Knitting Pattern – King Cole Opium (Pattern 4670)

This downloadable PDF from King Cole (pattern number 4670) contains instructions for two separate knitted garments: a Slouch Tunic and a Cowl Neck Top. Both designs are worked in King Cole Opium, a chunky-weight yarn, making them satisfying projects that knit up relatively quickly while still offering a stylish, contemporary finish. The pattern is rated advanced in difficulty and covers a generous size range of 81–137 cm (32–54 in) chest, making it accessible to a wide range of body types.

About King Cole Opium Yarn

King Cole Opium is a chunky-weight yarn known for its soft handle and attractive drape. Its weight category makes it well suited to relaxed, oversized silhouettes like the two designs featured in this pattern. Knitters should always check their tension swatch before beginning, as achieving the correct gauge is especially important when working garments across such a wide size range.

Tension & Needle Requirements

The pattern specifies a tension of 14 stitches and 21 rows to 10 cm (4 in) measured over stocking stitch using 6 mm needles. Achieving this tension is essential to ensure the finished garment matches the intended measurements across all sizes.

Design One: The Slouch Tunic

The Slouch Tunic is a relaxed, longline knitted top designed to be worn with an easy, draped fit. The tunic silhouette typically features a longer body length that skims the hips or falls further, making it suitable for wearing over leggings or slim-fit trousers. The construction follows a classic knitted garment structure, with a back and a front worked separately before being seamed together during making up.

Construction Details

The front of the Slouch Tunic is worked to match the back until the piece reaches a specific length from the cast-on edge — varying by size from approximately 53 cm to 57 cm (20¾ in to 22½ in) — at which point shaping for the neckline or armhole begins. The making-up instructions specify a wet blocking method: the finished pieces are pinned out to size and shape with the wrong side facing, covered with clean, damp tea towels, and left to dry naturally. This technique helps even out the stitches and ensures the garment holds its intended dimensions.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stocking stitch (st-st): The main fabric stitch, created by alternating a knit row on the right side with a purl row on the wrong side. This produces a smooth, classic knitted fabric with excellent drape — ideal for the relaxed, slouchy aesthetic of this tunic.
• Garter stitch (g-st): Every row is knitted, producing a ridged, reversible fabric. Garter stitch is commonly used for borders, hems, and edgings in garments of this style, adding textural contrast and helping edges lie flat.
• Increasing (inc) and decreasing (dec): Standard shaping techniques used to create the fitted or relaxed contours of the garment, including armhole and neckline shaping.
• Casting on and casting off: Standard knitting construction techniques used throughout.
• Wet blocking: A finishing technique used during making up to set the shape and size of the knitted pieces before seaming.

Design Two: The Cowl Neck Top

The second design in this pattern is the Cowl Neck Top, a stylish knitted top distinguished by its cowl neckline — a draped, softly folded collar that pools loosely around the neck and upper chest. Cowl necks are a perennially popular feature in knitwear because they add visual interest and warmth without the bulk of a traditional polo or roll neck. Worked in chunky King Cole Opium, the cowl will have a generous, luxurious drape.

Construction Details

Like the Slouch Tunic, the Cowl Neck Top is constructed in separate pieces — back and front — which are then joined during the making-up stage. The cow