In this tutorial sponsored by Lion Brand Yarns, I walk you though knitting this versatile raglan cardigan. Get your free copy of the pattern here on the Lion Brand website. Important note – the pattern uses Lion Brand Organic Cotton Yarn, which has been discontinued. In my sweater, I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease.
Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X
Actual Sweater Bust Measurement: 35 (38, 41, 44, 48) in. [89 (96.5, 104, 112, 122) cm]
Finished Length: 14 (15½, 17½, 19, 20½) in. [35.5 (39.5, 44.5, 48.5, 52) cm]
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease, 3 (3, 4, 5, 6) skeins
Needles: Size 7 and 8 US (4.5mm and 5mm) circular needles, 24″ or 32″ long
Gauge: 18 sts + 24 rows = 4″ (10cm) using larger needle size and stockinette stitch (knit a row, purl a row)
Additional Materials: 4 stitch markers, tapestry needle for weaving ends
Note: Pattern is written for smallest size with changes for larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. To follow pattern more easily, circle all numbers pertaining to your size before beginning.
To find a Lion Brand retailer near you, visit their website here.
Instructions for knitting the gauge swatch I show in the video:
Using the larger needle size, cast-on 28 stitches, work 5 ridges of garter stitch (9 knit rows).
Row 1: K across all stitches
Row 2: K 5, P to last 5 stitches, K 5
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until stockinette part measures 4″.
Work 5 garter stitch ridges (knit all rows), and bind-off.
Information on things you’ll see in the video:
The yarn I used for my sweater is Lion Brand Wool-Ease in color Oxford Grey.
The yarn I use for demonstration in the tiny sweater is Lion Brand Wool-Ease in color Mushroom.
The circular needles I use for demonstration are Knitter’s Pride Nova Interchangeable circulars.
The stitch markers are made by this seller on etsy.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Malala”.
Hey! Thank you for demonstrating how to create this cardigan. My question is what if I wanted to make the ribbing around the neck only 1 inch? Would I continue following the pattern as normal after completing my ribbing or do I knit one row and purl one row until I reach the 2 inches and work the pattern as normal?
Pasta – you can make the ribbing any length you want (within reason), just begin the raglan increases (next part of the pattern) when you like.
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Hi Staci,
I have never knitted a cardigan before and thought I would give it a try with your helpful video tutorial, but I followed the link on the Lion Brand website and the pattern is not available. Is there another way to get the pattern?
Thanks, Cynthia
Please disregard my previous comment. I found it. By the way, would Cascade 220 be a good substitute yarn?
Just a note about the total stitch count on the 2XL……..I too was coming up short but it finally dawned on me to remember to count the 4 little K1’s by the markers. Then it works out just fine and the stitch count is bang on! This is my first sweater and I really try thought I was going a bit nuts. I figured out the formula per section but just forgot those 4 stitches. Now I can breathe and carry on. Cross your fingers for me!
Also, I absolutely could not have attempted half of what I have tried this year without Staci’s amazing videos. She always has an answer to anything I may stumble over. THANK YOU SO MUCH STACI!!!
I have learned oodles of knitting from Staci. I just finished watching German short rows. There’s so much to learn and I’m grateful that Staci has made so many amazing videos. I honestly think Staci’s VeryPinkKnits is the best knitting channel on Youtube. Thank you Staci!
what other kind of yarn can be used to make this sweather it is very pretty
Dear Staci,
I have two questions regarding the pattern. Firstly, is there a suitable 2X2 ribbing that I could use for the bottom and possibly cuffs? There was one used on a sweater I found on Revelry. Here is the link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ramona-cardigan
Can you identify the stitch that’s used on the bottom? If it doesn’t work, it’s not a huge deal. I’ll make many more sweaters in the future.
Also, if I wanted a full sleeve sweater, could I just knit them full length? I knit your baby raglan sweater and it seemed as though those sleeves were a bit stiff. It might have been the tension issues of a new knitter, but using your best judgment, could this work? I do like knitting the raglan style of sweater so this pattern is very high on my list of ones to try.
Thanks,
Al
Hi Al – I can’t help you much with pattern modifications, but yes – you can knit the sleeves longer by just knitting them longer. You may want to include some mirrored decreases so that the cuffs are tighter than the upper arm.
Good luck!
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were do I go to uload the sweather I made to show you
Vada – you can create a Ravelry project page, and upload your photo(s) there. Here is my video on adding projects to Ravelry:
https://verypink.com/2015/06/10/ravelry-tips-adding-a-project/
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Gauge Swatching IS most important, especially if making something to wear.
A good idea for the finished swatch — sew it onto the sweater as a POCKET.
A chubby like me would like to make the cropped raglan a few inches longer in length. Is that feasible?
Is.it possible to knit this cardigan longer?
I would love to try the cardigan. There are so many tips that you gave that I feel confident! The LB web page only has this style of cardigan (but nothing with exactly the same title as your You Tube demo) Theirs is knitted in separate pieces. I’d prefer your method. Do I need to adjust the yarn quantities for a one piece in the round?
Bead-trix – in the video, I follow the Lion Brand pattern to-the-letter. The Lion Brand pattern is knit top down in one piece, the same way I show it in the video. No need to adjust yarn amounts for any reason.
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thanks
I can not get this pattern from lion brand. Can you send it to me. Love your videos and have learned tons. Going to make the toe up socks next.
Thanks
Jackie
Jackie – you have to sign in to the Lion Brand website (and/or create a login) to get the pattern. I am not distributing the pattern, so you’ll need to follow through with the Lion Brand website.
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Gayle – yes, it will require more yarn, but you can make the sweater any length before you start the bottom border.
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Hi Staci,
First of all thank you so much for your tutorials. I was going to wait until Monday to visit my LYS because I am nervous about picking up stitches, but I am going it on my own after watching your video for this sweater which I am so close to finishing.
I am ready to pick up stitches for the final button border, but am confused about something. In the last part of the video you said to have enough stitches to start and end the ribbing in the band with knit stitches on both ends for a better look. At the very end of that segment you mentioned starting and ending in purl stitch. Can you clarify?
Thank you,
Marla
Marla – the knit stitches are only knit on the right side of the work…on the wrong side, the are purls.
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Hi Stacey, love your tutorials.
Found the raglan cardi and will be making soon. Love how you made it your own with the longer sleeves and body, looks great on you.
Growing up with gangly arms and long legs, my shirts and sweaters were always too short and wore cropped pants before they were in fashion. ; )
Hi Staci
Thank you for this video.
How many balls of the wool ease did you use since the pattern calls for a different yarn.
Also yours looks much better than the one on the pattern. Is it a smidge longer? If you said so I missed it.
Very pretty and practical for nice weather.
Miki
Michele – the Wool Ease yarn is 197 grams per skein, and I used 4 skeins.
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I would really like to knit this so I followed your link to download pattern but telling me it is not a PDF format.
Linda – if you follow the link to the Lion Brand website (and register on the site, if necessary), the “download now” link for this pattern does indeed take you to a PDF.
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Hi Staci, I would love to make this cardi but I can’t find the corect yarn. I am a new knitter and a bit unsure what I am buying I think it might be called something else here. The wool I can get here is woolease aran not bulky do you think it is the same thing or thick and chunky. I want to buy lion brand just not sure what one.
By the way I can’t tell you how much you have helped me thank you so so much
Rona – the yarn to use is Wool-Ease Worsted, which is also called aran weight:
http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/lion-brand-wool-ease-solids-heathers–twists
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After binding off the ribbing that cardi margins become weavy. What to do?
Hi, Staci. Love, love, love your videos. I’ve learned so many things that make my work look so much better. Thank you so much.
This is my first sweater and, so far, so FABULOUS! Any reason not to finish the sleeves in the round? Looks like 12-inch needles would work. Finishing, specifically seaming, has always been my downfall. I’m taking a class next month, but thought if I did the cuffs in the round then the only seam would be under the arm. What do you think?
Many thanks.
Yes, you can knit the sleeves in the round, if you prefer. There are really no modifications necessary to do that.
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Awesome, thanks! Oh, forgot to mention, I thought I would decrease an additional two stitches to keep the ribbing in order. They would have been eaten up in the seam, so should be ok, yes?
Hello, again. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! When it comes time to pick up and knit for the button bands, do you still follow the pick-up-3-skip-1 formula if the first stitch of each row was slipped? In that case, would it be pick up and knit 2 into one elongated stitch, pick up and knit 1 into the next, then 2, then 1, etc.? Or is there a different method for that?
Many thanks,
-Janice
Great lesson learned — can’t pick up twice in the same stitch. This is the second sweater. I did not slip the first stitch of the stockinette rows on the first sweater, but I did knit the first row after picking up the stitches with the 3-out-of-4 formula (I like the garter ridge between the stockinette and the ribbing). So on the second sweater (slipped edge stitches) I picked up each slipped stitch and then increased (kfb) every other stitch on the way back. The band looks the same from the front on both sweaters, but the pick-up ridge on the wrong side actually looks better on the second sweater! Bonus!