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Free Knitting and Crochet Patterns from Elaine Phillips

Men's Top Down Raglan Sweater

Difficulty level: *** Intermediate

Free Men Sweater Knitting Pattern

The sweater is worked top-down first back and forth to shape the neck, then in-the-round, without seams. The sleeves are worked in-the-round, without seam, on double pointed or circular needles,

Sizes: S (M, L, XL, XXL)

Finished Measurements:

Chest: 92 (102, 112, 122, 132) cm [36 (40, 44, 48, 52) in.]

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
-Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
-Increasing, decreasing
-Working in the round on double pointed needles
-Picking up stitches

Materials: Elann (affiliate link) Limited Edition Picasso DK weight yarn 180 yards (165 meters) / 50 gr - 8 (8, 9, 10, 11) balls
1 ball each of black and white yarn of the same brand/or weight for stripes.

Needles: circular US #4 (3.50 mm) 24" (60 cm) long and a set of 4-5” long double pointed needles of the same size for sleeves, or circular 16" long of the same size OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge in stockinette stitch: 19 st x 28 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm)

Notions:
- Stitch markers
- 2 pieces 20” long of contrasting color waste yarn to hold stitches
- Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
dpn – double pointed needles
K – knit
P – purl
St – stitch
Sts - stitches
pu&k - pick up and knit
k2tog – knit 2 together, left slant decrease
ssk – slip, slip, knit, right slant decrease
co – cast on
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
m 1 - make 1 increase - I used the increase described by Elizabeth Zimmerman: make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row/round purl/knit it as a regular stitch.
pm – place marker
sm – slip marker


Pattern Notes

Stockinette Stitch in rows:
Row 1 (RS): knit
Row 2: purl
Repeat 2 rows.

Stockinette Stitch in rounds: all rows - knit

2x2 Rib in rounds: multiple of 4
*k2, p2 - repeat from * across the round. Repeat the round.

The selvedge/edge stitches are worked as follows: knit the first stitch and purl the last one.

Raglan increases: Increase for raglan by making 1 st (m1) on each side of indicated, marked, stitch in every right side (RS) row, or every other round as follows: knit to the marker, m1, sm, k1 (raglan st), m1.


Sweater

The sweater is worked top-down first back and forth to shape the neck, then in-the-round, without seams. (It will be a good idea to transfer all your work to a couple of long circular needles and try it on to check how it fits.) The sleeves are worked in-the-round, without seam, on double pointed or circular needles,

Cast on 43 (44, 48, 49, 52) sts and and purl 1 row. Count the stitches and place 4 markers as follows:

1 edge st, 1 st (left front), 1 st (raglan line, pm before this stitch), 7 (7, 8, 8, 9) sts (left sleeve), 1 st (second raglan line, pm before this stitch), 21 (22, 24, 25, 26) sts (back), 1 st ( third raglan line, pm before this stitch), 7 (7, 8, 8, 9) sts (right sleeve), 1 st (fourth raglan line, pm before this stitch), 1 sts (right front), 1 edge st.

Row 1 (RS, 1st increase row): k 1, m1, k1, *m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit all sts till the next marker, repeat from * 3 times, m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, k1, m1, p1. (= 53, 54, 58, 59, 62 sts)

Row 2 (WS) and all WS rows: sl 1, purl all sts.

Rows 3-14: Repeat 1st increase row six more times. (= 113 114, 118, 119, 122 sts).

Row 15/Round 1 (RS, 2nd increase round): knit to the first marker, *m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit all sts till the next marker, repeat from * 3 times, m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit to the end of the row. At the end of the row cast on 3 (4, 6, 7, 8) sts, join into the round and continue to work in rounds. Knit to the first raglan marker. Now the beginning of the round will be at the left front raglan marker.

Round 2 and all even rounds: knit

Round 3: (2nd increase round): *m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit all sts till the next marker, repeat from * 3 more times.

Repeat 2nd increase round 17 (18, 21, 23, 23) more times. (=268 (278, 308, 326, 330) sts.)

Next round (3rd increase round): sm, knit to next marker, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit to next marker, m1, sm, k1 (raglan), knit to next marker, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit to next marker, m1. (4 sts increased, 2 at back and 2 at front, no increases at sleeves).

Next round and all even rounds: knit.

Repeat 3rd increase round 4 (6, 6, 7, 9) more times. 288 (306, 336, 358, 370) sts.


Divide for sleeves and bodice:

Knit the first raglan st. Transfer left sleeve sts (all stitches between the first and the second raglan lines) to a piece of waste yarn, co 7 (10, 12, 14, 18) sts for underarm, knit all sts of the back, including the raglan sts, transfer the right sleeve sts to a piece of waste yarn, co 7 (10, 12, 14, 18) sts for underarm, knit all front sts. Place a marker after the 3rd (5th, 6th, 7th, 9th) left underarm st to mark the beginning of the round. Slip marker while working. = 181 (200, 218, 235, 252) sts.

Work in stockinette stitch 96 (100, 104, 108, 112) more rounds or to desired length, taking into consideration, that there are 10 rounds of 2x2 rib.

Work bodice rounds 2-9 in grey, rounds 10-13 in white, rounds 14-17 in grey, rounds 18-25 in black, continue in grey.

Work 10 more rounds in 2x2 rib. Bind off.


Sleeves

Sleeves are worked in rounds on double pointed needles or circular needles 16" long.

Transfer sleeve sts from the waste yarn to the needles and pick up 7 (10, 12, 14, 18) sts over the 7 (10, 12, 14, 18) underarm sts. Place marker after the 3rd (5th, 6th, 7th, 9th) underarm st to mark the beginning of the round. (= 67 (71, 81, 86, 90) sts

Slip the marker while working. Work stockinette stitch for 116 (120, 128, 130, 134) rounds or to desired length, taking into consideration, that there are 10 rounds of 2x2 rib.

To narrow the sleeve, decrease by 2 sts on both sides of the marker in every 6th round 10 times (20 sts total) as follows:

Decrease round: sm, ssk, knit all sts to the last 2, k2tog. Decrease rounds are 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60. (= 47 (51, 61, 66, 70) sts.

Work 10 more rounds in 2x2 rib. Bind off.


Crew Neck

Starting with the central back st, pick up sts on dpn or circular needles along the neckline and knit 10 rounds of 2x2 rib. Bind off.


Finishing

Weave in all yarn ends.

Enjoy!

Pattern was updated on September 10, 2018.

Close up of the sweater

Back of the sweater


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Comments

There are 18 total comments on this article.

Leave a comment about the article.
Poster: Pauline Lofkin
October 17, 2017

Hi.
Have set up ready to do this sweater. Now I'm on the second row = 'work in stocking stitch for - rows increasing for 10 stitches in each odd row'. This may be a UK/Usa language thing or I'm just stupid, but what does the phrase 'increasing for ten stitches' mean? I can't work out if it means 'increase by' within the row itself randomly or increase all rows until you've increased 10 stitches or increase ten stitches at start/end of each alternate row. Everything else is clear. Never done a raglan before so I'm bemused. Thanks.
Poster: Elaine Phillips
February 11, 2014

You stop the increases before dividing for sleeves.
Poster: Elaine Phillips
March 6, 2014

After you join and start working in the round you include selvedge sts in the bodice of the sweater. The increases shape the neckline in will be also included in the sweater stitch count.
Poster: Elaine Phillips
March 21, 2015

You have to make a double increase at every raglan stitch. If you do this, the amount of stitches in the back, front and both sleeve will increase for 2 st after each increase.
Poster: Elaine Phillips
August 24, 2012

You have to make increases at the raglan lines in every odd row until you have to divide for sleeves.
Poster: Margaret Hollister
August 24, 2012

Thank you for your quick response. I thought this was probably so but with no stitch numbers to guide me and this piece of vital info not included I did not have the heart to experiment. I will try again
Margaret
Poster: Elaine Phillips
October 18, 2012

You have to start knitting in rounds since row 19.
Poster: Claudette
October 18, 2012

Totally makes more sense now!

Thanks for the speedy response.
Poster: Lori
February 23, 2016

I was looking for the answer to the neck question too. Does the dip in the center of the neck even out or are we suppose to do something to give it the gental curve shown in the picture of the finished sweater for this pattern?
Poster: Jane Andrews
December 12, 2021

Do you pickup stitches on the selvage edge
View All Comments (18)

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