Cardigan Knitting Pattern (Stay Home + Be Cozy)

In this post, I want to share with you a super cozy cardigan knitting pattern.

This cardigan has an oversized fit, which makes it really soft and comforting to wrap yourself up in.

Wear it at home, with jeans, leggings, a lounge suit, or your PJs, anything goes really!

Scroll down for the free pattern or you can purchase a printer-friendly ad-free PDF here.

An Easy Cardigan Knitting Pattern

This is an easy pattern for those of you who are advanced beginner level, and the techniques you will need to know are knit, purl, k2tog, and ssk.

Using mainly knit and purl stitches, it will also introduce you to decreasing and shaping.

The cardigan features raglan sleeves, which means the sleeve extends in one piece fully to the collar, leaving a diagonal seam from the underarm to the collarbone.

If you have never attempted to knit a garment before, then this is the perfect pattern for you.

Why Is This Cardigan So Easy To Knit?

This raglan cardigan is so easy you will want to make more than one!

1. It uses only knit and purl stitches.
2. It works up quickly as you will use 7mm (US 10.5) and 8mm (US 11) needles and bulky/chunky yarn.
3. Has minimal shaping and a loose baggy fit.
4. The shaping is clear and simple to understand.
5. All of the pieces are knit flat (even though I used circular needles to accommodate the number of stitches).

The Yarn I Used

I made the cardigan using a bulky/chunky/12-ply yarn – The Petite Wool from We Are Knitters.

This meant the sweater was knitted up quite quickly on size 7mm (US 10.5) and 8mm (US 11) knitting needles.

I selected the color natural, but this cardigan could be made in any color you like.

You could substitute this yarn with any yarn that is bulky/chunky/12-ply yarn like Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky from Love Crafts.

Cardigan Knitting Pattern (Stay Home + Be Cozy)

Grab the inexpensive ad-free, PDF printable pattern in my shop here.

You may also like this Rainbow Cardigan, which is similar in design but in Rainbow-colored stripes.

Copyright Notes

• Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or republish this pattern. 
• If you wish to share this pattern, link to the pattern page only.
• You may sell items produced using this pattern.
• Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
• For the copyright T&C please read my Terms of Use.

Pattern Notes

The raglan cardigan knits up quickly in chunky/bulky yarn, and the simple design makes for a relaxing and enjoyable knit.

The pattern is written for all sizes starting with the small size – with changes for different sizes listed in all necessary places.

To follow the pattern more easily, circle or highlight all numbers pertaining to your size before beginning.

Further Notes

• Cardigan is worked in 5 pieces: Back, 2 Fronts, and 2 Sleeves.
• Each piece is worked in St St (K on RS, P on WS) from the lower edge upwards, beginning with a ribbed lower band.
• A circular needle is used to accommodate the number of stitches.
• Work back and forth on the circular needle as if working on straight needles.
• When you see ‘work as established’ in the instructions, this means continuing in the current pattern stitch.

Skill Level – Easy

Measurements and Size

The sizes – S / M / L / 1X + 2X.

Finished Bust About – 36 (40, 42, 46) in.

Finished Length About 28 (29, 30, 31) in.

*In the photographs I am wearing the medium size.

This cardigan is meant to be really baggy and oversized – so the fit is not fitted/tight to the body.

Gauge – 4 inches/10 cm = 12 stitches in 16 rows of st st.

The Supplies You Need

Yarn

The Petite Wool from We Are Knitters – Natural (100g/3.5oz/153 yds/140m) 100% Peruvian Wool.

For the following sizes you will need approx:

• Small – 6
• Medium – 7
• Large – 8
• 1X – 9
• 2X – 10

Chunky/bulky/12 ply – Yarn weight guide

Needles

• 7mm (US 10.5) knitting needles – circular with a 40″/100cm cable.
• 8mm (US 11) knitting needles – circular with a 40″/100cm cable.
• Circular needles are advised because of the large number of stitches – this is worked back and forth – as you would knit with straight needles.

Notions

• Tape measure
• Darning needle
• Scissors
• Stitch markers

Abbreviations / Knitting Abbreviations List

• Beg – begin(ning)(s)
• Cont – continue
• K – knit
• K2tog – knit 2 stitches together
• M1 – make one stitch
• P – purl
• PM – place marker
• Rep – repeat
• RS – right side
• SSK – slip, slip, knit
• SM – slip marker
• St(s) – stitch(es)
• St St – stockinette stitch
• WS – wrong side

Stitch Explanations

• M1 (make 1) An increase worked by lifting the horizontal strand lying between needles and placing it onto the left needle. Knit this new stitch through the back loop – 1 st increased.
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) Slip next 2 sts as if to knit, one at a time, to right needle; insert left needle into fronts of these 2 sts and knit them together – 1 st decreased.

Cardigan Pattern

Back

With 7mm (US 10.5) needles cast on 63 (69, 75, 81), sts.

• Row 1 (RS): P1, *K1, P1: rep from * to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS): K the knit sts and P the purl sts to the end of the row.
• Rep row 2 until the piece measures 2.5 inches from the CO edge, ending with a WS row as the last row you work.
• Change to 8mm (US 11) needles – Beg with a (RS) K row and work in St St until the piece measures S (19″) M (19.5″) L (20″) 1X/2X (20.5″) from the cast-on edge, ending with a WS row as the last row you work.

Shape The Armholes

• Row 1 (RS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, K to end of row. 60 (64, 69, 73) sts.
• Row 2 (WS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, P to end of row. 57 (59, 63, 65) sts
• Row 3 (RS) Decrease Row: K2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K2. 55 (57, 61, 63) sts.
• Row 4 (WS): Purl
• Work rows 3 and 4 – for 16 (17, 18, 19) more times. 23 (23, 25, 25) sts
• Cast off.

Left Front

 With 7mm (US 10.5) needles – Cast on 41 (45, 47, 51) sts

• Row 1 (RS): *K1, P1: rep from * to last st K1 (edge).
• Row 2 (WS): K1 edge, K the knit sts and P the purl sts to the end of the row.
• Keeping the front edge st in garter st and rem sts in rib as established, work until rib measures the same length as the back rib, end with a WS row as the last row you work.
• Change to 8mm (US 11) needles.
• Row 1 (RS): K to last 11 sts, PM work in rib as established to last st, K1.
• Row 2 (WS): K1, work in rib as established to marker, SM, P to end of row. 
• Rep last 2 rows, slipping the marker as you work until the piece measures the same length as back before shaping, end with a WS row as the last row you work.
• S (19″) M (19.5″) L (20″) 1X/2X (20.5″).

Shape Raglan Armhole and Front Edge

• Row 1 (RS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) st, K to marker, SM, work in rib as established to last st, K1 – 38 (40, 41, 43) sts.
• Row 2 (WS): K1, work in rib to marker, SM, P to end of row.
• Row 3 (RS): Decrease Row: K2, K2tog, K to 2 sts before marker, SSK, SM, work in rib to last st, K1 – 36 (38, 39, 41) sts.
• Row 4 (WS): Rep row 2.
• Row 5 (RS): K2, K2tog, K to marker, SM, work in rib to last st, K1 – 35 (37, 38, 40) sts.
• Rep rows 2-5 for 6 (7, 7, 8) more times.
• Work rows 4 and 5 for 3 (2, 3, 2) more times, then work row 4 one more time – 14sts.

Neck Extension

• Row 1 (RS): cast off 3 sts, remove marker, work in rib to last st, K1. (11 sts)
• Row 2 (WS): K1, work in rib to end of row.
• Row 3 (RS): Work in rib to last st, K1.
• Rep rows 2 and 3 until neck extension measures about 7 (7, 8, 8) inches.
• Cast off.

Right Front

With 7mm (US 10.5) needles – Cast on 41, (45, 47, 51) sts 

• Row 1 (RS): K1 (edge) *P1, K1; rep from * to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS): Work in rib as established to last st, K1 (edge).
• Keeping the front edge st in garter st and rem sts in rib as established, work until rib measures the same length as the back-piece rib (2.5 inches), end with a WS row as the last row you work.
• Change to 8mm (US 11) knitting needles.
• Row 1 (RS): K1, work in rib as established over the next 10 sts, PM, K to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS): P to marker, SM, work in rib as established to last st, K1.
• Rep last 2 rows, slipping marker as you come to it until the piece measures the same length as back before shaping, end with a RS row as the last row you work.
• S (19″) M (19.5″) L (20″) 1X/2X (20.5″).

Shape Raglan Armhole and Front Edge

• Row 1 (WS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, P to marker, SM, work in rib to last st, K1 – 38 (40, 41, 43) sts.
• Row 2 (RS) Decrease Row: K1, work in rib to marker, SM, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K2 – 36 (38, 39, 41) sts.
• Row 3 (WS): P to marker, SM, work in rib to last st.
• Row 4 (RS): K1, work in rib to marker, SM, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K2 – 35 (37, 38, 40) sts.
• Row 5 (WS): Rep row 3.
• Rep rows 2-5 for 6 (7,7,7,8) more times.
• Work rows 4 and 5 for 2 (1, 2, 1) more times, then rep row 4 once more. – 14 sts.

Neck Extension

• Row 1 (WS): Cast off 3 sts, remove marker, work in rib to last st, K1. (11 sts)
• Row 2 (RS): K1, work in rib to end of row.
• Row 3 (WS): Work in rib to last st, K1.
• Rep rows 2 and 3 until neck extension measures about 7 (7, 8, 8) inches.
• Cast off.

Sleeves

 With 7mm (US 10.5) knitting needles – Cast on 33 (35, 37, 41) sts

• Row 1 (RS): P1, *K1, P1; rep from * to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS) K the knit sts and P the purl sts to the end of the row.  
• Rep row 2 until the piece measures about 2.5 inches from beg, end with a WS row as the last row you work.

Shape Sleeve

• Change to 8mm (US 11) knitting needles.
• Row 1 (RS) Increase Row: K1, M1, K to last st, M1, K1 – 35 (37, 39, 43) sts
• Beg with a WS (purl) row, work even in st-st for 5 (5, 3, 3) rows then rep row 1.
• Rep last 6 (6, 4, 4) rows for 6 (8, 10, 11) more times. 49 (55, 61, 67) sts.
• Work even in St St until the piece measures about 17 (17.5, 17.5, 18) inches from the cast-on edge.

Shape Raglans

• Row 1 (RS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, K to end of row. – 46 (50, 55, 59) sts
• Row 2 (WS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, P to end of row. – 43 (45, 49, 51) sts
• Row 3 (RS) Decrease Row: K2, K2tog, K to last 4 sts, SSK, K2. – 41 (43, 47, 49) sts
• Row 4: Purl.
• Rep rows 3 and 4 for 16 (17, 18, 19) more times.
• Cast off rem 9 (9, 11, 11) sts.

Finishing

You can see a step-by-step photo tutorial below that will help you to make up the raglan cardigan.

Seaming Tutorial

You can see a tutorial on using the mattress stitch to seam here  – The Mattress Stitch.

Share your work with us…

I love seeing your finished projects!

If you enjoyed making the cardigan, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @handylittleme or hashtag #handylittleme to be featured.

If you are on Facebook, stop over to the handylittleme Facebook group and share a photo.

I’d love to see your work!

Happy Knitting! xoxo