How to Knit a Beautiful Seamless Raglan Sweater — Easy Top‑Down Pattern
A seamless, top‑down raglan is a classic wardrobe staple — flattering, quick to knit, and comfortable to wear. This pattern produces a simple, elegant raglan with eyelet detail and 1x1 ribbing, worked from the yoke down. Below are the finished measurements, materials, gauge and step‑by‑step directions to knit this beautiful raglan in sizes S through XXXL. Photos show the finished sweater and stitch/detail closeups.
Size
S [M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL]
Finished measurements
Chest: 36 [38, 40, 42, 44, 46] inches
Length: 19 [19.5, 20, 20.5, 21] inches
Materials
- [MC] Lana Grossa Binario (50% cotton, 45% rayon, 5% polyamide; 100m per 50g skein); color: 23; 4 [4, 5, 5, 5] skeins
- [CC] Lana Grossa Rotonda (100% nylon; 130m per 50g skein); color: 24; 2 [2, 3, 3, 3] skeins
- 1 — 16-inch US #8 / 5mm circular needle
- 1 — 16-inch US #4 / 3mm circular needle
- Stitch holders
- Yarn needle
Gauge
20 sts / 32 rows = 4" in stockinette st with MC on larger needle
Directions
Body (yoke/top‑down raglan)
With larger needle, CO 140 [140, 144, 148, 152, 152] sts.
First round: Join, place marker, k 20 [20, 20, 22, 22, 22], place marker, k 50 [50, 52, 52, 54, 54], place marker, k 20 [20, 20, 22, 22, 22], place marker, k 50 [50, 52, 52, 54, 54].
Inc round 1: K all sts.
Inc round 2: K to 1 st before marker, yo, slip marker, k 1, yo.
Rep these 2 inc rounds 19 [22, 23, 26, 27, 30] times more. (You will have 60 [66, 68, 76, 78, 84] sts per sleeve and 90 [96, 100, 106, 110, 116] sts per body half — 300 [324, 336, 364, 376, 400] sts total).
Next round: K to first marker, place these 60 [66, 68, 76, 78, 84] sts on a holder. K to third marker. Place last 60 [66, 68, 76, 78, 84] sts (those between second and third markers) on a holder. K to end.
Working in the round, joining body front to back, work even on remaining 180 [192, 200, 212, 220, 232] sts for 9.5 [10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12] inches.
Change to CC and smaller needles.
Work even in 1x1 rib for 2 inches.
On last round, inc 2 [3, 8, 0, 1, 2] and dec 0 [0, 0, 4, 0, 0] sts evenly around.
Work from eyelet pattern chart for 7 rounds.
Work even in 1x1 rib for 0.5 inches.
Change to larger needle. Bind off in rib pattern.
Sleeves
Transfer sleeve sts from holder to smaller needle.
Work flat, back and forth, even in 1x1 rib for 2 inches.
Change to larger needle. Bind off in rib pattern.
Rep for second sleeve.
Collar
With smaller needles, pick up 140 [140, 144, 148, 152, 152] sts evenly around the cast‑on edge.
Join and work even in 1x1 rib for 1.5 inches.
Change to larger needle. Bind off in rib pattern.
Finishing
Weave in ends and block gently to measurements if desired.
