Make This Classic Cable Raglan Sweater for a Boy — Complete Size 8 Knitting Pattern

This classic knitted cable raglan sweater for a boy (size 8) is a cozy, timeless piece worked seamlessly from the bottom up. The pattern features seed stitch and 1x1 ribbing, simple 2/2 and 3/3 cables, raglan decreases, and short-row shaping across the back to improve the yoke fit. Below you will find a concise overview, materials and gauge, abbreviations, pattern notes, and the full step-by-step instructions as provided.

Skills Required / Techniques Used

• Knit & purl (k, p), cast on & bind off
• Increases: make 1 (m1)
• Decreases: knit 2 together (k2tog), ssk
• Working simple cables (2/2 LC, 3/3 LC)
• Working short rows, wrap and turn (w&t)

Size & Measurements

Size: 8

• Chest: 26 1/2" (67 cm)
• Arm length to underarm: 12 1/2" (31.5 cm)

Materials

• Knit Picks Telemark sport weight yarn 100% wool, 103 yards (94 m) / 50 g — color 2113 Skyline — 8 balls
• Notions: tapestry needle, cable needle, 2 stitch markers, 4 stitch-holders or 4 pieces of waste yarn
• Needles: circular US 4 (3.5 mm) 24" (60 cm), US 6 (4.0 mm) 24" (60 cm), and the same sizes in 21" (53 cm) for sleeves OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE. Alternatively use double pointed needles for the sleeves.

Gauge

Seed stitch on US 6 needles: 19 st x 24 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm)

Abbreviations

• st, sts - stitch, stitches
• k - knit
• p - purl
• k2tog - knit 2 together
• ssk - slip, slip, knit
• as est. - as established, as pattern demands
• m1 - make 1 increase
• pm - place marker
• sm - slip marker
• rm - remove marker
• RS - right side
• WS - wrong side
• w&t - wrap and turn
• C4F (Cable 4 Front) - cable on 4 sts
• C6F (Cable 6 Front) - cable on 6 sts
• 2/2 LC - 2 over 2 left cross
• 3/3 LC - 3 over 3 left cross

Pattern Notes

1x1 Rib in rounds: all rounds *k1, p1 - repeat from * around

Seed Stitch in rounds: Round 1: *k1, p1 - repeat from * around. Round 2: *p1, k1 - repeat from * around. Repeat 2 rounds.

Seed stitch in rows: Row 1 (RS): *k1, p1 - repeat from * across (work as established for WS rows).

Cable on 4 sts in rounds (2/2 LC): Rounds 1-2: knit. Round 3: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front, knit next 2 sts, knit 2 sts from cable needle. Round 4: knit. Repeat rounds 1-4.

Cable on 4 sts in rows (2/2 LC): Row 1 (RS): knit. Row 2 (WS): purl. Row 3: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front, knit next 2 sts, knit 2 sts from cable needle. Row 4: purl. Repeat rows 1-4.

Cable on 6 sts in rounds (3/3 LC): Rows 1, 3, 5 (RS): knit. Rows 2, 4, 6 (WS): purl. Row 7 (RS): slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold in front, knit 3 next sts, knit 3 sts from cable needle. Repeat rows 1-8.

Raglan decreases: Decrease along the raglan lines by working k2tog before the marked stitch and ssk after the marked stitch in every other round: work until 3 sts before the marker, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk. There are 4 raglan lines, so the number of sts decreases by 8 in every decrease round.

Short Overview

The sweater is worked from bottom to top in rounds without seams. The body is worked up to the armholes, sleeves are worked separately, then joined to the body for the yoke. Raglan decreases shape the yoke and the back is shaped with several short rows.

Sweater (Body)

With smaller circular needles cast on 164 sts. Join into round and place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Round 1: *k1, p1 - repeat from * 41 times (82 sts). Place another marker to mark the center of the round, *k1, p1 - repeat from * 41 times (82 sts) to the end of the round.

Work 1x1 rib for 12 rounds, slip marker while working.

Round 13: *(K1, p1) two times, k1, (p3, k4, p3, k6, p3, k4) three times, p3, (k1, p1) two times, k1 - repeat from * 2 times. (164 sts)

Round 14: *(P1, k1) two times, p4, (k4, p3, k6, p3, k4, p3) two times, k4, p3, k6, p3, k4, p4, (k1, p1) two times - repeat from * 2 times. (164 sts)

Round 15: *(K1, p1) two times, k1, (p3, 2/2 LC, p3, k6, p3, 2/2 LC) three times, p3, (k1, p1) two times, k1 - repeat from * 2 times. (164 sts)

Round 16: Repeat round 14.

Round 17: Repeat round 13.

Round 18: Repeat round 14.

Round 19: *(K1, p1) two times, k1, (p3, 2/2 LC, p3, 3/3 LC, p3, 2/2 LC) three times, p3, (k1, p1) two times, k1 - repeat from * 2 times. (164 sts)

Round 20: Repeat round 14.

Repeat rounds 13-20 seven more times or until the working piece is 13". If you want a longer sweater, make one more repeat. Repeat rounds 13 and 14 one more time.

Divide for Armholes

After round 78, cut the working yarn, leaving about a 10" tail. Transfer 12 stitches (6 before a marker and 6 after a marker) on each side of the working piece to stitch holders or to pieces of waste yarn. You will have 70 sts for the front and 70 sts for the back.

Sleeves

With the smaller size and shorter circular needles (21") cast on 38 sts. Join into round and place marker for the beginning; slip marker while working.

Work 1x1 rib for 12 rounds. Change to larger size circular needles.

Round 13: k3, m1, *k4, m1 - repeat from * 8 times, k3, m1. = 48 sts.

Round 14: (K1, p1) two times, k1, (p3, k4) five times, p3, (k1, p1) two times, k1. (48 sts)

Round 15: (P1, k1) two times, p4, (k4, p3) four times, k4, p4, (k1, p1) two times.

Round 16: (K1, p1) two times, k1, (p3, 2/2 LC) five times, p3, (k1, p1) two times, k1.

Round 17: Repeat round 15.

Repeat rounds 14-17 twenty four times. At the same time, in rounds 17, 21, 25 and 29, m1 after the first st in the round and before the last st in the round, thus increasing the number of sts by 2 in these rounds. Total after the last increase: 56 sts.

Transfer 12 sts (6 before and 6 after the marker) onto a stitch holder or a piece of waste yarn. Cut the working yarn leaving about 10" tail. You will have 44 sts of the sleeve. Make the second sleeve.

Yoke

The rounds for the yoke are numbered from round 1. With longer circular needles of larger size: place marker at the left front raglan — this will be the beginning of the round.

Work as established across the front 70 sts, pm, work as established across the right sleeve 44 sts, pm, work as established across the back 70 sts, pm, work as established across the left sleeve 44 sts. Total 228 sts.

Work 8 rounds as established, slipping marker while working.

Round 9: *sm, k1, k2tog, work as est. till 3 sts before the next marker, ssk, k1 - repeat from * 4 times. 8 sts decrease.

Repeat decrease by 8 sts in every 2nd round in rounds 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41.

Work 42 rounds. Total sts after the last decrease is 92: 10 sts on each sleeve, 36 sts in front and back each.

Shaping the Back with Short Rows

Round 43: *sm, k1, k2tog, work as est. till 3 sts before the next marker, ssk, k1 - repeat from * 4 times to the end of the round, sm, work 5 sts of the front, w&t, (=84 sts: 8 on each sleeve, 34 on back and front each).

a) Work back on WS as established: work 5 sts till the marker, sm, work all left sleeve sts, sm, work all the back sts, sm, work all right sleeve sts, sm, work 5 front sts, w&t.

b) RS: work 2 sts as the seed pattern demands, ssk, k1, *sm, k1, k2tog, work as est. till 3 sts before the next marker, ssk, k1, repeat from * 3 times, sm, continue on front sts: k1, k2tog, work 5 sts as est., w&t (=76 sts: 6 sts on each sleeve, 32 sts on back and front each).

c) Work back on WS as established: work 5 sts till the marker, sm, work all left sleeve sts, sm, work all the back sts, sm, work all right sleeve sts, sm, work 5 front sts, w&t.

d) RS: work around as established till the first marker (beginning of the round).

Round 44: Work the round as established, picking the wraps and working them together with the sts around which they were wrapped.

Round 45: Change to smaller circular needles and work 1x1 rib. Repeat round 45 five more times. Bind off.

Finishing

Sew the underarm seams. Weave in ends and block lightly if desired for even stitches and cables.

Diagram