The Key to Raglan Cardigans that Fit

I’m not sure that I’ve ever knit a raglan cardigan, though I do love raglan pullovers. Designer Jessica McDonald knit a couple of them and then was distressed to discover that they quickly became misshapen while wearing, to the point that they wouldn’t stay on her shoulders properly and eventually became unwearable.

Being a clever knitter, she wanted to figure out what the problem was and how she could counteract it to knit the raglan-seamed cardigan of her dreams. The long version of the story is documented in a post on her blog.

The problem is in how raglan cardigans are built. When knitting from the top down, all the weight of the sweater rests on a handful of stitches: usually just one or two each for the fronts, a stitch for each raglan seam, and a handful of stitches that go across the back of the neck.

Because of the weight of the sweater pulling on that small framework, it can easily stretch when you wear it, leading to shoulders that, well, don’t stay on your shoulders.

Part of the solution is in the design of the sweater itself, but if you’re knitting a raglan cardigan from someone else’s design, the main thing you can do to make your sweater wear better is to make your cast on tighter than usual so that it won’t stretch as much.

You can also look for designs that are worked in pieces, because having physical sewn in seams gives your project more structure. Cardigans with buttons that you wear buttoned up should act more like raglan pullovers, too, so that might also help.

If you’re looking for some fun cardigan patterns, check out this roundup of summer cardigans I did a few years ago (I’m working on a cozy cardigan roundup, too, so be on the lookout!).

[Photo: Jessica McDonald Designs.]

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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