Quick knit

Raglan wool sweater: here’s our easy pattern for your new favorite timeless classic

This women’s raglan wool sweater is worked seamlessly from the top down, making it easy to try on at any stage of the knitting process. The raglan sleeves feature yarn over increases, which gives the sweater a lighter look. This versatile sweater knits up fast thanks to the thick yarn.

Author Hannemari Lehtonen

Images Essi Lyytikäinen

December 17, 2025Lue suomeksi

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL).

Finished measurements

Bust circumference: 93 (99, 111, 117, 124) (133, 141, 149, 155) cm
Sleeve circumference: about 32 (32, 32, 33, 35) (40, 44, 52, 56) cm
Sleeve length from underarm to cuff: about 40 cm or desired length
Length from underarm to hem: about 40 cm or desired length

The recommended ease for this sweater is 10–12 cm. Add this number to your bust measurement and choose whichever size is closest.

Chill raglan wool sweater: supplies

Novita Halaus yarn (40% cotton, 35% alpaca, 25% wool, 100 m = 50 g), 8 (9, 9, 9, 10) (10, 11, 11, 12) balls or 864 (972, 972, 972, 1080) (1080, 1188, 1188, 1296) meters.
circular needles 4 mm (US 6) with 40/60 cm cables for the collar and sleeves, 4 mm (US 6) double-pointed needles for the sleeve cuffs, 5 mm (US 8) 80 cm circular needles for the body
stitch markers, scrap yarn/stitch holder cable, and a tapestry needle

Gauge: 15 sts and 26 rnds = 10 × 10 cm in stockinette stitch.

Abbreviations

BOR: beginning of round
DS: double stitch (= bring the yarn to the front of your work. Slip the first stitch purlwise. Bring the yarn over the right needle to the back of the work. Tighten the yarn so the stitch from the previous round lifts onto the needle as a double stitch.)
k: knit
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (1 st decreased)
M: marker
m1L: left-leaning increase. Pick up the strand between stitches by inserting the left needle from the front and knit/purl it through the back loop.
p: purl
PM: place marker
rnd: round
RS: right side
SM: slip (= move) marker
ssk: slip, slip, knit. Slip 1 st as if to knit, slip another st as if to knit, return these stitches to the left needle, then knit them together through the back loops. (1 st decreased)
st: stitch
tbl: through the back loop
WS: wrong side
yo: yarn over

How to knit the Chill raglan wool sweater:

The sweater is knitted seamlessly from the top down using raglan increases.

Collar

Cast on 90 (90, 90, 96, 98) (98, 100, 104, 104) sts using 4 mm (US 6) circular needles.

Join in the round, being careful not to twist the sts. PM (= BOR M, beginning-of-round marker). BOR is at the center back.

Work ribbing: *k1 tbl, p1*, repeat *–* for 10 rnds.

Switch to 5 mm (US 8) circular needles.

Knit 1 rnd in stockinette stitch [in Finnish] (= k all sts) and make the following increases evenly. Make the increases by picking up the strand between sts onto the left needle from the front and knitting it tbl.

Increase 10 (10, 20, 20, 24) (30, 36, 36, 40) sts. You now have a total of 100 (100, 110, 116, 122) (128, 136, 140, 144) sts.

Shaping the back with short rows

Rnd 1 (RS): K 28 (28, 30, 30, 32) (32, 34, 34, 36). Turn work.

Rnd 2 (WS): Make a DS, purl to BOR marker. P 28 (28, 30, 30, 32) (32, 34, 34, 36). Turn work.

Rnd 3 (RS): Make a DS. K until 2 sts remain before the DS, turn work.

Rnd 4 (WS): Make a DS, p until 2 sts remain before the DS, turn work.

Repeat Rnds 3–4 another 2 (2, 3, 3, 3) (3, 4, 4, 4) times.

Turn work and work stockinette across to BOR M. Work the DS sts as one st from now on. Work 1 rnd in stockinette and place markers as follows:

Raglan setup rnd (RS): K 18 (19, 22, 24, 25) (26, 27, 26, 26) back sts, PM, k 14 (12, 10, 10, 10) (12, 14, 18, 20) sleeve sts, PM, k 36 (38, 45, 48, 51) (52, 54, 52, 52) front sts, PM, k 14 (12, 10, 10, 10) (12, 14, 18, 20) sleeve sts, PM, k 18 (19, 23, 24, 26) (26, 27, 26, 26) back sts, SM (BOR M).

Begin raglan increases

Rnd 1: K the back sts to M, yo, SM, m1L, k the sleeve sts to M, m1L, SM, yo, k the front sts to M, yo, SM, m1L, k the sleeve sts to M, m1L, slip marker, yo, k to BOR M. (8 sts increased)

Rnd 2: K all sts.

Repeat Rnds 1–2 a total of 17 (18, 19, 20, 21) (22, 23, 24, 25) times. You will have 236 (244, 262, 276, 290) (304, 320, 332, 344) sts in total.

Separating the body and sleeves

K 35 (37, 41, 44, 46) (48, 50, 50, 51), place 48 (48, 48, 50, 52) (56, 60, 66, 70) sleeve sts on hold on scrap yarn/cable, cast on 0 (0, 0, 0, 0) (4, 6, 12, 14) sts for the underarm, k 70 (74, 83, 88, 93) (96, 100, 100, 102) front sts, place 48 (48, 48, 50, 52) (56, 60, 66, 70) sleeve sts on hold on scrap yarn/cable, cast on 0 (0, 0, 0, 0) (4, 6, 12, 14) sts for the underarm, k 35 (37, 42, 44, 47) (48, 50, 50, 51) back sts.

Body

The body has 140 (148, 166, 176, 190) (200, 212, 224, 232) sts. The sleeve sts will be on hold for now.

Work stockinette in the round until the length from the underarm is about 36 cm or 4 cm less than your desired length.

If your ribbing tends to be tight, you can increase before the rib. Work 1 rnd in stockinette, increasing 10 (12, 12, 14, 14) (16, 18, 20, 20) sts evenly = 150 (160, 178, 190, 204) (216, 230, 244, 252) sts.

Using 5 mm (US 8) needles, work ribbing: *1 k1 tbl, p1*, repeat *–* for 11 rnds and bind off in pattern.

Raglan sleeves

Move all 48 (48, 48, 50, 52) (56, 60, 66, 70) sleeve sts from the scrap yarn onto the 5 mm (US 8) circular needle and pick up 0 (0, 0, 0, 0) (4, 6, 12, 14) sts at the underarm. PM at the center of the underarm sts. You now have 48 (48, 48, 50, 52) (60, 66, 78, 84) sleeve sts.

Sizes XS (S, M, L, XL): Work in stockinette stitch until the sleeve measures about 36 cm from the underarm or 4 cm less than your desired length.

Sizes 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL: Work 4 rnds in stockinette and begin decreasing:

Decrease rnd: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.

Repeat these decreases every 4th rnd for a total of 4 (7, 12, 14) times, until you have (52, 52, 54, 56) sts. Continue in stockinette until the sleeve measures about 36 cm from the underarm or 4 cm less than your desired length.

All sizes:

Switch to 4 mm (US 6) double-pointed needles and work ribbing: *1 k1 tbl, p1*, repeat *–* for 11 rnds. Bind off in pattern.