How to work a jumper top down
Several of our jumpers are worked top-down, and this is primarily because it provides more flexibility in terms of adjusting the jumper to personal measurements or preferences. It is easier to adjust the length of sleeves, body and especially the yoke. Working top-down also makes it easier to try the piece on while working.
In this lesson we show you how to work a jumper with a simple raglan increase. Start by picking the pattern you want to knit and use this lesson to guide you. If you want to work on a pattern with a different kind of raglan just follow the instructions for increases in you pattern - you’ll notice that the principle of top-down is the same as in this example. Similarly, this technique can also be used when working a round yoke, just follow the increase instructions for the round yoke instead of the raglan showed here.
Additionally, If you’re working a jacket top-down the technique will be the same, but you’ll work the piece back and forth on needle, starting mid front (a marker at the back will not be necessary).
Let’s get started
1) We have started this example by casting on 48 stitches and working 3 cm rib (knit 2, purl 2), before starting the raglan increases.
After the rib edge, continue in stocking stitch and place a marker mid-back. Continue by placing 4 marker threads for raglan in the transition between body and sleeves (from 1. mark to 1. marker thread = half back piece. From 1. to 2. marker thread = 1. sleeve. From 2. to 3. marker thread = front piece. From 3. to 4. marker thread = 2. sleeve. The remaining stitches between 4. marker thread and 1. mark = half back piece).
2) Start increasing for raglan on each side of the 4 marker threads.
3) Increase as follows: start 1 stitches before marker thread, make 1 yarn over on right needle.
4) Work 2 stitches (marker thread sits between these stitches), make 1 yarn over on right needle.
5) First increases (yarn overs) before and after 1. marker thread is now complete. Repeat increases at each marker thread (=8 stitches increased on round).
6) On next round, knit the yarn overs twisted (work in the back loop of stitch) to avoid holes.
7) Continue with pattern, and increase for raglan as explained.
8) When all increases for raglan are complete, continue working until you reach the measurements for where piece is divided for body and sleeves.
9) Divide piece for sleeves and front/back piece, and finish each part separately. Work until 1. marker thread (=half back piece).
10) Place stitches between 1. and 2. marker thread on a thread/stitch holder (= 1. sleeve).
11) Cast on new stitches under sleeve.
12) Work stitches between 2. and 3. marker thread (=front piece).
13) Place stitches between 3. and 4. marker thread on a thread/stitch holder (= 2. sleeve).
14) Cast on new stitches under sleeve (same number of stitches as cast on under 1. sleeve).
15) Work remaining stitches on back piece (until 1. marker).
16) Work the body in the round, follow instructions for increases, decreases, length and rib edge in your pattern. If you’re unsure about the length of piece, or considering shortening/lengthening it, you can easily try the jumper on while working (TIP: when trying the piece on, distribute stitches over several circular needles to minimise the risk of losing any stitches).
17) Work sleeves: place stitches from one of the threads/stitch holders back on the needle.
18) Cast on new stitches under sleeve, see picture A) or pick up 1 stitch in each stitch of the stitches cast on under the sleeve, see picture B) - see pattern for exact number and place a marker. The piece is now measured from here.
19) Work the length stated in the pattern, place a new marker in the middle of the new stitches cast on. Decrease 1 stitch on each side of the marker.
20) Work until 2 stitches remain before the stitch with marker, slip 1 stitch onto right needle, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over (= 1 stitch decreased).
21) Work stitch with marker.
22) Knit 2 stitches together (=1 stitch decreased).
You have now decreased 1 stitch before and 1 stitch after marker (= 2 stitches decreased).
23) Follow instructions in pattern regarding the number of decreases and cm/rounds in-between each decrease.
24) When both sleeves have been completed, sew the hole under sleeves.
When the body and sleeves are completed according to the pattern, remove all markers and marker threads, and fasten all strands. The jumper is now finished!
Still haven’t chosen a top down pattern? Find some inspiration below:
Comments (61)
Tanja Weiss
13.02.2021 - 15:57:
Wie lange muss die regan Linie sein habe 20 cm und passt immer noch nicht
DROPS Design
15.02.2021 - 10:37:
Gio
01.02.2021 - 01:05:
Per le maniche vedo nell'immagine che utilizzate punte di metallo corte, ma non le trovo in vendita. Sono io che non ho saputo cercare?
DROPS Design
01.02.2021 - 18:53:
Couleau
26.01.2021 - 15:15:
C est la 1ere que je tricote en rond. Merci de me donner definition de augmentation _1 et -2.
DROPS Design
27.01.2021 - 08:02:
Cathy
14.01.2021 - 01:51:
Bonjour, je suis débutante en tricot et j’aimerais faire un pull top down, on tricote sur aiguilles circulaire et donc on doit fermer les rangs, j’arrive pas à trouver d’explication sur comment on ferme les rang au fur et à mesure, merci d’avance pour votre réponse
DROPS Design
14.01.2021 - 08:33:
Maricarmen
12.01.2021 - 19:32:
Usaste palillos gruesos si uso más delgados como calculo la cantidad de puntos ?
Lotte Aaro
09.01.2021 - 22:05:
Jeg ønsker at strikke på rundpind oppefra og ned men ærmerne skal have anden farve end for- og bagstykke. Kan jeg det? Og Hvordan gør jeg det? Vh Lotte
DROPS Design
11.01.2021 - 10:37:
Ivi
03.01.2021 - 14:37:
Vælg diagram for rigtig størrelse (= 11 (12-11-12-12-13-13) rapporter à 6 (6-7-7-7-7-7) masker). Fortsæt mønsteret således og tag ud som vist i diagrammet. Hvad vil det sige?
DROPS Design
11.01.2021 - 09:35:
Christa
20.12.2020 - 15:42:
Hallo, k zou graag de hals aan de voorkant wat lager breien dan de achterkant. Hebben jullie daar ook instructies voor? Ik brei de trui van boven naar beneden. Groeten!
Wil V Holland
18.12.2020 - 22:14:
Als je een trui van boven naar beneden breit met 78 steken hoe verdeel je dan de panden met markeerders Hoeveel voor voorpand en rugpand en hoeveel voor mouwen en meerder je dan elke tweede naald ?
Eve
13.12.2020 - 10:37:
Bonjour, J'ai trouvé un modèle de robe simple qui me plait (109-39), mais depuis que j'ai découvert le tricot en rond, je le trouve bien plus confortable. Est-il possible d'adapter cette technique top-down avec raglan à ce modèle, en répartissant les augmentations et les diminutions en sens inverse? J'ai trouvé d'autres modèles de robe top down mais pas avec un point jersey tout simple comme celui-ci. Merci d'avance
DROPS Design
14.12.2020 - 11:03:
Marie-Rose
09.12.2020 - 16:24:
Bonjour, avez-vous commencer par un montage tubulaire sur 4 rangs pour continuer par des côtes jusque 3 cm?
DROPS Design
10.12.2020 - 09:28:
Pascale Ollagnier
07.12.2020 - 10:27:
Merci pour votre réponse rapide, mais je parlais bien d'un pull, pas d'un cardigan. Je voudrais connaître la technique pour faire un col en V sur un pull et sans couture s'il vous plaît. Merci d'avance
DROPS Design
08.12.2020 - 09:17:
Pascale Ollagnie
06.12.2020 - 21:15:
Bonjour, est-il possible de faire un col en V avec cette technique top down ? je viens de parcourir vos modèles et c'est un peu toujours des cols ronds simples. Merci beaucoup de votre aide
DROPS Design
07.12.2020 - 09:56:
Helen
18.11.2020 - 19:02:
Habe es noch nie gestrickt,wieviel Maschen benötigt man für einen Anschlag eines Kinderpulover?
DROPS Design
19.11.2020 - 10:56:
Gudrun Thielen
07.11.2020 - 17:13:
Ich möchte einen Pulli mit Raglan von oben stricken und dabei den vorderen Halsausschnitt tiefer als den hinteren stricken. Vielen Dank fürdeine Hilfe. Lg Gudrun
DROPS Design
09.11.2020 - 12:48:
Tamy
04.11.2020 - 15:48:
Hallo! Tolle Anleitung!! :) Nun wüsste ich gerne mit welchem Garn hier gestrickt wird :) irgendwie bin ich Blind 😄
DROPS Design
05.11.2020 - 11:26:
Monic
31.10.2020 - 02:16:
Je fais le modèle 175-32 Voici ma compréhension A) Pour le raglan cela se fait sur 4 rangs et à la fin des 4 rangs on a 8 mailles de plus. On fait cela 8 fois soit 32 rangs. B) pour le devant et le dos il est écrit: “Augmenter 35 fois tous les 2 tours et 2 fois tous les 4 tours.” Je ne vois pas comment integer cette information avec les explications du raglan. Des explications seraient bienvenues.
DROPS Design
02.11.2020 - 10:07:
Erika Crespo Latin
30.10.2020 - 17:57:
Gabriela, no respondieron tu pregunta, pero los aumentos siempre se hacen corrida por medio.
Pauline
30.10.2020 - 15:29:
J'ai fait mon premier pull top down Bee Stipes. La grandeur du pull est parfaite mais étant donné que le col est de la même hauteur au dos et au devant le col ne tombe pas bien en avant. Qu'est-ce que je peux faire pour régler le problème? Est-ce que je peux défaire seulement le col, reprendre les mailles et faire un autre col? Merci pour votre aide.
DROPS Design
30.10.2020 - 16:16:
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Ich hatte noch nie Raglanärmel von oben gestrickt.Hat gut geklappt dank der tollen Erklärung .Danke