King Cole Firefly Yarn Review, 12 Shades and Kids’ Patterns

When King Cole kindly sent me some of their new King Cole Firefly yarn to review along with pattern 6444, I’ll be honest, the timing was perfect. I was isolating with Covid, I needed something achievable, and a quick aran weight knit with mesmerising metallic colours was exactly the right prescription.

I spend most of my knitting life designing for babies and children. Eighteen years of DK weight, small stitches, and even smaller buttons. So knitting something for myself felt like a proper treat, and Firefly felt like the right yarn to do it with.

I’d been eyeing up this pattern anyway, a raglan style short-sleeved sweater with pretty eyelet detailing around the cuffs, hems and raglan shaping. Having lost some weight, I’ve been experimenting with new shapes in my wardrobe and discovered I absolutely love short-sleeved sweaters. There’s something about them that works brilliantly dressed down with jeans and trainers for a bit of retail therapy or dressed up with black trousers and boots for an evening out. They’re that perfect versatile piece that earns its wardrobe space.

New King Cole Firefly Patterns for Children

There are new adult patterns in the range too, for both knitters and crocheters. This is a children’s knitwear blog, though, so I’m going straight to the good bit. King Cole have released two children’s patterns in Firefly:

• 6627: Round necked, raglan jumper and cardigan sized to fit chest 51-76 cm (20-30 in)
• 6628: Set in Sleeve cardigans sized to fit chest 51-76 cm (20-30 in)

Being aran weight, they’re quick to knit up, which matters when there’s a party on Saturday and it’s currently Wednesday you can win all the brownie points.

The Pattern, King Cole 6444 Review

This is a straightforward raglan construction with those pretty eyelet details worked into the cuffs, hems, and up the raglan shaping itself. It’s a smart design choice, the eyelets provide lovely detail without overwhelming what is, after all, a pretty spectacular yarn. Let the yarn be the star, and they absolutely did!

I knitted the sweater version (there’s also a cardigan, which I’m now considering making in the Lacewing colourway) in the largest size, which is designed to fit a 42″ bust. The finished sweater has a 44″ bust circumference, giving it a little positive ease,  not too fitted, not too loose. The neck fit is spot on for me as well. I absolutely hate a sweater where the neck feels like it’s choking you, or one that sits so low that when you lean forward you flash everyone. This one gets it just right.

Disappointing Sizing

I do need to mention, though, that the pattern isn’t particularly size inclusive. The largest size being 42″ bust means a significant portion of the knitting community won’t be able to make this for themselves, and I’d really like to see King Cole expand their size ranges across more of their designs. There’s no reason this pattern couldn’t  be extended in the size range to open it up to so many more knitters.

The pattern writing itself is good, I didn’t find any errors, which is always appreciated. That said, if you’re a newer knitter, be aware that King Cole’s pattern writing style is very concise. You might want to read through it a few times and keep notes on the shaping sections. Whenever I’m working a raglan sweater, I always write out my shaping line by line and cross them off as I work them. It just helps me keep track of where I am without having to constantly re-read the pattern instructions.

This is a simple sweater in terms of construction, but that concise style means you need to be comfortable reading patterns and understanding shaping instructions. I’d probably put this at a confident beginner to intermediate level, if you’ve made a few sweaters before and understand how raglan shaping works, you’ll be absolutely fine.

Is King Cole Firefly Suitable for Children?

For older children, yes. For babies and toddlers, I’d still say no.

For under 3s I reach for a soft, machine washable DK every time. Little ones need the gentlest fibres against their skin, and an aran with a high polyester content isn’t where I’d start. Babies also chew things. Everything. Including their cardigans.

Older children are a different story. Firefly washes well, it’s quick to knit up, and I’ve yet to meet a seven year old who objects to a jumper that shimmers. For parties, Christmas or a special occasion, it’s a lovely choice. If you’re working out which size to make, my Baby and Children’s Knitting Size Guide has measurements from newborn to 11 years.

Would I Recommend King Cole Firefly?

Absolutely, with a couple of caveats. If you’re within the size range and you’re after a relatively quick, satisfying knit that’ll give you a versatile wardrobe piece, this is a cracking combination. The Firefly yarn is a pleasure to work with, the pattern is well-written (just be prepared for that concise King Cole style), and the finished garment has turned out exactly as I’d hoped.

The yarn would work beautifully in other patterns too, anything where you want that drape and where the colour-shifting metallic effect can be the star. I’m already planning my next Firefly project.

If you’re outside that 42″ bust size range, though, you’ll need to look elsewhere or be confident enough to grade the pattern up yourself. That’s disappointing, and I genuinely hope King Cole addresses this across their range.

For me, this has been exactly what I needed, a project that reminded me why I love knitting for myself, a pattern that let the yarn shine, and a finished sweater that I know I’ll reach for again and again. Sometimes that’s all you need from a knit, isn’t it?

If you would like to check out the full range of yarns and patterns from King Cole, you can find their website here. https://www.kingcole.com/

Knitting for Babies and How to Get It Right — yarn choices, construction, and what to know before you cast on

Baby & Children’s Knitting Size Guide — measurements from newborn to 11 years

Full disclosure: King Cole kindly provided the yarn and pattern for this review, though as always, all opinions are entirely my own.

If you love knitting for babies

Why not check out some of my other free patterns here on the blog

Tag me or send me a photo, I’m always genuinely delighted to see finished makes, even (especially) the slightly wonky first attempts.

You can find me on Pinterest @janeburnsdesigner, Facebook @JaneBurnsDesigns, and Instagram @jane.burns.designs.

About Jane

Jane is a UK based knitting and crochet pattern designer with 18 years of experience, specialising in whimsical, characterful patterns for babies and children. She is the founder of Jane Burns Whimsical Designs, with a focus on patterns that carry real personality, and on making knitting feel accessible, joyful, and a little bit daft when it needs to be.