Porch Swing Cardi Knitting Pattern

Porch Swing Cardi

What is Being Made

The Porch Swing Cardi is a knitted cardigan sweater designed by Spud and Chloe. This garment is constructed as a top-down cardigan with finished bust measurements ranging from 31 inches (XS) to 51 inches (2X), making it available in six sizes. The cardigan features a finished length of approximately 30¾ to 33¼ inches depending on size, with sleeve lengths measuring 17½ to 18½ inches. The design includes a cuffed construction with the cuff folded up 4 inches.

Techniques Used

The Porch Swing Cardi employs several key knitting techniques:

• Top-Down Construction: The cardigan is worked from the top down, beginning at the neck and progressing downward to create the body and sleeves in a seamless or minimal-seam approach.
• Cable Work: Cable patterns are featured prominently in this design, requiring the use of a cable needle to create twisted stitch effects.
• Kitchener Stitch: This grafting technique is used to join edges seamlessly, holding edges parallel to create invisible seams.
• Increases and Decreases: The pattern utilizes M1-L (make one left-slanting) and M1-R (make one right-slanting) increases, as well as K2tog (knit two together) decreases to shape the garment.
• Circular Knitting: The sleeves are worked in the round using double-pointed needles before being joined and worked in one piece with the body.

Stitches Used

The Porch Swing Cardi incorporates multiple stitch patterns:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): This fundamental stitch creates the smooth, flat fabric base of the garment when worked on the larger needles.
• Ribbed Pattern (Rib Pattern Flat): A 2x2 rib pattern is worked over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2, alternating knit and purl stitches. Row 1 (worked on the wrong side) establishes the pattern as P2, *k2, p2, repeat from * to end. Subsequent rows maintain the established stitches as they face the knitter.
• Cable Pattern: The cable pattern is worked over 20 stitches and repeats over 12 rows. The pattern includes cable crosses such as C5F (cable 5 front) and C5B (cable 5 back), creating the characteristic twisted rope effect. The cable pattern rows alternate between knit rows on the right side (Rows 1, 5, 7, and 11) and purl rows (Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10), with cable crosses occurring on Rows 3 and 9.

Materials

The Porch Swing Cardi requires specific needles and notions to complete:

• Needles: Size 6 (4mm) and Size 8 (5mm) needles are required. The pattern calls for a Size 8 (5mm) 32-inch circular needle for the main body work and Size 8 (5mm) double-pointed needles for sleeve construction. Size 6 (4mm) needles are used for ribbed sections to obtain proper gauge.
• Gauge: The pattern specifies a gauge of 17 stitches and 23 rows over 4 inches in Stockinette stitch using the larger needles.
• Yarn: The photo shown features Firefly #7505, indicating the recommended yarn for this design.
• Additional Notions: A cable needle, stitch markers, waste yarn, and a tapestry needle are necessary to complete the cardigan.