Berroco Harebell Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Berroco Harebell Seamless Top-Down Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Harebell is a seamless cardigan designed by Amy Christoffers, featuring a classic silhouette with a range of finished bust measurements from 35" to 54". This intermediate-level knitting project is worked from the top down, allowing knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and adjust the length to personal preference. The cardigan includes a shaped yoke with raglan construction, a divided body and sleeves, and finished front bands with a neckband for a polished appearance.

Techniques Used

The Harebell employs several advanced knitting techniques that make it ideal for intermediate-level knitters looking to expand their skills:

• Top-down construction: The cardigan begins at the neckline and progresses downward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the garment during the knitting process.
• Seamless knitting: The body is worked in one continuous piece, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Worked in the round: The yoke and sleeves are knitted circularly using circular needles and double-pointed needles, which creates even tension and reduces the need for purling.
• Raglan shaping: The yoke features raglan-style increases that create diagonal lines from the neckline to the underarms, providing a flattering fit and elegant design detail.
• Lifted increases: The pattern utilizes left lifted increases (LLI) and right lifted increases (RLI) for seamless, nearly invisible shaping within the fabric.

Stitches Used

The Harebell is primarily constructed using stockinette stitch (St st), the most fundamental knit stitch pattern. Stockinette stitch creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinctive V-pattern appearance on the right side. The pattern includes specialized increase stitches—left lifted increases and right lifted increases—which are worked by inserting the needle into the purl bump of stitches from previous rows, creating increases that blend seamlessly into the stockinette background rather than appearing as visible holes or bumps.

Materials and Yarn

The Harebell is designed to be knitted with Berroco Tuscan Tweed yarn in the colorway #9055 Cherries. Yardage requirements range from 8 to 13 balls (50 grams each) depending on the finished size selected, providing approximately 400 to 650 yards of yarn. Berroco Tuscan Tweed is a worsted-weight yarn that produces a fabric with excellent stitch definition, making it ideal for displaying the clean lines of raglan shaping and stockinette stitch construction.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern calls for three different circular needle sizes—6 (4.00 mm), 7 (4.50 mm), and 8 (5.00 mm), all in 36" length—along with one set of four double-pointed needles in sizes 6 and 7 for working the sleeves in the round. The use of multiple needle sizes allows knitters to adjust their gauge and fabric density as needed. Stitch markers are used to track raglan increases and pattern sections throughout construction.

Gauge is critical for this project: the pattern specifies 20 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on the middle-sized (7/4.50 mm) needle, and 18 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches on the largest needle (8/5.00 mm). Checking gauge before beginning ensures that the finished cardigan will match the intended measurements and fit properly.

Sizing and Fit

The Harebell is available in six sizes with finished bust measurements of 35", 38½", 41", 44½", 47½", 51", and 54", with corresponding lengths ranging from 25¾" to 27¾". The pattern is designed with minimal ease (approximately 0 to 4 inches), making it a close-fitting cardigan that skims the body without excess fabric. This design approach is typical of modern seamless patterns and allows knitters to select a size based on their preferred fit rather than their actual measurements.