Berroco Chantal Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Berroco Chantal Cardigan by Norah Gaughan

What is Being Made

The Berroco Chantal is an intermediate-level cardigan pattern designed by Norah Gaughan. This garment is a button-front cardigan available in eight sizes ranging from 30" to 54" bust, with finished lengths between 20" and 23" depending on size. The cardigan features a classic construction with a structured silhouette suitable for layering.

Construction Techniques

This cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up approach with seamedworked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing knitters to work each section independently before assembling. This method provides excellent control over shaping and fit, particularly important for a fitted cardigan design.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Berroco Chantal employs two primary stitch patterns to create visual interest and texture:

• Stockinette Stitch (St St) – Used in sections worked with the heavier yarn, stockinette stitch creates a smooth, classic knit fabric with a V-appearance on the right side
• Fisherman Rib – A textured, dimensional stitch pattern worked with the lighter yarn that creates a deeply textured, elastic fabric with excellent drape and recovery

The combination of these stitches adds visual complexity and allows for interesting color blocking between the two yarn weights.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern calls for two distinct Berroco yarns in complementary weights:

• Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light – A lighter-weight alpaca blend used for the fisherman rib sections, requiring 5(6-7-8-9-10-11) 50-gram hanks depending on size
• Berroco Ultra Alpaca – A standard-weight alpaca blend used for stockinette sections, requiring 2(3-3-4-4-5-5) 100-gram hanks depending on size

The cardigan is worked on straight knitting needles in sizes 6 (4mm) and 8 (5mm), with the larger needles used for the main fabric. Four 1-inch buttons are required for the front closure, along with four marking pins for tracking pattern repeats and shaping.

Gauge

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this pattern's fit:

• 20 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using Ultra Alpaca on larger needles
• 13 stitches and 40 rows over 4 inches in fisherman rib using Ultra Alpaca Light on larger needles

The significant difference in gauge between the two stitch patterns reflects the density and elasticity of fisherman rib compared to stockinette, making gauge swatching particularly important before beginning this project.

Skill Level

Rated as Intermediate, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle shaping, multiple stitch patterns, and seamed construction. The combination of two different yarn weights and stitch patterns requires attention to detail and pattern-reading ability.