Berroco Din? Cardigan- Portfolio Knitting Pattern

Berroco Diné Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Berroco Diné Cardigan is a classic button-front cardigan sweater designed by Michele Wang. This garment features a structured silhouette with a finished bust measurement ranging from 36" to 52" across five sizes, and a length between 28½" and 32" depending on size selection. The cardigan is designed with approximately 4–6" of ease, making it a comfortable, relaxed-fitting layer suitable for everyday wear. Five 1" buttons serve as the closure mechanism.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up approach, meaning the garment is knitted starting from the lower edge and working upward toward the neckline. The pattern employs a seamed construction, with distinct pieces knitted separately and then joined together. The cardigan is worked flat on circular needles, rather than in the round, allowing for traditional row-by-row knitting. After the main body and sleeves are completed and seamed, pockets are picked up and knit on each front, and the collar and buttonband are subsequently picked up and knitted out from the existing stitches. This pick-up technique creates a professional, integrated finish for these functional and decorative elements.

Stitches Used

The Diné Cardigan incorporates several fundamental knitting stitches to create its textured design. Stockinette stitch (St st) forms the primary fabric base, providing a smooth, classic appearance. Garter stitch is also utilized in the pattern, creating a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. The pattern includes a 3-stitch buttonhole, which is worked using a slip-stitch decrease method combined with a cable cast-on technique to create functional button closures. Stitch markers are used throughout the knitting process to help track pattern repeats and maintain consistent shaping.

Materials

The Diné Cardigan is designed to be knitted with Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky yarn in the colorway #7292 Tiger's Eye Mix. Yardage requirements range from 8 to 13 hanks depending on the size selected, with each hank weighing 100 grams. The pattern calls for two circular needles: a 32" length circular needle in size 10 (6.00mm) for the main fabric knitting, and a 60" length circular needle in size 9 (5.50mm), which is one size smaller than the gauge needle, used for picking up stitches for the collar, buttonband, and pockets. Additional materials include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming, five 1" buttons for the front closure, stitch markers for tracking pattern sections, and blocking tools to finish the completed garment. The recommended gauge is 16 stitches and 22 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using the larger needle, or 16 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch using the larger needle.