Braden Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Braden Cardigan in Rowan Valley Tweed

What is Being Made

The Braden Cardigan is a classic knitted cardigan designed by Lisa Richardson for Rowan Yarns. This garment is available in five sizes to fit bust measurements from 81-86 cm up to 122-127 cm, with the finished garment bust measurements ranging from 88 cm to 128 cm. The cardigan features a button-front closure with five buttons and is constructed with separate front and back pieces that are shaped at the armholes and neckline.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several fundamental shaping techniques essential to cardigan construction. The pattern requires decreasing stitches to create armhole shaping on both the back and front pieces, as well as neck shaping worked over multiple rows to create a comfortable neckline opening. Increasing stitches is used strategically on the front pieces to add shaping and visual interest. The pattern also involves working each side of the neck separately after the center stitches are cast off, allowing for precise shaping on both sides of the neckline. Additional techniques include casting on and casting off stitches to begin and finish sections, and joining new yarn when working multiple sections independently.

Stitches Used

The Braden Cardigan is worked almost entirely in moss stitch, which is the primary stitch pattern throughout the garment. Moss stitch is created by alternating knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard pattern, formed by working *K1, P1* repeats across rows and offsetting these stitches on alternate rows. This classic textured stitch provides both visual interest and structural stability, making it ideal for a cardigan that needs to hold its shape.

Materials and Specifications

The Braden Cardigan is designed to be knitted using Rowan Valley Tweed yarn, which consists of two complementary colorways held together throughout the project:

• Yarn A: Littondale 102 — 6 to 9 balls of 50gm weight, depending on size selected
• Yarn B: Janet's Foss 110 — 6 to 9 balls of 50gm weight, depending on size selected

The pattern specifies 4¼mm (US 7) needles for construction. The working tension is 18 stitches and 34 rows to 10 cm when measured over moss stitch using 4½mm needles with two strands of yarn held together. The cardigan is finished with five buttons for the front closure. The two-strand yarn technique—holding one strand each of Littondale and Janet's Foss together—creates the characteristic tweeded appearance and texture of the finished garment while achieving the correct gauge and fabric weight for this intermediate-level design.