Cascade Yarns FW Ribs & Lace Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Cascade Yarns FW Ribs & Lace Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Cascade Yarns FW Ribs & Lace Cardigan is a women's button-front cardigan sweater designed by Linda Medina. This garment features a sophisticated combination of ribbed and lace stitch patterns throughout the body, creating an elegant texture with openwork details. The cardigan is available in seven sizes ranging from XS (30" actual bust) to 3XL (52-54" actual bust), with finished bust measurements from 32" to 56" when buttoned. The design is constructed using a bottom-up approach and finished with three decorative buttons for closure.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key construction techniques. The cardigan is worked flat on straight needles, meaning pieces are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round. The garment is assembled using the seamed method, where individual pieces are knitted separately and then joined together with a yarn needle. The bottom-up construction begins with casting on stitches for the back piece and working upward toward the shoulders, allowing for easy adjustments to length during the knitting process. The pattern incorporates lace techniques using yarn overs and decreases to create openwork sections within the ribs and lace stitch pattern, adding visual interest and drape to the finished cardigan.

Stitches Used

The Cascade Yarns FW Ribs & Lace Cardigan utilizes three primary stitch patterns:

• Moss Stitch — A textured stitch used for the lower bands of the cardigan. This stitch alternates knit and purl stitches on every row, creating a bumpy, reversible fabric. The pattern works over multiples of 2 plus 1 stitch.
• Ribs and Lace Pattern — The main stitch pattern for the sweater body, worked over multiples of 6 plus 2 stitches. This four-row repeat combines vertical ribbed sections with lace elements created by yarn overs (YO) and decreases (K2tog and K2tog through the back loop). The pattern alternates between rows that slant the lace stitches in opposite directions, creating a balanced, symmetrical appearance across the front and back pieces.
• 1x1 Ribbing — A classic knit-purl ribbing pattern used for finishing edges and cuffs. This pattern alternates single knit and purl stitches to create vertical columns that provide elasticity and structure to the garment edges.

Materials and Tools

The Cascade Yarns FW Ribs & Lace Cardigan is knitted using Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Fine, a 100% Pima cotton yarn. Each skein contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and yields 136.5 yards (125 meters). The yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 8 skeins for the smallest size to 13 skeins for the largest size. The pattern sample shown uses color #3780 (Summer Moss). Knitting is performed on US 5 straight needles for the main pieces and US 5/3/16" circular needles for finishing work. Additional materials include three 1-inch buttons for the front closure, stitch holders for securing stitches temporarily, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats, and a yarn needle for seaming pieces together and weaving in ends. The recommended gauge is 23 stitches by 26 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in the main Ribs and Lace pattern.