Classic Elite Yarns Wasp Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Wasp Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Wasp is a half-sleeve cardigan designed by Susan Mills and originally published in Seaside Village 1501, a printed collection of designs. This garment is a top-down cardigan with a distinctive construction featuring mitered side panels and short row shaping at the neckline to create a flattering front neck drop.

Construction Techniques

This cardigan employs several advanced knitting techniques that create its elegant structure:

• Top-down construction: The cardigan is worked beginning at the neck and progressing downward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and eliminating the need for seaming the yoke.
• Short row shaping: Short rows with wrap-and-turn (w&t) technique are used to lower the front neckline, creating a graceful neckline drop without adding bulk.
• Raglan increases: Eight stitches are increased every other row in a raglan pattern, creating symmetrical increases on both sides of four markers that define the right front, right sleeve, back, left sleeve, and left front sections.
• Mitered side panels: After the yoke is completed and sleeves are divided from the body, stitches are picked up along the back and front sides to create mitered panels that add visual interest and structure to the sides.
• Worked flat and in the round: The body is worked back and forth in rows using a circular needle to accommodate the large stitch count, while the sleeves are worked in the round for seamless construction.

Stitches Used

The Wasp cardigan utilizes fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision:

• Garter stitch: Used for the initial neck ribbing, creating a textured, reversible edge that measures approximately ¾ inch when worked over 8 rows with smaller needles.
• Stockinette stitch: The primary stitch throughout the yoke and body, creating a smooth, classic fabric.
• Yarn overs: Incorporated into the raglan increase rows to create decorative eyelet details as part of the shaping.

Materials and Tools

This intermediate-level project requires Classic Elite Yarns yarn and circular needles in two sizes—smaller needles for the initial neck ribbing and larger needles for the body and yoke work. A circular needle is essential for accommodating the increasing stitch count as the cardigan expands from the neckline downward.

Sizing and Fit

The Wasp is available in five sizes, with the smallest size (XS) featuring a unique finishing row sequence. The pattern includes specific stitch counts for each size at key construction points, ranging from 90 stitches cast on at the neck for the smallest sizes to 102 stitches for the largest size, with corresponding increases in sleeve and body width throughout the yoke shaping.