Classic Elite Yarns George Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns George Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The George is a classic Icelandic-style cardigan designed by Susan Mills, originally published in The New Generation 1504 collection. This two-color knit cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up, seamless approach with a stranded colorwork yoke. The garment is available in five sizes: Newborn, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months, making it an ideal project for babies and infants.

Construction and Techniques

The George cardigan employs several key knitting techniques to create its distinctive structure:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The lower body is worked as a single piece from the cast-on edge up to the underarms, eliminating the need for seaming the body panels together.
• Seamless Sleeves: The sleeves are knitted separately and then joined to the body for working the yoke, creating a seamless transition at the shoulders.
• Stranded Colorwork: The design features stranded knitting, a technique where two colors of yarn are carried across the back of the work. The George chart incorporates both main color (MC) and contrasting color (CC) in a repeating pattern that spans 17 rows and a multiple of 4 stitches.
• Worked Flat: The entire cardigan is worked flat on straight needles or circular needles used flat, rather than in the round, allowing for traditional front-opening cardigan shaping.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The George cardigan uses fundamental knitting stitches combined with charted colorwork:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch used for the body and sleeves after the ribbed cuffs and initial colorwork rows are completed.
• Ribbed Cuffs: The lower edge of the body and sleeves begin with a knit-purl ribbed pattern. The body rib follows a pattern of K3, *P2, K2; repeat from * to last 5 stitches, P2, K3. The sleeve rib uses K2, *P2, K2; repeat from *. This ribbing is worked for 1 to 1¼ inches depending on size, creating an elastic edge that helps the garment fit snugly.
• George Chart Pattern: A 17-row stranded colorwork chart featuring a multiple of 4 stitches creates the distinctive two-color design. Rows 1 and 2 of the George chart are worked in the body and sleeves after the ribbed sections, introducing the contrasting color before the main stockinette sections are completed.

Materials and Needles

The pattern is designed for use with Classic Elite Yarns and requires two needle sizes to achieve proper gauge and fabric texture:

• Smaller Needles: Used for the ribbed cuffs at the lower body and sleeves, where the tighter gauge creates the elastic ribbed edge.
• Larger Needles: Used for the main body and sleeve sections worked in stockinette stitch and the stranded colorwork, allowing the fabric to drape appropriately.
• Yarn: The pattern calls for both main color (MC) and contrasting color (CC) yarn from the Classic Elite Yarns line, which are known for outstanding quality and brilliant design compatibility.

Garment Shaping and Sizing

The George cardigan features thoughtful shaping for a well-fitted infant garment. The body measures between 6 and 7½ inches from the cast-on edge to the underarms depending on size. Armholes are created by binding off 2 to 4 stitches on each side, with the exact number varying by size to maintain proper proportions across the five available sizes. The yoke is worked after the body and sleeves are joined, allowing for seamless integration of all pieces and creating the neckline shaping.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as Intermediate difficulty. While the basic construction uses fundamental knitting techniques such as stockinette stitch and ribbing, the stranded colorwork and seamless yoke construction require intermediate-level skills and familiarity with working from charts and managing multiple colors simultaneously.