Classic Elite Yarns Maggie May Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Maggie May Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Maggie May is a classic V-neck cardigan designed by Tonia Barry, originally published in Sing 1507. This is a seamed, bottom-up construction cardigan featuring textured sleeve detail and a structured fit. The pattern is available in six sizes, making it accessible for a range of body measurements.

Construction and Techniques

The Maggie May cardigan is worked using bottom-up construction, meaning you begin knitting at the lower edge and work toward the shoulders. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, and pieces are seamed together after completion. This traditional approach allows for precise shaping and a polished, professional finish.

The cardigan features simultaneous shaping of both the neckline and armholes on the front pieces, requiring careful attention to decrease placement. The back piece is shaped with standard armhole and shoulder bind-offs, while the front incorporates a V-neck that deepens as armhole shaping progresses.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch used throughout most of the cardigan is stockinette stitch (St st), which creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinct right and wrong side. This foundational stitch provides an ideal canvas for the garment's structured silhouette.

The pattern features a specialty stitch called the Four Below Rib Panel, which adds textured interest and is worked over four rows. This stitch combines knit and purl stitches with a distinctive technique: Row 4 of the pattern requires knitting into a stitch four rows below while dropping the stitches in between, creating a gathered or textured effect. The Four Below Rib Panel is worked as follows:

• Rows 1 and 3 (wrong side): K2, (p1, k2) repeated three times
• Row 2 (right side): P2, (k1, p2) repeated three times
• Row 4: P2, (knit next stitch four rows below, dropping stitches, p2) repeated three times

These four rows are repeated throughout the pattern section where the textured detail appears, likely on the sleeves based on the design description mentioning textured sleeve detail.

The lower edges of the cardigan pieces are finished with a garter stitch border, created by knitting five rows with smaller needles before transitioning to larger needles and stockinette stitch. This creates a neat, non-curling edge that measures approximately half an inch.

Materials and Needles

The Maggie May cardigan is designed to be worked with Classic Elite Yarns yarn, reflecting the brand's commitment to quality fibers. The pattern calls for two sizes of needles: smaller needles are used for the garter stitch borders and ribbed sections, while larger needles are used for the main stockinette stitch body. This needle size variation is a standard technique that creates a more refined edge and helps control fabric density at transitions.

The pattern specifies stitch counts for six different sizes, ranging from 89 cast-on stitches for the smallest size to 144 stitches for the largest, allowing knitters to customize the fit to their measurements.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as Intermediate difficulty, indicating it is suitable for knitters with some experience. The simultaneous shaping of neckline and armholes, combined with the specialty Four Below Rib stitch technique, requires attention to detail and understanding of decrease methods such as ssk (slip, slip, knit) and k2tog (knit two together).