Classic Elite Yarns Buck Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Buck Cardigan

What is Being Made

Buck is a classic cardigan pattern designed and published by Classic Elite Yarns. This seamed, button-front cardigan features a striking two-color stranded knit design across the body, combining solid stockinette stitch sections with a decorative rice pattern motif worked in contrasting colors.

Construction Method

This cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up approach, meaning you begin knitting at the lower edge and work upward toward the shoulders. The pattern is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, with pieces subsequently seamed together to form the finished garment. This traditional construction method allows for precise shaping and color work placement throughout the design.

Techniques and Stitch Work

The Buck cardigan employs multiple knitting techniques to achieve its sophisticated appearance:

• Stranded colorwork: The pattern utilizes stranded knitting (also called Fair Isle knitting) to incorporate two colors within the same row. The Rice Pattern is worked in this technique, alternating between color A and color B to create a textured, multi-colored design.
• Rice Pattern: This decorative stitch pattern repeats over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 1. The Rice Pattern alternates between rows worked in stockinette stitch with one color and rows featuring a contrasting color, creating a subtle, woven appearance. The pattern instructions note that the unused color should be carried straight up along the wrong side of the work without extending to the selvedges, maintaining a neat finish.
• 2x2 Ribbing: The lower edge begins with 2x2 ribbing (alternating knit and purl stitches in groups of two), which provides elasticity and a finished edge. This ribbing is worked over 3 inches before transitioning to stockinette stitch.
• Stockinette stitch: The majority of the cardigan body is worked in stockinette stitch (knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows), providing a smooth, classic fabric base.
• Shaping techniques: The pattern includes decreases using ssk (slip, slip, knit) and k2tog (knit two together) to shape the armholes and create fitted edges.

Pattern Structure and Sizing

The Buck cardigan is offered in five sizes, with stitch counts ranging from 78 to 94 stitches at the cast-on. The pattern provides detailed row-by-row instructions for the back piece, including specific measurements for length before armhole shaping (approximately 7 to 7.5 inches) and total length to underarm (approximately 17 to 18 inches). Armhole shaping is achieved through bind-offs at the beginning of rows, followed by strategic decreases worked in stockinette stitch while the Rice Pattern is maintained across the center of the piece.

Materials

The Buck cardigan is designed to be knitted with yarn in at least two colors (designated as A, B, and C in the pattern). The pattern requires needles in two sizes—smaller needles for the ribbed cuff and larger needles for the main body—allowing for proper gauge and fabric drape. The downloadable PDF pattern from Classic Elite Yarns provides complete instructions for constructing this sophisticated two-color cardigan.