Classic Elite Yarns Hawkins Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Hawkins Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Hawkins is a raglan cardigan designed by Susan Mills, originally published in Mystique 1709A. This garment features elegant eyelet panels on the front and back lower body, combined with a seamless raglan yoke construction. The cardigan is worked from the bottom up in one piece, with bracelet-length sleeves that join the body during yoke shaping.

Construction and Techniques

This cardigan employs a bottom-up construction method, meaning knitting begins at the lower body and progresses upward toward the neckline. The garment is worked flat initially on longer circular needles, with the cast-on creating the lower body edge. The design transitions to seamless construction as the raglan shaping begins, allowing the sleeves to join the body without requiring seaming.

The raglan yoke shaping uses strategic decreases at marked raglan lines to create the characteristic diagonal seams from armhole to neckline. Multiple decrease rows are employed with varying intensity—including Sleeve Dec Rows, Body and Sleeve Dec Rows, Double Sleeve and Single Body Dec Rows, Double Sleeve and Double Body Dec Rows, and Single Sleeve and Double Body Dec Rows—allowing customization of fit during the yoke shaping phase.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary decorative element is the Classic Elite Yarns Eyelet Panel, a lace pattern worked over a multiple of 5 stitches plus 4. This panel alternates between two rows:

• Row 1 (Right Side): Yarn overs combined with single decreases (ssk and k2tog) create the characteristic eyelet openings, separated by purl stitches for textural contrast
• Row 2 (Wrong Side): Purl across to maintain pattern integrity

The eyelet panels grace the front and back lower body sections, with stockinette stitch forming the foundational fabric throughout the remainder of the garment. During yoke shaping, if insufficient stitches remain to complete an eyelet panel with its companion yarn over, the pattern adapts by working remaining stitches in stockinette instead.

Shaping decreases include standard knitting techniques: ssk (slip, slip, knit), k2tog (knit two together), k3tog (knit three together), and sssk (slip, slip, slip, knit), with slip markers (slm) used to denote raglan lines and facilitate pattern tracking.

Materials and Gauge Considerations

This pattern is designed for Classic Elite Yarns yarn and requires circular needles appropriate to the yarn weight and desired gauge. The cast-on ranges from 129 to 217 stitches across seven sizes, indicating a substantial lower body circumference suitable for a relaxed-fit cardigan. Knitters are advised to use markers in different colors—one set for raglan decreases and an additional set for marking front eyelet panels—to simplify navigation through the complex yoke shaping.

Skill Level

This cardigan is rated as Easy, making it accessible to knitters with fundamental skills while offering visual interest through its lace eyelet panels and seamless raglan construction.