Crescent Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Crescent Cardigan in Rowan Kid Classic

What Is Being Made

The Crescent Cardigan is a knitted cardigan garment designed by Martin Storey. This pattern offers nine different sizes ranging from 71-76 cm to 152-157 cm bust measurements (28-30 inches to 60-62 inches), making it suitable for a wide range of body types. The cardigan features a structured construction with front and back pieces, including a collar detail.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project classified as intermediate difficulty. The construction begins with ribbed edging worked flat on needles, followed by patterned sections that require careful stitch management. The pattern incorporates several key techniques:

• Ribbed borders created using alternating knit and purl stitches for elasticity and structure
• Decreasing stitches strategically at garment edges to shape the cardigan silhouette
• Cable work, indicated by the special abbreviation C4B (cable 4 back), which adds textural interest to the design
• Stitch transfers to cable needles to create twisted cable effects
• Working from a stitch holder to manage stitches for the collar construction

Stitches Used

The Crescent Cardigan employs fundamental knitting stitches combined with decorative cable techniques:

• Ribbing: Alternating knit (K) and purl (P) stitches in a 2x2 pattern (K2, P2 repeat) for the initial borders and edgings
• Garter stitch variations: Knit stitches worked across rows to create the main fabric
• Cable stitches: C4B (cable 4 back) technique, which involves slipping stitches onto a cable needle, holding them at the back of work, knitting the next two stitches, then knitting the held stitches to create a twisted rope-like texture
• Decreasing: Work 2 together (work 2 tog) decreases to shape the garment
• Casting off: Binding off stitches to finish edges

Materials

This pattern is worked in Rowan Kid Classic yarn, available in multiple colorways including Smoke 831 (shown in the photographed version) and Forest 909 as an alternative color option. The yarn is provided in 50-gram balls, with yardage requirements varying by size (ranging from 13 to 24 balls depending on the chosen bust measurement).

The required needles are:

• 1 pair of 4mm (US size 6) needles for the initial ribbed sections
• 1 pair of 5mm (US size 8) needles for the main patterned fabric
• A cable needle for working cable stitches

The pattern specifies a tension of 21 stitches and 30 rows to 10 centimeters when measured over the pattern using 5mm (US 8) needles. Achieving correct tension is essential for the cardigan to fit properly across the range of sizes offered.