Cropped Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Cropped Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Lion Brand

What Is Being Made

This is a cropped cardigan knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn featuring their Homespun yarn. The cardigan is designed as a button-front garment with a shortened length, making it a versatile layering piece. The pattern includes a back panel and front panels with shaping for a fitted neckline and armholes.

Available Sizes and Finished Measurements

The pattern is available in four sizes with the following finished bust measurements:

• Small: 40 inches
• Medium: 44 inches
• Large: 48 inches
• X-Large: 52 inches

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques. Gauge swatching is emphasized as critical to achieving the correct finished size. The pattern uses marker placement to denote sleeve positioning along the side edges. Neck shaping is accomplished through strategic bind-offs and decreases worked three stitches in from the neck edge, creating a refined neckline. Seaming is required to join the knitted pieces together, with special consideration given to the slippery nature of the Homespun yarn.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The cardigan features two primary stitch patterns. The foundation uses a broken rib pattern, which alternates between knit and purl stitches in a structured, textured design. The broken rib is established after initial ribbed rows and creates visual interest while maintaining elasticity. The pattern begins with traditional ribbing on the cast-on edge to provide stability and stretch at the hem.

The broken rib pattern is worked as follows: Row 1 (right side) consists of all knit stitches, while Row 2 alternates purl and knit stitches across the row. These two rows repeat throughout the body of the cardigan, creating a consistent textured fabric.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This pattern calls for Lion Brand Homespun yarn (Art. No. 790) in variegated color options. Yardage requirements vary by size:

• Small and Medium: 5 skeins of 6 oz. each
• Large: 6 skeins of 6 oz. each
• X-Large: 7 skeins of 6 oz. each

The pattern includes helpful guidance for working with variegated yarn. Due to the long color sections characteristic of Homespun, knitters are advised to match new yarn joins to the color sequence where the previous skein ended. This requires pulling yarn from the new skein until reaching the matching color section, then winding the excess into a ball for use elsewhere in the project. Extra yardage has been built into the material quantities to accommodate this color-matching approach.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern requires size 10 knitting needles or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. The target gauge is 14 stitches equals 4 inches when working the broken rib pattern on size 10 needles. Achieving correct gauge is emphasized as essential for proper fit, and knitters are instructed to swatch and adjust needle size if necessary.

Finishing Details

The cardigan features seven 3/4-inch buttons for the front closure. The pattern includes button placement markings on the left front. Special attention is given to seaming technique due to Homespun's slippery texture; knitters are advised to leave longer tails (approximately 3 inches) when weaving in ends to ensure secure seams.

Pattern Structure

The back piece is cast on and worked in broken rib pattern until reaching the desired length, with markers placed at the side edges to indicate sleeve placement. The left front is shaped with neck decreases worked gradually over multiple rows, creating a sloped shoulder line. The pattern provides specific row counts and measurements for each size, ensuring consistent proportions across the size range.