Eagle Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Eagle Cardigan in Rowan Four Seasons

What is Being Made

The Eagle Cardigan is a beginner-level knitted cardigan designed to fit chest measurements ranging from 71-76 cm up to 152-157 cm, offering nine different size options. This is a classic cardigan construction featuring button-front closure, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for various occasions and skill levels.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginner knitters. The construction includes:

• Casting on using 4mm needles to establish the foundation stitches for back and front panels
• Stockinette stitch as the primary fabric, creating a smooth, classic knit surface
• Decreasing stitches at the neck edges using standard decreasing methods (K2tog and slip-knit-pass-slipped-stitch) to shape the front neckline
• Shaping through strategic decreases worked on alternating rows and fourth rows to create a fitted neckline
• Circular needle work for joining sections and working certain areas in the round
• Stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping points
• Casting off to secure finished edges

Stitches Used

The Eagle Cardigan relies on essential knitting stitches that form the foundation of beginner projects:

• Stockinette stitch (st st) – the predominant stitch throughout the garment, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Knit stitch (K) – the basic knit loop
• Purl stitch (P) – the reverse of the knit stitch
• Knit two together (K2tog) – a right-leaning decrease used for shaping the left front neckline
• Slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (Sl 1, K1, psso) – a left-leaning decrease used for shaping the right front neckline

Materials and Equipment

The Eagle Cardigan is knitted using Rowan Four Seasons yarn in the colorway Frost 001 (as shown in the photographed sample). The yarn comes in 50-gram balls, and the pattern specifies yardage requirements that vary by size.

Needles required:

• One pair of 4mm (US 6) needles – used for casting on and initial construction of the back and front panels
• One pair of 4.5mm (US 7) needles – used for the main fabric, as the tension is measured over stockinette stitch using these needles
• One 4mm (US 6) circular needle measuring 100 cm – used for certain sections of the garment construction

Additional supplies include:

• Stitch holders – for temporarily securing stitches during construction
• Stitch markers – for tracking pattern placement and shaping decreases
• Four buttons – for the front button closure

Pattern Details

The cardigan is constructed in separate pieces: a back panel and two front panels (left and right). The back panel is cast on using 4mm needles with 72 to 80 stitches depending on size. The left and right fronts are each cast on with 32 to 64 stitches and worked to a specific length before shaping the front neckline. Neck shaping is accomplished through decreases worked at the neck edge on alternating rows and then on every fourth row, creating a gradual, professional-looking neckline. The pattern includes detailed measurements in both centimeters and inches for each of the nine sizes, with finished chest measurements ranging from 90 cm to 170 cm. The tension is critical to achieving proper fit: 16 stitches and 23 rows should measure 10 cm when worked in stockinette stitch using 4.5mm needles.