Juniper Moon Farm Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Krysten Jacket by Melissa Leapman

What Is Being Made

The Krysten Jacket is a fitted cardigan from the Berkshires Collection, designed by Melissa Leapman. This garment is a classic button-front cardigan available in six sizes ranging from Small to 3X-Large, with finished bust circumferences from 37½" to 54¾" (95 to 139 cm) and lengths from 19½" to 22" (49.5 to 56 cm). The jacket features a sophisticated two-color striped design and is constructed as a structured, tailored piece suitable for layering.

Techniques Used

The Krysten Jacket is worked from the bottom up in separate pieces that are later seamed together. This construction method allows for precise shaping and fitting. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, giving the knitter control over pattern placement and seaming points. The design incorporates stripes created through the use of two contrasting yarn colors worked in an alternating pattern. Strategic decreases are worked on both right-side and wrong-side rows to shape the armholes and shoulders, with the decrease sequence specified as: knit 1, knit 2 together, work in established pattern to the last 3 stitches, slip-slip-knit, knit 1. This symmetrical decrease method ensures balanced shaping on both edges.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern is the Mosaic Pattern, which is followed from a provided chart. This textured pattern is worked over the entire body of the jacket and is maintained throughout the piece, including during shaping. The pattern is blocked to finished measurements, with a gauge of 23 stitches and 40 rows equaling 4 inches (10 cm) in the Mosaic Pattern. Standard knitting abbreviations are used throughout the pattern, including knit (k), purl (p), slip-slip-knit (ssk) for left-leaning decreases, and knit 2 together (k2tog) for right-leaning decreases. The pattern also includes bind-off stitches to shape the armholes.

Materials and Yarn

The Krysten Jacket is designed to be knitted using Juniper Moon Farm Patagonia yarn. The pattern calls for 2 to 3 hanks (100g each) of two coordinating colorways: color 111 Violet (A) and color 121 Burgundy (B). The exact yardage required varies by size, with smaller sizes requiring 2 hanks of each color and larger sizes requiring 3 hanks of each color. The yarn is worked on US 6/4mm knitting needles, or whatever size is necessary to achieve the specified gauge. The finished jacket is fastened with 3 buttons, each 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, placed along the front button band for a classic cardigan closure.

Pattern Construction Notes

The pattern provides detailed instructions for all six sizes, with the smallest size (Small) given as the primary instruction and size variations noted in parentheses. The back piece is cast on with color A and worked in the Mosaic Pattern until the piece reaches approximately 13½ inches (34.5 cm) or the desired length to the underarm. Knitters are instructed to note the pattern row number where they end to ensure consistency when working matching pieces. Armhole shaping begins with binding off stitches at the beginning of two rows, followed by decreases worked at regular intervals to create a fitted armhole. The armhole depth varies by size, ranging from approximately 7½ inches to 10 inches (19 to 25.5 cm). Shoulder shaping follows standard cardigan construction methods. The use of the Mosaic Pattern throughout creates visual interest while maintaining the structured, tailored appearance of the finished jacket.