Juniper Moon Farm Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Svanhild Jacket by Juniper Moon Farm

What Is Being Made

The Svanhild Jacket is a classic cardigan design from Juniper Moon Farm's Cosy Collection, created by designer Claudia Wersing. This garment is a seamed, button-front cardigan available in five sizes ranging from Small to 2X-Large, with finished bust measurements from 37 to 52¾ inches. The jacket features a length to shoulder of approximately 22½ to 24 inches, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for various body types and proportions.

Techniques Used

The Svanhild Jacket is constructed using a bottom-up knitting method, meaning the pieces are worked from the cast-on edge upward toward the shoulders. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for traditional seamed construction. Individual pieces—including the back, right front, and left front—are knitted separately and then seamed together to create the finished jacket. This approach provides excellent shaping control and allows for precise front slope decreases that create a professional, tailored appearance.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs two primary stitch patterns. The foundation begins with ribbing, a classic elastic stitch that provides structure and recovery at the lower edge. The ribbing is worked over 1½ inches in a standard knit-one, purl-one alternating pattern, creating a fitted waistband. The main body of the jacket features Stockinette stitch through the back loop (abbreviated as Stockinette st tbl), a variation of standard stockinette that creates a subtle textured appearance. This stitch is worked by knitting through the back loop on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, producing a refined fabric with distinctive visual interest.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Svanhild Jacket is designed to be knitted with Juniper Moon Farm Herriot Great yarn in color 102 Oyster Mushroom. The yarn requirement varies by size: Small requires 7 hanks, Medium requires 7 hanks, Large requires 8 hanks, X-Large requires 9 hanks, and 2X-Large requires 10 hanks, with each hank weighing 100 grams. The recommended gauge is 16 stitches and 21 rows to 4 inches when worked over pattern using US 10/6mm needles.

Knitting needles required include US 10/6mm straight needles (or the size needed to obtain the specified gauge) for working the flat pieces, and a US 10/6mm circular needle measuring at least 32 inches long for finishing elements such as button bands and neckline edging. The pattern also calls for three buttons measuring 1¼ inches in diameter to complete the front closure.

Construction Details

The back piece is cast on with 77 to 109 stitches depending on size, beginning with ribbing that extends 1½ inches from the cast-on edge. Following the ribbed edging, the back continues in Stockinette stitch through the back loop until reaching the armhole depth of approximately 13½ inches. Armhole markers are placed at this point, and the piece continues straight to the shoulder shaping point. Shoulder shaping is accomplished through sequential bind-offs at the beginning of rows, with the final center stitches bound off to complete the back neck.

The right front piece is cast on with 39 to 55 stitches and follows the same ribbing and stitch pattern as the back. Front slope shaping begins at 10¼ inches from the cast-on edge, with decreases worked at the front opening edge to create the characteristic diagonal line of a cardigan front. This shaping technique ensures a flattering fit and professional appearance.