Juniper Moon Farm Tree Lace Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Juniper Moon Farm Tree Lace Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Stargazer Tree Lace cardigan by Pamela Wynne is a sophisticated knitted cardigan featuring lace detailing, designed for knitters seeking an elegant layering piece. This garment is available in seven sizes ranging from XXS to 2X, with a finished bust measurement from 32 inches (81.5cm) up to 56 inches (142cm) and a consistent length of 24½ inches (62cm). The cardigan is constructed as a button-front closure piece, featuring 5/8-inch (15mm) buttons in quantities ranging from 6 to 7 depending on size.

Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several intermediate to advanced knitting techniques that create visual interest and structure:

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and adjust length as needed.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, making this accessible to knitters who prefer traditional flat knitting methods.
• Lace patterning: Decorative lace elements are incorporated throughout the design, created using yarn-over increases and strategic decreases to form openwork motifs.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces are knitted separately and then joined together using seaming techniques, providing structure and professional finishing.
• Provisional cast-on: The pattern uses a provisional cast-on method with waste yarn and crochet chain, allowing for seamless joining of live stitches using the three-needle bind-off technique.
• Three-needle bind-off: This joining method creates a secure, finished seam while binding off simultaneously, ideal for connecting shoulder seams or other edges with live stitches.

Stitches Used

The Stargazer Tree Lace cardigan incorporates fundamental and decorative stitch techniques:

• Stockinette stitch: The primary fabric stitch, creating a smooth, classic knit surface that serves as the foundation for the garment. Gauge is measured in Stockinette stitch at 24 stitches and 30 rows per 4 inches (10cm) after blocking.
• Lace stitches: Created through yarn-over increases (yarn overs add stitches while creating decorative holes) paired with decreases to maintain stitch count while forming the tree lace motif.
• Make 1 Right (M1R): An invisible increase worked by inserting the left needle from back to front under the strand running between needles, then knitting through the front loop. This increase leans to the right and is often used in lace and shaping applications.
• Make 1 Left (M1L): A mirror-image increase worked by inserting the left needle from front to back under the strand between needles, then knitting through the back loop. This increase leans to the left and pairs with M1R for balanced shaping.
• Make 1 Purl (M1P): A purl-side version of the make 1 increase, used when shaping occurs on wrong-side rows or when working in ribbed sections.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The Stargazer Tree Lace cardigan is designed specifically for Juniper Moon Farm Stargazer yarn in colorway #10 Europa. Yardage requirements range from 500 grams (5 skeins of 100g each) for the smallest size (XXS) to 900 grams (9 skeins of 100g each) for the largest size (2X), allowing knitters to select the appropriate quantity based on their chosen size.

Needles and Notions: The pattern requires US Size 4 (3.5mm) needles as the main needles for working the body of the cardigan, with gauge achieved at 24 stitches and 30 rows equaling 4 inches (10cm) in Stockinette stitch after blocking. A smaller US Size 3 (3.25mm) long circular needle is used for ribbed edgings and finishing details. Additional notions include a stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats, a tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, and waste yarn for the provisional cast-on technique. Buttons measuring 5/8 inch (15mm) are required, with quantities of 6 to 7 depending on the finished size