Keshia Jacket Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Keshia Jacket in Juniper Moon Farm Patagonia

What is Being Made

The Keshia Jacket is a knitted cardigan from the Winter Breeze Collection, designed by Claudia Wersing. This intermediate-level project creates a structured jacket with a distinctive shawl collar and button closure. The garment is available in three size ranges: Small/Medium, Large/X-Large, and 2X-Large/3X-Large, with finished widths ranging from 39½ inches to 58¼ inches and lengths to shoulder from 17¾ to 20 inches.

Techniques Used

The Keshia Jacket employs several key knitting techniques that define its construction and visual appeal. The pattern features K1 below, a specialized stitch technique where the needle is inserted through the center of a stitch one row below and knitted in the usual way while slipping the stitch above off the needle simultaneously. This creates textural interest throughout the garment.

The jacket construction begins with ribbed edging worked in K1, P1 rib for the initial 1 inch, providing elasticity and a finished edge. Sleeve shaping is achieved through strategic cast-on increases: 56 stitches are cast on at the beginning of two rows, followed by 5 stitches cast on at the beginning of eight additional rows, creating graduated sleeve cap shaping. The shawl collar is formed by casting off the main body stitches and continuing with the remaining stitches for 5½ inches to create the extended collar detail. A buttonhole is incorporated into the right front, worked on row 5 of the hem using yarn forward and slip stitch techniques.

Stitches Used

• K1, P1 Rib: Used for the initial 1-inch ribbed edging on back and front pieces, creating an elastic, finished border
• Knit Stitch (K): Foundation rows and primary fabric construction
• Purl Stitch (P): Alternated with knit stitches in the ribbed sections and pattern rows
• K1 Below: The signature stitch creating texture throughout the main body of the jacket
• Yarn Forward (YF) and Slip Stitch (SL 1): Used in the shawl collar sections and buttonhole construction

Materials

The Keshia Jacket is knitted using Juniper Moon Farm Patagonia yarn in color 116 Ivory. The yardage requirement is 5 to 7 hanks of 100-gram weight, depending on the size selected (5 hanks for Small/Medium, 6 hanks for Large/X-Large, and 7 hanks for 2X-Large/3X-Large). The project calls for US size 6 (4mm) knitting needles and a single button for closure. The gauge is established at 17 stitches and 44 rows over a 4-inch square in the pattern stitch using the specified needle size, which knitters should verify before beginning to ensure proper fit.