Lana Grossa 33 Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Lana Grossa 33 Cardigan in Mary's Tweed

What Is Being Made

The Lana Grossa 33 Cardigan in Mary's Tweed is a classic knitted cardigan designed for sizes 36 through 48. This garment features a structured construction with cable panel detailing and ribbed finishing, creating a sophisticated everyday piece suitable for layering.

Knitting Techniques

This cardigan is constructed using several essential knitting techniques that build a polished, professional-looking garment:

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is knitted from the cast-on edge upward, allowing for easy length adjustments and straightforward shaping throughout the project.
• Worked flat: All pieces are worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, creating separate front, back, and sleeve sections that are later seamed together.
• Seamed assembly: Individual knitted pieces are joined using seaming techniques, which creates clean, structured seams characteristic of tailored knitwear.
• Cable panels: Decorative cable motifs are integrated into the design, worked according to a stitch chart that guides the cable crossing and pattern repeats across rows 1–16, with rows 7–16 repeated thereafter.
• Full-fashion decreasing: Shaping at armholes and side edges is accomplished using full-fashion decreases, where decreases are worked one stitch in from the selvage edge for a refined appearance.
• Ribbed edging: K2, p2 ribbing provides structure and elasticity at cuffs and button bands.

Stitches Used

The cardigan employs a limited but effective stitch palette:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): Knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows, forming the smooth, flat fabric base for the majority of the garment.
• Ribbing (K2, p2): Alternating knit and purl stitches create vertical lines that add elasticity and structure to the finished edges.
• Cable stitches: Worked according to the cable panel chart, these crossed stitches create textured, three-dimensional patterns that add visual interest and depth.
• Selvage stitches: The first and last stitch of every row are knitted to create neat, finished edges ideal for seaming.

Materials and Tools

The Lana Grossa 33 Cardigan requires carefully selected materials to achieve the intended drape, warmth, and durability:

• Yarn: Lana Grossa Mary's Tweed, a premium blended yarn containing 33% baby alpaca, 30% Merino wool, 26% polyamide, and 11% silk. This composition creates a soft, breathable fabric with excellent elasticity and durability. The yarn is available in Grey/Blue Mélange (color 12) and yields 135 meters per 50-gram ball.
• Yardage: Depending on size, the project requires between 500 and 600 grams of yarn (approximately 1,350 to 1,620 meters for the largest size).
• Needles: Size 5 mm straight needles are used for the main fabric construction.
• Cable needle: A cable needle is essential for manipulating stitches during cable panel work.

Pattern Structure and Sizing

The pattern provides instructions for three size ranges: 36–40, 42/44, and 46/48. Specific stitch counts and measurements are given for the smallest size, with alternative figures in parentheses for larger sizes. The cardigan features a generous fit with armhole depth ranging from 21 to 23 centimeters depending on size, and the body is worked to a length of 42.5 centimeters from the cast-on edge before armhole shaping begins.