Plymouth Yarn Swagger Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn Swagger Cardigan (Pattern No. 2514 Gina)

What is Being Made

The Plymouth Yarn Swagger Cardigan is a knitted cardigan featuring an oversized fit with subtle waist shaping. This garment is available in four sizes: Small (40" bust), Medium (44" bust), Large (48" bust), and Extra Large (52" bust), with finished lengths ranging from 23.5" to 25" depending on size. The cardigan showcases a distinctive Swag Stitch pattern that creates visual interest throughout the garment while maintaining a wearable, contemporary silhouette.

Techniques Used

This cardigan is constructed using bottom-up knitting, meaning the garment is worked from the lower edge upward. The pieces are worked flat on straight or circular needles rather than in the round, and the finished components are seamed together to create the final garment. This traditional construction method allows for precise shaping and control over fit.

The pattern incorporates several shaping techniques to achieve the cardigan's tailored appearance:

• Waist shaping: Decreases are worked at the side edges every 8th row (4 times total) to cinch the waist, followed by corresponding increases to restore stitch count and create the oversized silhouette
• Armhole shaping: Bind-offs at the beginning of rows followed by single-stitch decreases create structured armholes
• Neckline shaping: Decreases at the neck edge occur simultaneously with armhole shaping, requiring careful attention to multiple shaping sequences worked at the same time
• Stitch transitions: The pattern includes changes between Stockinette Stitch and Reverse Stockinette Stitch for textural variation

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used in the Plymouth Yarn Swagger Cardigan is Stockinette Stitch (abbreviated St st), which creates the smooth, classic knit fabric base. Reverse Stockinette Stitch (Rev St st) is also featured, providing a textured contrast by reversing the typical knit and purl face of the fabric.

The signature element of this cardigan is the Swag Stitch, a stitch pattern worked over a multiple of 5 stitches plus 2 edge stitches. The Swag Stitch is a 6-row repeat that combines:

• Knit rows on the right side
• Purl rows on the wrong side
• Slip stitch rows (with yarn in front) that create a distinctive slipped-stitch texture

Additional techniques include slip stitches with yarn in front (wyif), which are used in the Swag Stitch pattern to create the characteristic visual effect. Basic decreases and increases at edges shape the garment, while bind-offs finish the armholes and neckline.

Materials

The Plymouth Yarn Swagger Cardigan is designed to be knitted with Plymouth Yarn Gina, a yarn that comes in 50-gram balls. Yardage requirements vary by size: the Small size requires 10 balls, Medium requires 11 balls, Large requires 13 balls, and Extra Large requires 13 balls. The pattern specifies color #7, though other colors in the Gina line may be substituted.

The recommended needles are US size 8 circular needles in both 24" and 32" lengths. Circular needles are used for their length and ease of handling, though the fabric is worked flat (back and forth in rows) rather than in the round. The pattern calls for achieving a gauge of 18 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch using the larger needles, which is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements.

Additional materials needed include locking stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping points, and a tapestry needle for seaming the finished pieces together and weaving in yarn ends.