Plymouth Yarn Woman's Jacket Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn Woman's Jacket - Carosello Cardigan

What is Being Made

This is a woman's cardigan jacket designed from Plymouth Yarn's Carosello collection. The pattern, numbered 3470, creates a fitted cardigan with a classic construction suitable for everyday wear. The finished garment is available in six sizes, ranging from 36 inches to 53 inches at the bust, accommodating a wide range of body measurements.

Construction Technique

The Carosello Woman's Jacket is constructed using a bottom-up, worked flat approach on circular needles. The body is knitted in one piece using the back-and-forth method on a 24-inch circular needle, rather than in the round. This technique allows for seamless integration of the body before dividing at the underarm. Once the body reaches the desired length to the underarm, it is divided into separate sections for the fronts and back, which are then worked individually. The fronts and back are ultimately joined at the shoulders using a three-needle bind off, creating strong, secure seams at the shoulder line. The garment is finished with seamed construction, meaning pieces are sewn together after completion.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches to create texture and structure:

• Garter Stitch: Used for the initial cast-on edge, worked for 6 rows to create a textured, reversible border that prevents curling
• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch throughout the body of the jacket, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic fabric
• Seed Stitch: Referenced in the gauge measurement (12 stitches and 16 rows equal 4 inches in seed stitch), indicating this stitch is used in the design for textural variation

Shaping and Decreases

The jacket features strategic decreases to create a fitted silhouette. Single-stitch decreases are worked at the end of right-side rows during the body shaping phase, repeated 3 to 6 times depending on size. Additional decreases are incorporated at the armhole and front edges to shape the garment properly, with 3 decreases worked at the beginning or end of right-side rows on the front sections to create proper armhole depth and shoulder line definition.

Materials and Gauge

The Carosello Woman's Jacket is worked in Plymouth Yarn's Carosello yarn, a 50-gram ball weight. The pattern requires 7 to 11 balls depending on the finished size, with the sample shown in color 031 Green Multi. The gauge is 12 stitches and 16 rows over 4 inches in seed stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Needles and Notions

Construction requires US Size 9 and US Size 11 circular needles measuring 24 inches in length. The smaller needles (Size 9) are used for the initial garter stitch border, while the larger needles (Size 11) are used for the main body in stockinette stitch. Additional notions include a yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends, stitch holders for managing stitches during the armhole divide, and optionally, 5 buttons from Dill for button closure if desired.

Finished Measurements

The jacket is designed with the following bust circumference options: 36, 40, 42.5, 46, 49, and 53 inches. The armhole depth ranges from 8 to 11 inches depending on size, and the body length to the underarm is approximately 12 inches or can be adjusted to personal preference before the armhole division.