Plymouth Yarn M Swan Wings Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn M Swan Wings Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Plymouth Yarn M Swan Wings Cardigan (Pattern No. M135) is a sophisticated open-front cardigan knit from the bottom up. This garment features an elegant lace pattern design and is available in eight different sizes, with finished main body circumferences ranging from 38 inches to 66 inches. The cardigan is constructed using a seamed, flat-worked approach, making it an ideal project for knitters seeking a refined layering piece with intricate stitch work.

Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several intermediate to advanced knitting techniques that create visual interest and texture throughout the design. The bottom-up construction method allows knitters to work from the cast-on edge upward, providing flexibility for customizing length as the piece develops. The lace technique is prominently featured in both the back and front sections, incorporating yarn-overs and decreases that create delicate, openwork patterns characteristic of lace knitting. Seamed construction means individual pieces (back, left front, and right front) are knitted separately and then joined together, allowing for precise shaping and professional finishing. The cardigan is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, which is the traditional approach for cardigan construction and provides easier access for incorporating complex stitch patterns.

Stitches Used

The Swan Wings Cardigan incorporates multiple stitch patterns to achieve its distinctive aesthetic:

• Stockinette Stitch: Forms the foundation fabric in many sections, creating a smooth, classic knit surface that serves as a neutral background for the more decorative elements.
• Garter Stitch: Used as edge stitches on the first and last stitches of certain rows, providing stability and a finished appearance to the cardigan edges.
• Lace Patterns: Both the Back Lace Pattern and Right Front Lace Pattern use a multiple of 6 stitches and feature combinations of knit-two-together decreases (k2tog) and yarn-overs (yo) that create openwork designs. The Left Front Lace Pattern similarly uses yarn-overs and slip-slip-knit decreases (ssk) to form its lace motif.
• Texture Pattern 1: A textured pattern with a multiple of 8 stitches plus 6, alternating between knit rows on the right side and a combination of purl and knit stitches on the wrong side to create dimensional texture. This pattern includes decorative yarn-over and decrease elements.
• Texture Pattern 2: A 12-row repeat pattern combining knit and purl rows to build additional surface interest and dimension.
• Decreases and Yarn-Overs: Knit-two-together (k2tog), slip-slip-knit (ssk), and yarn-overs (yo) are used throughout to create the lace and texture effects that define the cardigan's character.

Materials and Tools

The Swan Wings Cardigan is designed to be knitted with Miradores yarn in the colorway color 32 Anchors A Grey. Yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 6 balls (300 grams) for the smallest size to 13 balls (650 grams) for the largest size, with each ball weighing 50 grams. Knitters will need US Size 7 knitting needles to achieve the specified gauge. Additional tools include 3 stitch markers, a cable needle, and 6 removable markers to help track pattern repeats and shaping points throughout the construction.

Gauge and Sizing

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this project's success. The pattern specifies three different gauges depending on the stitch pattern being worked: 18 stitches and 24 rows equals 4 inches in Stockinette stitch, 16 stitches equals 4 inches in Lace Patterns, and 18 stitches and 28 rows equals 4 inches in Texture Pattern 1, all worked on Size US 7 needles. The cardigan is offered in eight sizes to accommodate a wide range of body measurements, with the back measuring between 14 and 15½ inches before armhole shaping begins.