Quail Studio Ella Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Quail Studio Ella Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Quail Studio Ella is a knitted cardigan worked in a bottom-up construction method. This garment features sophisticated cable patterning throughout the front and back panels, creating an elegant, textured design. The cardigan is available in multiple sizes, accommodating various measurements for a custom fit.

Knitting Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its refined appearance:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is knitted from the lower edge upward, allowing for straightforward shaping and adjustments as the piece grows
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring seaming to join the finished components
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces (back, fronts, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then carefully seamed together to create the finished cardigan
• Cable work: Intricate cable patterns are incorporated throughout, requiring the use of a cable needle to create twisted, dimensional stitches

Stitches and Stitch Abbreviations

The Ella cardigan utilizes a combination of fundamental and decorative stitches:

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) stitches: Form the foundational fabric and create reverse stockinette sections that frame the cable patterns
• Cable stitches: The pattern includes specialized cable abbreviations executed with a cable needle:
  • C4F (Cable 4 Front): Slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the front of the work, knit the following 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a cable that twists toward the front
  • C4B (Cable 4 Back): Slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the back of the work, knit the following 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a cable that twists toward the back
  • 2/2 RPC (2/2 Right Purl Cross): Slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the back of the work, knit 2 stitches, then purl the 2 stitches from the cable needle
  • 2/2 LPC (2/2 Left Purl Cross): Slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the front of the work, purl 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle
• Ribbing: The pattern incorporates knit and purl ribbing (K2, P2 repeat) for elastic, fitted sections
• Decreases: Pattern2tog decreases are used to shape the front slope and other shaping areas

Cable Pattern Details

The cable pattern is worked over 68 rows, creating a complex, repeating design. The pattern begins on a wrong-side row with purl and knit combinations that establish the cable framework. Cable crosses (C4F and C4B) are strategically placed throughout the 68-row repeat, alternating with purl columns to create visual definition. The cable pattern incorporates purl cross stitches (2/2 RPC and 2/2 LPC) that add additional texture and dimension. Knitters must maintain cable pattern consistency throughout the entire cardigan body.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Ella cardigan is worked on 4.5mm (US 7) needles, which are appropriate for the yarn weight and stitch definition required for cable work. The pattern accommodates six different sizes, with cast-on counts ranging from 150 to 190 stitches for the back panel, indicating a worsted or aran-weight yarn is suitable for this project. The finished measurements span from approximately 39cm to 50cm in length before shoulder shaping, providing options for various body sizes and fit preferences.

Construction Overview

The back panel is cast on and worked in the established cable pattern until it reaches approximately 8cm in length, at which point shaping begins at each edge. The left front is worked separately, incorporating the same cable pattern while introducing front slope shaping through decreases. The pattern includes provisions for working rows as set, meaning knitters maintain established stitch patterns