Robinia Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Robinia Cardigan in Rowan Felted Tweed

What is Being Made

The Robinia Cardigan is a knitted cardigan designed by Marie Wallin for Rowan. This garment is a button-front cardigan available in three sizes: Small-Medium (bust 81-97 cm / 32-38 in), Large-XL (bust 102-117 cm / 40-46 in), and XXL (bust 122-127 cm / 48-50 in). The cardigan features a structured silhouette with shaped shoulders and a tailored fit, fastening with three buttons.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques. The garment begins with moss stitch ribbing at the hem for texture and elasticity. The main body is worked in stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric. A charted colorwork pattern is incorporated into the body sections, requiring the knitter to follow a multi-row chart while managing color changes. Strategic increases are worked at specific intervals to shape the front panels, and decreases are used to create the shoulder shaping. The pattern also involves casting off in stages to form the shoulder line, demonstrating intermediate shaping skills.

Stitches Used

• Moss Stitch: An alternating knit and purl pattern (K1, P1) worked over two rows to create a textured, reversible fabric used for the initial ribbing
• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch throughout the cardigan body, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Charted Colorwork: A patterned section worked from a chart, requiring color changes and careful stitch placement across multiple rows
• Make One (M1): An invisible increase technique used to add stitches for shaping the front panels
• Purl Two Together (P2tog): A decrease used to adjust stitch counts within the patterned sections
• Casting Off: Used to bind off shoulder stitches in multiple stages to create the armhole and shoulder shaping

Materials

The Robinia Cardigan is knitted using Rowan Felted Tweed yarn in three coordinating colors. Yarn A (Duck Egg, color 173) requires 8, 9, or 10 balls of 50g depending on size. Yarn B (Carbon, color 159) requires 3 balls of 50g for all sizes. Yarn C (Seafarer, color 170) requires 2 balls of 50g for all sizes. The project is worked on 3¼mm (US 3) needles, including a pair of straight needles and a 120 cm circular needle for managing the larger stitch counts. The pattern specifies a tension of 24 stitches and 32 rows over 10 cm in stockinette stitch, and 25 stitches and 29 rows over 10 cm in patterned stockinette stitch, both measured using 3¼mm needles. The cardigan is finished with three buttons.