Rowan Airton Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Airton Cardigan by Lisa Richardson

What is Being Made

The Rowan Airton is a knitted cardigan designed by Lisa Richardson. This garment is available in five sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 81-86 cm (32-34 in) through to 122-127 cm (48-50 in), with actual finished bust measurements from 93 cm (36½ in) to 195 cm (52½ in). The Airton features a distinctive design element with decorative pleats worked into the front of the garment, making it a statement piece suitable for intermediate knitters.

Techniques Used

The Airton is constructed using several key knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the lower edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and adjust length if needed.
• Flat knitting: Pieces are worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, with seaming used to join the finished pieces together.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces (front, back, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then seamed together to create the finished garment.
• Pleat formation: The pattern includes detailed instructions for creating decorative pleats by slipping stitches onto holders, folding the work to align right sides or wrong sides as appropriate, and then knitting corresponding stitches together to secure the pleats in place. This advanced shaping technique creates visual interest and dimension in the finished cardigan.
• Armhole shaping: Structured armholes are created through casting off stitches at the beginning of rows and decreasing stitches along the edges to achieve proper fit and garment structure.

Stitches Used

The Airton pattern incorporates two primary stitch patterns:

• Stockinette stitch (st st): The main fabric of the cardigan, created by alternating knit and purl rows to produce a smooth, classic knitted surface.
• Moss stitch: A textured stitch pattern used as an accent or contrast area within the design, created by alternating knit and purl stitches within each row to produce a bumpy, woven-like appearance.

The pattern instructions reference keeping stitches correct as set, indicating that stitch patterns must be maintained consistently throughout shaping and construction.

Materials

The Rowan Airton is designed to be worked in Rowan Valley Tweed, a yarn available in multiple colorways (the photographed version shown is in the shade Hardraw 108). The pattern requires 7, 8, 8, 9, or 9 x 50 gram balls of yarn depending on the size being knitted.

The cardigan is worked on 3¼mm (US 3) needles (one pair of straight needles). Tension is critical to the success of this project: 24 stitches and 36 rows should measure 10 cm over stockinette stitch, while 26 stitches and 47 rows should measure 10 cm over moss stitch, both measured using 3¼mm needles.

The pattern also calls for one button (1 x 1470/12 from Bedecked) to complete the cardigan, suggesting this is a button-front design.