Rowan Barton Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Barton Cardigan by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Barton is a knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey. This garment is a classic, structured cardigan available in six sizes to fit chest measurements ranging from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) through to 132–137 cm (52–54 in). The finished cardigan features actual chest measurements from 95.5 cm to 146.5 cm, providing a comfortable fit across the size range. The design includes pocket linings and is fastened with six buttons, making it a practical everyday cardigan suitable for various occasions.

Knitting Techniques

The Barton cardigan is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create its finished structure and appearance:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The cardigan is knitted from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and adjust the length to personal preference.
• Worked Flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, creating seams that are joined together after completion.
• Seamed Assembly: Individual pieces (front, back, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then seamed together, providing clean, professional finishing.
• Striped Pattern: The cardigan features a striped stitch pattern worked throughout, adding visual interest and texture to the garment. The stripes are maintained consistently across shaping rows, requiring careful attention to pattern continuity during decreases and increases.
• Armhole Shaping: The armholes are shaped by casting off stitches at the beginning of rows, followed by decreasing one stitch at each end over multiple rows to create a fitted sleeve cap.
• Shoulder Shaping: The shoulders are shaped through stepped cast-offs that create a structured shoulder line.
• Neck Shaping: The back neck is shaped by casting off center stitches and working each shoulder separately with decreases at the neck edge.
• Pocket Linings: Pocket linings are knitted separately using stockinette stitch before being incorporated into the main cardigan pieces.

Stitches Used

The Barton cardigan primarily employs stockinette stitch as its foundation, which creates the smooth, classic fabric characteristic of traditional cardigans. The striped pattern is achieved by working stockinette stitch in alternating colors, requiring knitters to change yarn colors at specified intervals while maintaining consistent stitch tension and pattern alignment. Decreasing and increasing techniques are used strategically to shape the armholes, shoulders, and neckline, ensuring the cardigan fits properly across different sizes.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The Barton cardigan is knitted using Rowan's Denim Revive yarn in two colors. Yarn A is Silt, with yardage requirements ranging from 216 yards (for the smallest size) to 145 yards across the size range, requiring 9–14 x 50-gram balls depending on size. Yarn B is Cream, with requirements from 210 yards down to smaller quantities, needing 7–10 x 50-gram balls by size. The Denim Revive yarn provides the structure and drape suitable for a fitted cardigan.

Needles: The pattern requires two pairs of needles in different sizes to create proper tension and fabric weight. A pair of 3¼mm (US 3) needles is used for ribbed edgings and cuffs, while a pair of 3¾mm (US 5) needles is used for the main body fabric worked in stockinette stitch. Additionally, two double-pointed 3¼mm (US 3) needles are needed for any small circumference knitting, such as neckline finishing.

Additional Components

The cardigan is completed with six RW5030 buttons from Bedecked, which provide both functional closure and design detail. The pattern is graded across six sizes with detailed shaping instructions for each, allowing knitters of various skill levels to create a well-fitted garment.