Rowan Dotted Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Dotted Cardigan by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Dotted is a knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey, available in five sizes to fit bust measurements from 81–86 cm up to 122–127 cm (32–50 inches). The finished garment features an actual bust measurement ranging from 105 cm to 145 cm depending on size selection. This is a classic cardigan construction suitable for everyday wear, with button front closure.

Techniques Used

This cardigan is constructed using several key knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is knitted from the lower edge upward, beginning with the back piece and working toward the armholes and shoulders.
• Worked flat: All pieces are worked on straight needles in rows rather than in the round, allowing for seamed assembly.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces (back, fronts, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then seamed together to form the finished garment.
• Stranded colorwork: The pattern incorporates a stranded technique using three yarn colors (Stormy Sky, Cream, and Plateau) to create a dotted visual effect across the body of the cardigan. Yarn is carried across the back of the work as stitches are worked in different colors.

Stitches Used

The Rowan Dotted employs fundamental knitting stitches combined with colorwork techniques:

• Ribbing (K2, P2): Used for the lower edge and cuff sections, creating an elastic, fitted finish. The pattern specifies 16 rows of ribbing at the lower edge, with strategic increases or decreases worked into the final row depending on size.
• Stockinette stitch (st st): Formed by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side, creating the smooth, classic fabric for the main body of the cardigan.
• Slip stitches with yarn management: The stranded colorwork pattern uses slip stitches (sl p wyb and sl p wyf, meaning slip purlwise with yarn in back or with yarn in front) to create the dotted pattern. These slipped stitches allow yarn to be carried across the back without being worked into every stitch, producing the characteristic dotted texture.
• Shaping decreases: Single decreases are worked at armhole edges to shape the garment.

Materials

The Rowan Dotted is designed to be knitted with specific yarn and needle specifications:

• Yarn: The pattern calls for Rowan's DK-weight yarns. Yarn A is Cotton Cashmere in the colorway Stormy Sky (225 grams total, approximately 9–12 x 50gm balls depending on size). Yarn B is Softyak DK in Cream (230 grams total, 2 x 50gm balls for all sizes). Yarn C is Softyak DK in Plateau (239 grams total, 2 x 50gm balls for all sizes). The Cotton Cashmere and Softyak DK blends provide a soft, breathable fabric suitable for a cardigan.
• Needles: The pattern requires one pair of 3¼mm (US 3) needles for ribbing, one pair of 4mm (US 6) needles for the main body, and a 3¼mm (US 3) circular needle at least 120 cm long (used for picking up stitches for button bands and neckline finishing).
• Notions: Five BN1979 buttons from Bedecked are specified for the front closure.

Pattern Structure

The back piece begins with casting on 106–146 stitches depending on size. After 16 rows of K2, P2 ribbing with strategic shaping, knitters switch to 4mm needles and work stockinette stitch until the armhole depth is reached (approximately 54–56 cm from the cast-on edge). Armhole shaping involves casting off stitches at the beginning of rows and then decreasing one stitch at each end on alternate rows. The colorwork pattern is then introduced, featuring an eight-row repeat that uses slip stitches in three colors to create the dotted effect. The pattern is worked flat throughout, making it accessible to knitters comfortable with basic shaping and colorwork techniques.