Rowan Freya Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Freya Cardigan by Arne & Carlos

What is Being Made

The Rowan Freya is a stranded knit cardigan designed by the renowned duo Arne & Carlos. This garment is constructed as a classic five-button cardigan available in five size options ranging from 81–86 cm to 122–127 cm bust measurements (32–34 inches to 48–50 inches). The finished garment features an actual bust measurement ranging from 89 cm to 127 cm depending on the size selected, making it suitable for a range of body types and fit preferences.

Knitting Techniques

The Freya cardigan employs several key knitting techniques to create its finished structure:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The cardigan is knitted from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and adjust length as needed.
• Worked Flat: The pattern is worked on flat needles rather than in the round, meaning each row is knitted back and forth across the width of the garment.
• Seamed Assembly: Pieces are sewn together using seaming techniques to create the finished cardigan, with separate front and back panels joined at the sides and shoulders.
• Stranded Colorwork: The pattern incorporates stranded knitting, a technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create patterned designs on the front face of the fabric.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The body of the Freya cardigan is worked primarily in stockinette stitch (abbreviated as st st), which is created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side. This creates the classic smooth, V-textured fabric that serves as the foundation for the stranded colorwork pattern. The pattern is repeated throughout the body as indicated by chart rows, with the pattern repeat spanning 52 rows. Shaping is incorporated through strategic increases and decreases: increases are worked at each end of the 19th row and two subsequent 20th rows during the body section, and decreases are worked at armhole and neck edges to create the fitted silhouette and neckline definition.

Materials and Yarn

The Freya cardigan is designed to be knitted using Rowan Felted Tweed, a premium yarn available in multiple colorways. The pattern calls for four coordinating colors:

• Alabaster (Color 197): The primary color, requiring 3–5 balls of 50-gram weight depending on size.
• Seasalter (Color 178): A secondary color, requiring 4–6 balls of 50-gram weight depending on size.
• Barbara (Color 200): An accent color, requiring 1 ball of 50-gram weight across all sizes.
• Avocado (Color 161): A tertiary accent color, requiring 1–2 balls of 50-gram weight depending on size.

Needles and Notions

The pattern requires two pairs of needles in different sizes to accommodate gauge adjustments. A 3¼mm (US 3) needle is used for ribbed edgings and cuffs, while a 4mm (US 6) needle is used for the main body and pattern work. This two-needle approach is standard in knitting to create elastic, fitted edges that contrast with the looser gauge of the body fabric. The cardigan is finished with five buttons (BN1979 from Bedecked), which are sewn down the front opening to create a functional and decorative closure.

Pattern Structure and Shaping

The cardigan follows a traditional shaping sequence. The back panel is increased at the side seams during the lower body to create a subtle A-line or fitted silhouette. Armholes are shaped by casting off stitches at the beginning of rows and then decreasing at the edges over several rows to create a tapered sleeve cap opening. The shoulders are shaped through a series of cast-offs that create a sloped shoulder line, while the back neck is finished with a holder to accommodate the front neckbands. Each front panel mirrors the back shaping, with the neckline decreased gradually to create a comfortable, flattering neckline opening for button bands.