Rowan Gallerie Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Gallerie Cardigans by Georgia Farrell

What is Being Made

The Rowan Gallerie is a collection of knitted cardigans designed by Georgia Farrell. This downloadable PDF pattern offers five different sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 81-86 cm (32-34 inches) up to 122-127 cm (48-50 inches), with actual garment bust measurements from 111 cm to 151 cm. The cardigans feature a classic button-front opening and are constructed as a complete garment with separate front panels, back, and sleeves that are seamed together.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Gallerie cardigans are worked using a bottom-up construction method, meaning the garment is knitted starting from the lower edge and progressing upward toward the shoulders. The pattern employs flat knitting throughout, using straight needles rather than circular needles for the main fabric (though a circular needle is required for finishing). The cardigans feature cable work as a decorative element, with special cable abbreviations provided for crossing stitches. The garment pieces are seamed together after individual components are completed, creating a structured, tailored fit. Shaping is incorporated through strategic increases and decreases at side seams and neckline edges to create the fitted silhouette.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Gallerie cardigans is moss stitch, a fundamental textured stitch that creates a subtle, bumpy fabric surface. Moss stitch is worked by alternating knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence that shifts by one stitch on each row, producing an even, reversible texture. The pattern includes cable stitches as decorative elements, with two main cable crossing techniques specified: Cr4L (cross 4 left), which involves slipping 2 stitches onto a cable needle, leaving them at the front of the work, purling 2 stitches, then knitting the 2 stitches from the cable needle; and Cr4R (cross 4 right), which reverses this process. These cable techniques add visual interest and dimension to the knitted fabric.

Materials and Specifications

The Gallerie cardigans are knitted using Alpaca Soft DK yarn, a lightweight double-knit weight yarn made from alpaca fiber. The pattern requires 10 to 15 balls of 50-gram yarn depending on the size selected (the photographed version is shown in Mulberry 207 colorway). Knitting is worked on 4mm (US size 6) needles, including one pair of straight needles for the main fabric and a 4mm circular needle at least 120 cm long for finishing work. A cable needle is also required for working the cable stitch crossings. The tension specification is 21 stitches and 39 rows to 10 centimeters measured over moss stitch using the 4mm needles, which is essential for achieving the correct finished garment measurements.

Pattern Structure

The pattern provides detailed instructions for constructing four main garment pieces: the back panel, left front, right front, and two sleeves. Each piece includes specific cast-on stitch counts and row-by-row shaping instructions. The back is worked straight with shoulder shaping at the top. The front panels feature shaped openings created through decreases along the front edge, with neckline shaping worked through additional decreases at the neck edge. The sleeves are worked with increases at the side edges to create a gently tapered shape that widens from the cuff to the armhole. All pieces are worked in the moss stitch pattern with cable details incorporated as specified in the full pattern instructions.