Rowan Halo Spots Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Halo Spots Cardigan by Kaffe Fassett

What Is Being Made

The Rowan Halo Spots is a knitted cardigan designed by renowned colorwork artist Kaffe Fassett. This garment is crafted using the intarsia technique to create a detailed patterned design worked entirely in stockinette stitch. The cardigan is available in five size options, with actual bust measurements ranging from 144 cm to 184 cm (57 to 72½ inches), making it suitable for a wide range of body sizes.

Construction Method

This cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, worked-flat approach. The pattern begins with the back piece, which is worked from the cast-on edge upward to the shoulder shaping. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, with pieces later seamed together to create the finished cardigan.

Techniques and Stitches

The primary stitch used throughout the Halo Spots cardigan is stockinette stitch (also called stocking stitch), which creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinctive V-pattern texture on the right side. The pattern incorporates the intarsia technique, a colorwork method that involves using separate lengths of yarn for different colored sections of the design. This technique allows for large blocks of color and detailed patterned work without the bulk that can result from stranding multiple colors across rows.

The cardigan begins with garter stitch ribbing at the lower edge, worked over 8 rows using smaller needles to create a firm, elastic edge that helps the garment maintain its shape. The transition from ribbing to the main patterned stockinette stitch is achieved by changing to larger needles, a standard construction method that provides structure at the hem while allowing the main body to drape appropriately.

Shoulder shaping is accomplished through strategic cast-off decreases worked at the beginning of rows, creating a sloped shoulder line. Back neck shaping is also incorporated, with the center stitches bound off and each side of the neck shaped separately to create a comfortable neckline opening.

Materials and Gauge

The Rowan Halo Spots cardigan is knitted using Rowan Felted Tweed yarn, a wool-based yarn available in a vibrant palette of ten coordinating colors. The yarn is worked at a gauge of 24 stitches and 32 rows to 10 centimeters when measured over patterned stockinette stitch using 3¾mm (US 5) needles.

The pattern requires two needle sizes: 3¼mm (US 3) needles for the initial garter stitch ribbing, and 3¾mm (US 5) needles for the main body and patterned sections. The color palette includes Duck Egg (yarn A), Tawny (yarn B), Lotus Leaf (yarn C), Electric Green (yarn D), Vaseline Green (yarn E), Pink Bliss (yarn F), Iris (yarn G), Turquoise (yarn H), Mineral (yarn I), and Frozen (yarn J), with yardage quantities varying by size.

Pattern Details

The back piece of the cardigan is worked from a cast-on of between 173 and 221 stitches depending on size. The intarsia pattern is charted and worked over 208 to 234 rows, depending on the chosen size, creating a substantial and detailed colorwork design. The pattern reference for this design is ZB245-00004, version 1, and it is presented as a downloadable PDF format for easy access and printing.