Rowan Ontario Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Ontario Cardigan by Lisa Richardson

What is Being Made

The Ontario is a fitted cardigan pattern designed to be knitted from the bottom up. This garment is tailored for a range of sizes from Small through Extra Extra Large, with bust measurements spanning 81-127 cm (31-50 inches). The cardigan features a structured silhouette with shaping at the waist and shoulders, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for various occasions.

Knitting Techniques

This pattern employs several key construction techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the hem upward, allowing for easy adjustments to length during the knitting process
• Flat knitting: All pieces are worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, creating seamed garments
• Seamed assembly: Individual pieces (back, fronts, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then sewn together using mattress stitch or similar seaming techniques
• Waist shaping: Strategic decreases and increases create a contoured fit, with decreases worked at the beginning of rows on the front pieces and increases added at intervals to shape the garment
• Shoulder shaping: Graduated cast-offs at the shoulder create a professional finish and proper garment drape
• Neck shaping: The back neck is shaped with decreases worked simultaneously with shoulder cast-offs for a neat neckline

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Ontario features a charted stitch pattern that is maintained throughout the garment pieces. The pattern includes special abbreviations for decorative twisted stitches:

• Tw2L (Twist 2 Left): Knit into the back of the second stitch on the left needle while leaving stitches in place, then knit together through the back loop with the first stitch, slipping both stitches off the needle
• Tw2R (Twist 2 Right): Knit two stitches together while leaving stitches on the left needle, then knit the first stitch again before slipping both stitches off

These twisted stitches create visual interest and texture throughout the cardigan. The pattern is worked from a chart, with row 1 being a wrong-side row, and the stitch pattern is maintained consistently across all shaping rows.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, a wool-based yarn that provides structure and drape. The pattern requires 6-9 balls of 50-gram skeins depending on size selected. The photographed version is shown in the colorway Rage 150.

Needles: Two pairs of needles are required for this project:

• 1 pair of 3¼mm (US 3) needles for ribbed edgings and cuffs
• 1 pair of 4mm (US 6) needles for the main fabric

Tension: The pattern is worked to a tension of 25 stitches and 32 rows over 10 centimeters, measured over the charted stitch pattern using 4mm needles. Achieving correct tension is essential for proper fit across all sizes.

Notions: The cardigan requires 8 buttons (BN1302 from Bedecked) for the front closure.

Pattern Features and Construction Details

The Ontario cardigan is designed with careful attention to fit and proportion. The left front piece is cast on with 57-87 stitches depending on size and features waist shaping through strategic decreases and increases. The first decrease is worked at the beginning of a row after the initial 5-10 centimeters of straight knitting, followed by decreases every sixth row over three additional rows. After working 15 rows straight, increases are added back at the beginning of rows every eighth row across five rows, bringing the stitch count back to the original cast-on number. This shaping creates a flattering curved silhouette.

The back and right front pieces are worked with corresponding shaping to ensure a balanced, fitted garment. Shoulder shaping is accomplished through graduated cast-offs, with the initial cast-off removing 4-6 stitches depending on size, followed by additional cast-offs on alternating rows. Neck shaping is worked simultaneously with shoulder shaping, with decreases at the neck edge worked over six rows to create a smooth transition from shoulder to neckline.