Rowan Partridge Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Partridge Cardigan by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Partridge is a knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey, available in multiple sizes ranging from XXS to 2XL to fit bust/chest measurements from 91 cm to 149 cm (36 to 50 inches). This garment is constructed as a classic button-front cardigan with shaped armholes, tailored shoulders, and a finished back neck opening.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Partridge cardigan is worked using a bottom-up construction approach, meaning the garment is knitted starting from the lower edge and progressing upward. The cardigan is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for easy shaping and seaming. Individual pieces—the back, left front, and right front—are knitted separately and then seamed together to create the finished garment.

The design incorporates stranded colorwork, a traditional knitting technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create patterned designs on the fabric surface. This technique adds visual interest and complexity to the finished piece while maintaining structural integrity.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The Partridge begins with a ribbed edging worked in a 2x2 rib pattern (alternating 2 knit stitches with 2 purl stitches), which provides elasticity and a neat finished edge. The ribbing is established with the pattern sequence: K2, *P2, K2, rep from * to last st, K1 on the right-side row, followed by K1, P2, *K2, P2, rep from * to end on the wrong-side row.

Throughout the body of the cardigan, the stranded colorwork pattern is maintained while shaping occurs. Armhole shaping is achieved through casting off stitches at the beginning of rows to create steep armhole edges, followed by decreasing one stitch at each end of subsequent rows to taper the armhole smoothly. The pattern instructions specify decreasing 1 stitch at each end of the next 7 rows, then on following alternate rows, then on every 4th row to achieve a well-proportioned armhole.

Shoulder shaping involves strategic casting off of groups of stitches across multiple rows, while the back neck is shaped by placing center stitches on a holder and working each shoulder side separately with neck edge decreases to create a comfortable neckline opening.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Partridge cardigan is designed to be knitted with three distinct yarn types from Rowan, allowing for creative colorway combinations:

• Yarn A: Rowan Alpaca Colour in DK weight (7 to 11 x 50gm balls depending on size). Available colorways include Graphite 142 and Marble 145.
• Yarn B: Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK (2 to 3 x 50gm balls depending on size). Colorways offered are Shamrock 023 and Ox Blood 049.
• Yarn C: Rowan Wool Cotton in DK weight (1 to 2 x 50gm balls depending on size). Available in Sage 986 and Elf 946.
• Yarn D: Rowan Wool Cotton DK (1 x 50gm ball across all sizes) in Lichen 992 and Cypress 968.
• Yarn E: Rowan Wool Cotton DK in Coffee Rich 956 (3 to 4 x 50gm balls depending on size), used in both colorways.

The pattern requires 1 pair of 3¼mm (US 3) needles for the ribbed edging and initial stitches, and 1 pair of 4mm (US 6) needles for the main body knitting where the stranded colorwork pattern is worked. Additionally, a 3¼mm (US 3) circular needle at least 120 cm long is needed for finishing techniques such as picking up stitches around the neckline or front edges.

Finishing Details

The cardigan is completed with 5 buttons: either BN1367 buttons measuring 18mm for the men's version or RW5019 buttons measuring 15mm for the women's version, both available from Bedecked. These buttons are sewn down