Rowan Stockholm Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Stockholm Cardigan by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Stockholm is a classic knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey. This garment is a five-button cardigan featuring a sophisticated striped colorway using two coordinating shades from the Alpaca Soft DK yarn range. The cardigan is available in five sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 81-86 cm up to 122-127 cm, with corresponding finished bust measurements from 105 cm to 145 cm.

Construction Techniques

This cardigan is constructed using bottom-up seamed construction, meaning the pieces are knitted individually from the lower edges upward and then sewn together. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for traditional shaping and finishing. The design incorporates horizontal stripes throughout, which are maintained consistently across all pattern pieces during the knitting process.

Knitting Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Stockholm cardigan primarily features stockinette stitch (abbreviated as st st), which creates the smooth, classic fabric base of the garment. The ribbed edgings are worked in a knit-purl rib pattern, specifically a K2, P2 repeat, which provides elasticity and a neat finish at the cuffs, hem, and front bands. This ribbed detailing helps the cardigan maintain its shape and sit comfortably against the body.

The pattern includes strategic

shaping techniques such as cast-offs at the armhole openings to create the sleeve cap ease, and decreases worked at each end of rows to shape the armhole curves smoothly. Neck shaping is achieved through a combination of cast-offs and single-stitch decreases to create a refined neckline.

Materials and Needles

The Rowan Stockholm is designed to be knitted using Alpaca Soft DK yarn, a lightweight double-knit weight yarn. The pattern specifies two yarn colors:

• Yarn A: Trench Coat (shade 202) – 9, 10, 11, 12, or 13 x 50g balls depending on size
• Yarn B: Classic Brown (shade 204) – 3 x 50g balls for all sizes

Two pairs of needles are required for this project:

• 3¼mm (US 3) needles for working the ribbed edgings
• 4mm (US 6) needles for working the main stockinette stitch fabric

The pattern is designed to achieve a tension of 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm when measured over stockinette stitch using the 4mm needles. Maintaining this tension is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Additional Pattern Details

The cardigan features two patch pockets with knitted linings that are worked separately and then sewn into place on the front pieces. The garment is fastened with five buttons (Bedecked BN1533), which are spaced evenly along the front opening. The pattern includes detailed shaping instructions for the back piece, left front, and shoulder/neckline construction, with all shapings worked while maintaining the stripe sequence throughout.