Rowan Textured Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Textured Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Rowan Textured Cardigan is a baby cardigan designed for infants in sizes ranging from 0-3 months through 12-18 months. This garment features a classic button-front closure and is constructed as a complete layering piece suitable for babies and young toddlers. The cardigan includes a back panel, two front panels, and two sleeves, all assembled to create a finished wearable garment.

Construction Techniques

This cardigan is worked using bottom-up construction, meaning the knitter begins at the lower edge and works upward toward the shoulders and neckline. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for easier shaping and stitch manipulation. The pieces are seamed together after completion, with separate panels for the back, left front, right front, and sleeves that are subsequently joined to create the finished cardigan.

The pattern incorporates front slope shaping on the front panels and armhole shaping to create a properly fitted garment. Decreases are worked at strategic points to taper the front edges and create the neckline opening, while increases at the sleeve cap ensure proper sleeve cap shaping for a comfortable fit.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern throughout the Rowan Textured Cardigan is double moss stitch, also known as seed stitch variation. This textured pattern is created by alternating knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence across rows, creating a reversible fabric with visual texture and interest.

• Double moss stitch: Worked over 4 rows with the pattern repeat of K2, P2 (knit 2, purl 2) alternating with P2, K2 to create the textured surface
• Moss stitch: A similar alternating knit-purl pattern used on the main body sections, worked as K1, P1 across rows
• Ribbing: K2, P2 ribbing used for the cuff and waistband sections to create elasticity and a neat finished edge
• Decreases: Pattern2tog decreases used for shaping the front slopes and armholes
• Increases: Single stitch increases worked at sleeve edges to shape the sleeve cap

Materials and Gauge

The Rowan Textured Cardigan is knitted using Baby Merino Silk DK yarn in the colorway Pebble 690. The yarn quantity required is 3 balls (50g each) for sizes 0-3, 3-6, and 6-9 months, and 4 balls for sizes 9-12 and 12-18 months. DK weight yarn is a medium-weight yarn that provides good stitch definition for textured patterns.

Two needle sizes are required for this project. 3.25mm (US 3) needles are used for the ribbed cuff and waistband sections, while 4mm (US 6) needles are used for the main body and textured stitch sections. The needle size change creates a subtle transition between the elastic ribbed edges and the textured main fabric.

The pattern specifies a tension (gauge) of 22 stitches and 45 rows to 10cm (4 inches) measured over double moss stitch using 4mm needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit, particularly important in baby garments where sizing accuracy ensures comfort and appropriate wear.

Additional Materials

The pattern requires 4 to 5 small buttons depending on the size being made, used for the front button band closure. A stitch holder is also necessary for holding stitches during construction, particularly for the neckline and other shaping sections.