Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Clara Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Clara Cardigan

Garment Overview

The Clara Cardigan is an intermediate-level knitted cardigan designed by Teresa Chorzepa. This button-front sweater is worked flat from the bottom up and seamed together, making it an ideal project for knitters with some experience who are ready to tackle cable work and garment construction. The cardigan features sophisticated cable detailing throughout and is designed to be worn with 6–8 inches of positive ease for a comfortable, relaxed fit.

Sizing and Fit

The Clara Cardigan is available in four sizes: Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large. Finished bust measurements range from 38¾ inches (98.5 cm) for the Small size up to 54 inches (137 cm) for the Extra Large size. The cardigan has a consistent finished length of 25½ inches (65 cm) across all sizes, making it a standard hip-length cardigan suitable for various body types and style preferences.

Techniques and Construction

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques that define its intermediate difficulty level. The cardigan is worked flat, meaning you knit on straight needles rather than in the round, which is a fundamental technique for constructing garments with front openings. The bottom-up construction method begins with the ribbed hem and progresses upward through the body, armholes, and shoulders, allowing for easy adjustments to length as you work. Cable work is a primary design feature, incorporating multiple cable stitches that create texture and visual interest. The finished pieces are seamed together, requiring you to join the front panels to the back and attach sleeves using mattress stitch or similar seaming techniques.

Stitch Patterns and Details

The Clara Cardigan utilizes a variety of stitch patterns to create its distinctive appearance. The primary stitch pattern is Moss Pattern, a textured stitch created by alternating knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard arrangement. This pattern provides a subtle, refined texture that serves as the background for the cable work.

Multiple cable variations are incorporated throughout the design:

• 2/2 RC (Right Cross) and 2/2 LC (Left Cross) cables, which involve slipping stitches to a cable needle and crossing them over two knit stitches to create diagonal cable lines
• 3/3 RC (Right Cross) and 3/3 LC (Left Cross) cables, larger cable crosses that create more prominent textural elements
• 3/1 RPC (Right Purl Cross) and 3/1 LPC (Left Purl Cross) cables, which combine knit and purl stitches to create decorative cable twists

Additional stitch patterns include Garter Stitch (knitting every row for a bumpy, reversible texture), Stockinette Stitch (the classic smooth knit fabric created by knitting on the right side and purling on the wrong side), and K1, P1 Twist Rib (a textured ribbing used for cuffs and edges). The cable pattern, labeled "Cable 3" in the instructions, is a 32-row repeat that showcases the interplay between cables and moss stitch.

Materials Required

The Clara Cardigan is knitted using Stacy Charles Fine Yarns JANELLE, a luxury blend yarn composed of 68% cotton, 22% baby alpaca, and 10% merino. This fiber composition creates a breathable, soft fabric with excellent drape and durability. The yardage requirements are 9 balls for Small, 10 balls for Medium, 11 balls for Large, and 12 balls for Extra Large. Each ball contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and provides 121 yards (110 meters) of yarn, allowing you to calculate total yardage needed for your size.

The pattern specifies US size 7 (4.5 mm) needles or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. You will also need a cable needle for managing stitches during cable crossings, stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping, a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming pieces together, and eight ⅞-inch (22 mm) buttons for the front closure.

Gauge and Pattern Accuracy

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this project. The