Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Reese Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Reese Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Reese Cardigan is an intermediate-level knitted cardigan designed by Lidia Karabinech. This garment is constructed as a button-front cardigan available in five sizes: Small, Medium, Large, XL, and 2XL, with finished bust measurements ranging from 36¼ inches (92 cm) in the smallest size to 53¼ inches (135 cm) in the largest size. The cardigan is designed to fit with 3–5 inches (7.5–12.5 cm) of positive ease and features a length to shoulder measurement between 19½ and 21½ inches (49.5–54.5 cm) depending on size.

Techniques Used

The Reese Cardigan employs several key knitting techniques that define its construction and aesthetic appeal:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The cardigan is knitted from the bottom edge upward, allowing for easier fitting adjustments and a traditional garment-building approach.
• Worked Flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, creating separate front, back, and sleeve components that are later assembled.
• Seamed Assembly: Individual pieces are sewn together using a yarn needle, creating finished seams that join the fronts to the back and attach the sleeves.
• Lace Patterning: Decorative lace motifs are incorporated throughout the cardigan, adding visual interest and an elegant drape to the finished garment.

Stitches Used

The Reese Cardigan pattern utilizes a variety of fundamental and decorative knitting stitches to create its structure and design:

• 1x1 Ribbing: Used for edges and cuffs, this reversible stitch creates vertical columns of knit and purl stitches that provide elasticity and a polished finish. The pattern includes instructions for 1x1 rib worked over both even and odd numbers of stitches.
• Lace Pattern: The primary decorative stitch pattern repeats over 10 or 12 rows and includes multiple variations for different sections of the garment (back, sleeves, and front panels). The lace pattern incorporates the following techniques:
  • Yarn Overs (yo): These create the openwork holes characteristic of lace knitting.
  • Decreases: Knit two together (k2tog), slip-slip-knit (ssk), and central double decrease (cdd) stitches balance the yarn overs and shape the lace motifs.
  • Knit and Purl Stitches: These form the background and structure within the lace repeats, with purl stitches creating textural contrast.

Materials and Gauge

The Reese Cardigan is designed to be knitted with Stacy Charles Fine Yarns BIANCA, a 100% merino wool yarn. The yardage requirement varies by size, ranging from 7 balls for the Small size to 11 balls for the 2XL size. Each ball contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and provides 137 yards (125 meters) of yarn, making the total yardage approximately 959 yards (875 meters) for Small through 1,507 yards (1,375 meters) for 2XL.

The pattern is worked on size 7 (4.5mm) needles, or the size required to obtain the correct gauge. The specified gauge is 19 stitches and 22 rows measured over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in the Lace Pattern. Achieving this gauge is essential for proper fit and is emphasized in the pattern instructions.

Additional materials required include stitch holders for temporarily securing stitches, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, and a yarn needle for seaming the finished pieces together and weaving in ends.