String Sharon Cardigan Knitting Pattern

String Sharon Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Sharon Cardigan is a luxurious open-front cardigan designed by Lidia Karabinech, featuring a contemporary kimono-style fit. This garment is available in three sizes: Small/Medium, Large/XL, and 1X/2X, with finished bust measurements of 56, 68, and 80 inches respectively. The cardigan has a length to shoulder of 26½ inches and showcases a sophisticated color-blocking design using three coordinating tweeds in pink, aqua, and bluestone.

Construction Technique

The Sharon Cardigan employs a distinctive bottom-up seamed construction worked flat on straight needles. Rather than knitting the entire cardigan as one piece, this design is created by knitting two long panels that form the left front and back sections. These panels are then folded and seamed up the back to create the cardigan's body. Sleeves are picked up from the armhole edges and knit in the round, allowing for seamless sleeve caps and a refined finish. This method provides excellent shaping control and creates clean, professional seams.

Stitches Used

The Sharon Cardigan features two primary stitch patterns:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The main fabric stitch, created by knitting all stitches on right-side rows and purling all stitches on wrong-side rows. This produces the smooth, classic knit fabric that forms the body of the cardigan.
• 2x2 Rib: A textured stitch pattern worked over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2, alternating knit and purl stitches in pairs. This elastic stitch is used for the ribbed cuffs, waistband, and sleeve ribbing, providing structure and recovery to the garment edges.

Materials and Specifications

The Sharon Cardigan is crafted from String TUSCANY, a premium luxury yarn blend containing 58% cashmere, 28% lambswool, 8% silk, and 6% other fibers. Each ball weighs 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and provides 154 yards (140 meters) of yardage. The pattern requires:

• 2 (3, 4) balls in color 517489 pink tweed (A)
• 2 (3, 4) balls in color 517482 aqua tweed (B)
• 6 (8, 10) balls in color 517493 bluestone tweed (C)

Needles required include US 7 (4.5mm) straight needles for the main fabric and US 6 (4mm) 16-inch circular needles for the sleeve ribbing. The recommended gauge is 18 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Additional notions include removable stitch markers and a yarn needle for finishing.

Design Details

The cardigan features a sophisticated color-blocking scheme with the pink tweed and aqua tweed creating a decorative ribbed border at the lower edge, while the bluestone tweed comprises the main body. The kimono-style fit provides a relaxed, elegant silhouette that drapes beautifully. The open front design and generous bust measurements create a comfortable, wearable garment suitable for layering. The 2x2 ribbed edgings at the cuffs, hem, and neckline provide structure and help the delicate luxury yarn maintain its shape through wear and washing.