Tahki Yarns Woodlands Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Woodlands Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Woodlands Cardigan is an intermediate-level open-front cardigan designed by Sandi Rosner. This garment features a generous, loose-fitting silhouette with an overlapping front closure and is available in eight sizes ranging from XS to 4X. The cardigan measures 42¼ to 74¼ inches in bust circumference and 23 to 26 inches in length, offering versatile sizing for various body types.

Knitting Techniques

The Woodlands Cardigan employs several advanced construction techniques suitable for intermediate knitters. The garment is worked flat on circular needles, with the back and front panels knitted separately before being joined at the shoulders using the Three-Needle Bind-Off method. This technique creates a strong, professional seam while the pieces are still on the needles.

The cardigan incorporates German Short Rows to shape the lower front corners, adding sophisticated shaping details to the design. Stitches are strategically picked up from the sleeve ends to create wide cuffs, and additional stitches are picked up around the front and neck edges to work the distinctive wide shawl collar. Side and sleeve seams are sewn together after the main pieces are completed, and the collar is worked last using picked-up stitches.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes two primary stitch patterns to create visual interest and texture:

• Garter Stitch: Created by knitting all stitches on every row, this classic stitch provides a textured, reversible fabric. The Garter stitch gauges 21 stitches and 42 rows over 4 inches (10 cm).
• Lace Pattern: A more complex stitch pattern worked over a multiple of 12 stitches plus 3 (or 12 stitches plus 9 for certain sizes), the Lace pattern features yarn overs and decreases that create an openwork design. This pattern includes specialized decreases such as S2KP (Slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over), a centered double decrease that creates elegant stitch manipulation. The Lace pattern gauges 21 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm).

Additional stitch techniques referenced in the pattern include the Double Stitch (DS), a slip stitch variation used in short-row shaping, and standard decreases such as ssk (slip, slip, knit) and k2tog (knit 2 together).

Materials and Tools

The Woodlands Cardigan is knitted using Tahki Yarns TIBURON, a blend of 50% organic cotton and 50% lyocell. This fiber composition creates a breathable, drape-friendly fabric ideal for a cardigan. The pattern requires 12 to 22 balls of yarn depending on the size, with each ball weighing 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and containing 110 yards (100 meters).

The recommended needles are size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles, available in either 32-inch (80 cm) or 40-inch (100 cm) lengths to accommodate the flat knitting construction. A spare size 5 needle is required for the Three-Needle Bind-Off technique. Additional tools include stitch holders or scrap yarn for holding stitches, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, and a yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends.

Gauge and Fit

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this cardigan's fit. The Lace pattern should measure 21 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm), while the Garter stitch should measure 21 stitches and 42 rows over 4 inches (10 cm). The pattern emphasizes checking gauge before beginning, as variations will affect the final garment dimensions and drape.