Twist Collective Donostia Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Donostia Cardigan by Fiona Ellis

What Is Being Made

The Donostia is a fitted cardigan designed by Fiona Ellis and published by Twist Collective. This garment features a shaped waist with waist shaping through strategic decreases and increases, creating a flattering silhouette. The cardigan is available in seven sizes ranging from 33 ¼ inches to 50 ½ inches bust measurement, with finished lengths between 24 ½ and 28 ¾ inches. The design is intended to be worn with 2 inches of ease for a close, tailored fit.

Construction Techniques

The Donostia cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, worked-flat method. This means the knitter begins at the lower edge and works upward in separate flat pieces—the back, two fronts, and sleeves—which are then sewn together to form the finished garment. This construction approach allows for precise shaping and fitting adjustments as the pieces are worked.

The cardigan features waist shaping achieved through a series of paired decreases and increases worked at marked positions. The shaping sequence involves working decrease rows followed by even rows, then alternating with increase rows and even rows. This creates the characteristic fitted waist silhouette. Stitch markers are used to denote the shaping positions, allowing the knitter to maintain consistent placement throughout the garment.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch used in the Donostia is stockinette stitch, the fundamental knit fabric created by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side. This smooth, classic stitch provides an elegant canvas for the garment's shaping.

The cardigan features a decorative Flower Stitch border worked at the lower edge. The Flower Stitch is a textured pattern based on a multiple of 6 stitches and employs a distinctive technique: wrapping yarn around the needle multiple times to create elongated stitches that are later dropped to form decorative loops or "flowers." Specifically, the pattern calls for wrapping yarn around the needle 3 times on a wrong-side row, then on the following right-side row, these extra wraps are dropped while the stitches are slipped back and forth on the needles to create the textured effect. This border adds visual interest and texture to the lower edge of the cardigan.

Shaping is accomplished using ssk (slip, slip, knit) for left-leaning decreases and k2tog (knit two together) for right-leaning decreases, which create a balanced, symmetrical appearance on either side of the waist. M1L (make one left) and M1R (make one right) increases are used during the increase rows to add stitches while maintaining the fabric's visual continuity.

Materials

The suggested yarn for the Donostia is Blue Sky Fibers Metalico, a luxury blend composed of 50% Baby Alpaca and 50% Silk. This yarn is available in the colorway #1611 Silver as shown in the pattern. Each skein yields 147 yards (134 meters) and weighs 1 ¾ ounces (50 grams). The pattern requires 8 to 14 skeins depending on the size being knitted, with larger sizes requiring more yardage.

The recommended needles are Size 4 US (3.5 mm) needles for the main fabric. A Size 4 US (3.5 mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches (60 cm) long is specified for working edgings. Knitters are advised to adjust needle size as necessary to obtain the correct gauge for their individual tension.

Additional notions required include stitch markers for tracking shaping positions and 12 buttons measuring ½ inch (12 mm) for the cardigan's front closure.

Gauge and Fit

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this fitted cardigan design. Knitters should swatch and adjust needle size if necessary to match the pattern's specified gauge, ensuring that the finished garment dimensions match the intended measurements and that the waist shaping falls in the correct position on the body.