Valley Yarns Balsam Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Balsam Cardigan: Pattern Summary

What is Being Made

The Balsam is a cozy cardigan designed by Susan Baron, crafted to provide warmth and comfort during cold winter weather. This garment features a comfortable fit with positive ease, available in sizes ranging from XS through 5XL, with finished bust and hip measurements from 36 inches to 63¼ inches when buttoned. The cardigan is constructed from a wool and alpaca blend yarn that delivers both softness and insulation, making it suitable for wearing around the home, running errands, or casual outdoor activities.

Techniques Used

The Balsam cardigan employs a sophisticated construction method that combines multiple knitting techniques to create a well-fitted garment:

• Bottom-up construction: The sweater is worked from the deep garter stitch hem upward through the stockinette stitch body to the armholes, where the piece is divided for separate front and back sections.
• Worked flat: The body, fronts, and back are worked flat on circular needles, allowing for the incorporation of garter stitch front bands and buttonholes directly into the body structure.
• Worked in the round: Drop-shoulder sleeves are picked up around the armholes and worked in the round in stockinette stitch, then finished with garter stitch cuffs. The collar stitches are similarly picked up around the neck and worked in garter stitch with shaping increases.
• Set-in pockets: Pockets are worked separately using a lighter weight yarn to avoid bulk, then integrated when the stockinette body begins.
• Buttonholes: Buttonholes are positioned along the front bands, starting just above the garter stitch hem, accommodating seven buttons at 1¼ inch diameter.

Stitches Used

The Balsam cardigan utilizes fundamental knitting stitches executed at an advanced beginner skill level:

• Stockinette stitch: Forms the primary fabric of the body and sleeves, creating a smooth, classic appearance with characteristic V-shaped columns.
• Garter stitch: Used for the deep hem at the garment's base, the front bands, the cuffs, and the collar, providing textured edges and structural definition.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Balsam cardigan is constructed using Valley Yarns products specifically selected for warmth and comfort. The primary yarn is Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky, a blend of 85% wool and 15% alpaca, with each skein weighing 100 grams and containing 108 yards. The pattern requires 8 to 17 skeins depending on size, all in color 43-Medium Gray. A secondary yarn, Valley Yarns Berkshire (the standard weight version with 141 yards per 100-gram skein), is used for the pockets to minimize bulk; one skein in the same color is sufficient.

Needles required include US size 10 (6.0 mm) circular needles in 16–24 inch and 40–60 inch lengths, along with double-pointed needles in the same size for various sections. US size 9 (5.5 mm) double-pointed needles are used for the pockets and cuffs. The recommended gauge is 12 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch on the larger needles when blocked.

Additional materials include stitch markers, stitch holders or scrap yarn for holding stitches, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, seven buttons measuring 1¼ inches in diameter, and a sewing needle with thread matching the yarn color for attaching buttons.