Valley Yarns Selene Striped Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Selene Striped Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Selene Striped Cardigan is a women's button-front cardigan designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This garment features a classic cardigan silhouette available in five finished sizes ranging from 36 inches to 52 inches in bust circumference. The cardigan is constructed with a coordinated color palette and finished with a ribbed collar and button closure.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key construction techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the lower edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the garment as it progresses and adjust length as needed.
• Flat knitting: All pieces are worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, making this an accessible project for knitters who prefer traditional flat construction methods.
• Seamed assembly: Individual pieces including the front panels, back, sleeves, and pockets are knitted separately and then sewn together using mattress stitch or similar seaming techniques.
• Striped colorwork: The cardigan features a repeating color pattern worked in stockinette stitch using five coordinating yarn colors, creating visual interest through horizontal stripes of varying widths.
• Sleeve cap shaping: Sleeves are shaped with strategic decreases at the cap to create proper armhole fit and sleeve head definition.
• Pocket construction: Two pockets are integrated into the design, worked separately and featuring the same color pattern as the body.
• Ribbed finishing: Knit-purl ribbing is used for the cuffs, waistband, and collar to provide structure and elasticity.

Stitches Used

The Selene Striped Cardigan employs fundamental knitting stitches suitable for intermediate knitters:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary stitch throughout the garment, creating a smooth, classic fabric with knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side.
• Ribbing (k1, p1): Alternating knit and purl stitches used for the cuffs, waistband, and collar to create elastic, fitted edges that frame the cardigan.
• Increases: Single stitch increases worked at the beginning and end of rows to shape the sleeves gradually from cuff to cap.
• Decreases: Strategic decreases used for sleeve cap shaping and pocket edge finishing to create proper garment proportions.
• Bind-off: Standard bind-off techniques used to secure stitches at garment edges, with ribbed bind-off used specifically for the collar for a professional finish.

Color Pattern Details

The Selene Striped Cardigan features a sophisticated repeating color pattern worked entirely in stockinette stitch. The pattern cycles through five colors in the following sequence: four rows in Color B, two rows in Color C, four rows in Color D, two rows in Color E, four rows in Color A, then two rows in Color B, four rows in Color C, and two rows in Color E before repeating. This creates a balanced arrangement of wider and narrower stripes throughout the body and sleeves.

Materials

The Selene Striped Cardigan is worked using Valley Yarns Superwash DK, a 100% superwash merino yarn that offers durability and easy care. Each skein contains 137 yards and weighs 50 grams. The yarn quantities required vary by size but include:

• Color A (Black): 8 to 14 skeins depending on size
• Color B (Teal): 1 to 2 skeins
• Color C (Light Teal): 1 to 2 skeins
• Color D (Gray): 1 to 2 skeins
• Color E (Rose): 1 to 2 skeins

The project requires US size 5 straight needles for working flat pieces and a US size 5 circular needle for the collar pickup. Nine buttons, each measuring 1 inch in diameter, are needed for the front closure.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 5.5 stitches and 8 rows per inch in stockinette stitch using