Valley Yarns Alar Cabled Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Alar Cabled Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Alar Cabled Cardigan is an intermediate-level knitted cardigan designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This garment features a sophisticated cable panel construction and is available in five finished sizes ranging from 36" to 52" in width. The cardigan is worked in pieces using the flat knitting method and then seamed together, making it an ideal project for knitters with some experience in cable techniques and garment assembly.

Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several key knitting techniques that define its construction and aesthetic appeal:

• Cable work: The pattern features multiple cable panels including Gull Panels and Tern Panels, which are worked using cable needles to create the signature twisted stitch effects throughout the garment.
• Buttonholes: Strategic buttonhole placement is incorporated into the design for a functional and polished closure.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces—the upper body, sleeves, and other components—are knitted separately and then seamed together for a professional finish.
• Worked flat: All pieces are created using flat knitting on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward shaping and pattern work.
• Twisted rib: The sleeve cuffs are worked in Twisted Rib, a textured stitch that provides elasticity and visual interest at the wrist.
• Seed stitch: Used as a secondary stitch pattern to frame and balance the cable panels, Seed Stitch creates a subtle, bumpy texture.

Stitches Used

The Alar Cabled Cardigan incorporates a variety of stitches to achieve its layered visual texture:

• Cable stitches: FC2 (front cable 2), FC3 (front cable 3), BC2 (back cable 2), and BC3 (back cable 3) are the primary cable abbreviations used. These stitches involve slipping stitches to a cable needle and holding them to the front or back before working the main stitches, creating the twisted rope-like appearance characteristic of cable knit.
• Knit and purl: Standard knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the pattern.
• Knit through back loop (k1b) and purl through back loop (p1b): These twisted variations add definition and prevent gaps in the pattern transitions.
• Seed stitch: Alternating knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard pattern create visual texture and frame the cable panels.
• Twisted rib: A combination of twisted knit stitches that provide stretch and structure at the cuffs.
• Make one (m1): Used for increases in the sleeve shaping to create gradual, invisible expansion.
• Bind off (BO): Used to secure stitches and create finished edges, including the underarm and neck shaping areas.

Materials

The Alar Cabled Cardigan is designed to be worked in Valley Yarns Northampton, a worsted-weight yarn composed of 100% wool. The yardage requirement is 247 yards per 100-gram skein. The pattern calls for 6 to 10 skeins depending on the finished size selected, providing ample yardage for the cable-heavy design. The sample shown is worked in Bright Blue Heather colorway.

Needles required include US size 7 (4.5mm) needles for the ribbed cuffs and US size 5 (3.75mm) needles for the main body and panels, or sizes as needed to achieve the specified gauge. The gauge is critical for this pattern: 24 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches when working the cable panels and stitch patterns with the larger needles, and 18 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches in Seed Stitch with the larger needles.

Pattern Construction Details

The upper body of the cardigan is constructed with a thoughtful arrangement of stitch patterns. The fronts and back are knitted with separate skeins of yarn, allowing for independent shaping at the underarm where 9 stitches are bound off. The pattern alternates between Gull Panels, Tern Panels, and Seed Stitch sections, creating a balanced visual rhythm across the width of the garment. Armhole shaping is achieved through bind-offs at the beginning of rows, and