Valley Yarns Out of the Blue Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Out of the Blue Cardigan

What is Being Made

The Out of the Blue Cardigan is a versatile, intermediate-level knitted cardigan designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This garment features a reverse stockinette stitch base accented with electrifying zig-zag cable panels that run vertically up the body. The cardigan includes ribbing at the waist for shaping and a wide collar with front band that allows for adjustable fit. It is available in six finished measurements: 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, and 52 inches.

Knitting Techniques

This cardigan is worked flat using the seamed construction method, meaning the pieces are knitted separately and then sewn together. The garment is constructed in sections, with the lower body and upper body worked as distinct pieces. Cable panels are strategically placed and worked in vertical panels up the body, creating visual interest through the interplay of knit and purl stitches.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Out of the Blue Cardigan employs several key stitches and stitch patterns:

• Reverse Stockinette Stitch: The primary background stitch, created by knitting on the wrong side and purling on the right side, providing a textured, bumpy appearance
• Cable A (10-stitch panel): A complex cable pattern that repeats over 12 rows, featuring left cross (LC) cables that create the characteristic zig-zag effect. The cable alternates between left and right twists across the panel width
• Cable B (10-stitch panel): A complementary 10-stitch cable panel that mirrors Cable A with its own sequence of left cross (LC) and right cross (RC) maneuvers over a 12-row repeat, creating visual balance
• Ridge Pattern: A textural element consisting of two purl rows followed by two knit rows, adding subtle dimension to the fabric
• Ribbing: Used at the waist to provide shaping and elasticity, helping the cardigan conform to the body
• Cable Decreases: The pattern incorporates knit 2 together (k2tog) and slip, slip, knit (ssk) decreases to shape the garment

Cable Construction Details

The cables in this cardigan are worked in distinct panels positioned up the body. The pattern uses cable needles to manipulate stitches, creating the signature zig-zag effect. Both Cable A and Cable B panels measure 10 stitches wide and repeat over 12 rows. The cables alternate between left cross (LC) and right cross (RC) techniques: left cross involves slipping 2 stitches to a cable needle and holding them in front while purling 1 and knitting 2 from the cable needle, while right cross involves slipping 1 stitch to a cable needle and holding it in back while knitting 2 and purling 1 from the cable needle. This creates the electrifying zig-zag visual pattern that defines the cardigan's aesthetic.

Materials

The Out of the Blue Cardigan requires Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool yarn available in the Lake Heather colorway. Yardage requirements range from 8 skeins (for the smallest 32-inch size) to 13 skeins (for the largest 52-inch size), with each skein containing 247 yards and weighing 100 grams. The pattern calls for US size 7 (4.50 mm) circular needles measuring 40 inches in length, or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge. Additional notions are required but are not fully detailed in the provided pattern excerpt.