Welt Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Welt Cardigan in Rowan Pure Alpaca

What is Being Made

The Welt Cardigan is a fitted knitted cardigan designed by Lisa Richardson, featuring a distinctive hem opening with welted construction. This intermediate-level garment is available in nine sizes to fit chest measurements ranging from 71-76 cm (28-30 inches) up to 152-157 cm (60-62 inches), with actual finished chest measurements from 84.5 cm to 166 cm. The cardigan is photographed in the Ruby colorway and fastens with eight apricot corozo buttons.

Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several advanced knitting techniques appropriate for intermediate crafters. The construction includes a hem opening created through a welted method, which involves joining separate hem sections together using a strategic decrease row. The pattern features shaping through increases and decreases positioned at specific intervals to create a tailored fit, with decreases occurring at side seam edges and increases distributed across multiple rows to build the garment's silhouette. The design incorporates pattern repeats that must be maintained consistently throughout the body of the cardigan, requiring attention to stitch placement and continuity.

Stitches Used

The Welt Cardigan combines several stitch patterns to create textural interest and structure. The pattern includes a 20-row cable panel that repeats throughout the body, providing vertical definition and visual interest. This is complemented by an 8-row textured pattern that also repeats to fill the remaining fabric. The construction uses fundamental stitches including knit and purl stitches to build these pattern repeats, along with knit two together (K2tog) decreases for shaping and seam joining. The pattern also incorporates increases worked at specified rows to expand the garment width strategically.

Materials and Tools

This cardigan is knitted in Rowan Pure Alpaca, a luxurious yarn in 50-gram balls. The yardage requirement varies by size, ranging from 10 to 20 balls depending on the finished chest measurement selected. Knitters will need 3¼mm (US 3) needles for the initial ribbed sections and 3¾mm (US 5) needles for the main body fabric, allowing for the subtle gauge change that creates definition between sections. A 3.50mm (US E4) crochet hook is also required, likely for finishing edges or securing the hem opening. Additionally, a cable needle is essential for working the cable panel repeats. The cardigan is completed with eight TGB4974 apricot corozo buttons measuring 11mm from Textile Garden.