Willow & Lark Margot Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Willow & Lark Margot Cardigan: Intarsia Cardigan with Cables

What is Being Made

The Margot Cardigan is an advanced-level knitted cardigan designed by Sasha Kagan, featured in the Best of British Collection. This garment showcases a sophisticated blend of colorwork and texture, combining individual intarsia motifs of cats and dogs dancing through leaves with prominent cable details throughout the design. The cardigan is available in six sizes to fit bust measurements from 81 cm to 107 cm (32 to 42 inches), with finished bust measurements ranging from 101 cm to 126 cm (39¾ to 49½ inches).

Techniques Used

The Margot Cardigan employs multiple advanced knitting techniques to create its distinctive appearance:

• Intarsia: Individual cat and dog motifs are worked into the fabric using the intarsia technique, allowing for detailed colorwork designs that are integrated into the body of the cardigan rather than stranded across the back.
• Stranded Colorwork: In addition to intarsia elements, stranded knitting techniques are used to create patterned sections, particularly in areas with leaves and background designs.
• Cables: Giant cable stitches feature prominently throughout the design, adding texture and visual interest to complement the colorwork.
• Buttonholes: The cardigan includes seven button closures, requiring buttonhole shaping along the front edge.
• Seamed Construction: The cardigan is knitted flat in separate pieces and then seamed together, allowing for precise shaping and professional finishing.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The garment is worked from the cast-on edge upward, providing flexibility in length adjustments during knitting.

Stitches Used

The Margot Cardigan utilizes cable stitches as a primary textural element, with the pattern notes indicating that cable knitting skills are essential. The design incorporates fairisle techniques alongside the cable work, requiring proficiency with both techniques. The intarsia sections demand careful color management and stitch accuracy to achieve the detailed cat and dog motifs. Buttonhole stitches are incorporated at regular intervals along the front bands to accommodate the seven buttons.

Materials

The Margot Cardigan is designed to be knitted with Willow & Lark Woodland yarn for the main colorwork sections. Woodland is a luxury blend yarn composed of 50% wool, 25% alpaca, and 25% viscose, offered in 50g balls (1.7 oz). The primary color is Cirrus 416, requiring 6 to 8 balls depending on size. Accent colors include Marmalade 410, Olive 412, London Bus 409, and Hunter 414, each requiring 2 balls across all sizes.

For contrast sections, the pattern calls for Willow & Lark Ramble yarn, a 100% wool DK weight yarn in 50g balls (1¾ oz). Charcoal 109 and Snowdrop 101 are specified, with 2 balls of each required for all sizes.

The pattern recommends using these specific Willow & Lark yarns to achieve the finished appearance shown in the photographs, as fiber content, weight, twist, and composition significantly impact the garment's final look. Alternative colorway suggestions are provided, including Black 403, Honeycomb 411, Thistle Bud 415, Antique Brown 407, Toffee 404, Limestone 102, and Truffle 107.

Knitting needles required are one pair of 3.00mm (UK 11 / US 2-3) needles and one pair of 3.75mm (UK 9 / US 5) needles, along with a cable needle for managing cable stitches. Seven buttons are needed for the cardigan closure.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced, requiring prior experience with cables, fairisle colorwork, and intarsia techniques. The combination of multiple stitch techniques, color management across several shades, and precise shaping makes this an appropriate project for experienced knitters seeking a challenging and rewarding design.