"I-can't-believe-I-knit-this" cardigan.
Hello, fellow knitters!
Ever catch yourself admiring gorgeous cardigans on Ravelry or Instagram and immediately add it to your “someday I want to knit this” list?
I have exciting news to share! Handmade by Florence, a popular YouTube knitter, just released a free pattern with a video tutorial to guide you through knitting your very first cardigan.
I've personally checked out the pattern and tutorial, and I'm eager to spill all the details to you. Let's dive right in!
📔 Pattern:
This pattern lets you choose how much you want to pay - whether it's the full amount, half, or even nothing at all. The discount codes for 50% or 100% off are listed in the pattern description. Download on Ravelry.
Now, let's talk about the cardigan itself. It's knitted from the top down, back and forth on circular needles. You'll increase stitches as you go until the sleeves and body start to take shape. If you've tackled a raglan sweater before, you'll find this familiar. And here's the best part for beginners - no short rows to worry about! After setting aside the sleeve stitches, it's just a matter of knitting the body to your desired length and finishing off with some ribbing.
A word of advice: If you find yourself casting off and then having to rip back to change the length in your previous projects, opt for a regular cast off instead of the Italian Bind Off listed in the pattern. This is much easier to undo.
Sleeves are worked in the round using the Magic Loop Method. If you are unfamiliar with magic loop, I've filmed a short tutorial to teach you..
Florence's tutorial walks you through making a double knit button band, which might seem a bit daunting at first. But with a bit of patience and following along step by step, you'll soon master it. And when it comes to sewing it on with a tapestry needle, well, think of it as just another skill to add to your knitting repertoire. We're all about embracing new challenges, aren't we? And once you're finished, you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment.
🧶Yarn: For this cardigan, you'll need aran weight yarn, with a recommended gauge of 16 stitches and 21 rows per 10 cm/ 4 inches.
Tip: If you find your purl rows to be larger than your knit rows, you might want to try using different needle sizes for knit and purl rows - it worked wonders for me! I use a smaller needle size for the purl rows.
Florence also suggests combining worsted weight yarn with kid mohair for a warm and fluffy fabric. If you find yourself ripping back often, you may want to opt for an aran weight yarn held single to make unraveling easier.
Yarn Recommendation:
As for the yarn, I highly recommend Drops Nepal. Not only does it come in a wide range of colors at affordable prices with frequent discounts (you can find a Drops yarn seller near you on their website), but it's incredibly durable. You can unravel and reknit this yarn without any issues, making it perfect for beginners who might need to adjust their stitches.
Next week I will be sharing a free aran weight yarn guide and there will be a list of yarns that are not scratchy and can be washed.
❤️ I hope this newsletter sparks a fire of inspiration within you. Until next Tuesday, happy knitting!
Warm regards,
Julia Piro
Knitwear Designer & Esenotes Curator
P.S. Looking for even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram or Facebook!
