So far in our wardrobe of handmade basics, we’ve got a button-down shirt, a classic crewneck pullover and a sweatshirt. A well-rounded closet needs 1-3 cardigans, if you ask me, and for my money the most useful, hardest working of them is a V-neck cardigan. (Referred to increasingly often as a “boyfriend” cardigan, but that term gets up my nose!) Especially if it’s thin and light and knitted from a cotton or linen blend, a simple cardigan like this can be a year-round layering piece and girl’s best friend. Here are three great options, with key distinctions among them:
TOP: Uniform by Carrie Bostick Hoge has been mentioned often here — with an array of choices for sleeve length and shape, body length and shape, pocket approaches and neckback treatments, it might be the only pattern you need. Worsted-weight, raglan-sleeved, bottom-up seamless
MIDDLE: Equation by Enjolina Campbell has slant pockets I totally love. (It also has a decorative purl-stitch chevron motif on the sides that you could easily leave out, if preferred.) Worsted-weight, set-in sleeves, knitted flat and seamed
BOTTOM: Bly by Amy Christoffers (free pattern) is an ultra-basic raglan with a split-hem (which you could also omit) and garter-edged-ribbing detail. Worsted-weight, top-down seamless (See also: Shapely Boyfriend by Stefanie Japel)
(For more on sweater construction, pros and cons, see An intro to sweater construction)
.
PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The sweatshirt
I was absolutely craving to make a cardigan today and this post appeared in such a timely manner!
http://www.wllwproject.com
Interesting – been thinking about what yarn I “need” to buy at Fiber Frolic next weekend, and I was thinking about a cardigan… thanks for the great ideas!
Love all your picks. Question about sleeve length, my preference is for wrist length as I think the bottom sweater looks skimpy. I have noticed this on a lot of sweaters. Is this a fashion trend or just models with long arms?
Could be either one, but you should always tweak sleeve length to match your arms and desires, in my view!
I am working on Bly at the moment, but misjudged the fit of the pattern for my purposes. It is too fitted to throw on top of anything. I didn’t figure this out until I had worked most of the body and started a sleeve, which I then realized would be too tight to wear over something like T-shirt. I ended up starting the whole thing over with modified stitch counts for the sleeves and raglan shaping. And will add length and inset pockets!
I love the slanted pockets and Chervon detail on Equation, I may have to add this one to my list next. I live for cardigans.
lovely examples and this post made me smile as soon as i saw it because i am just finishing up my own V-neck cardigan in a cotton blend (berroco weekend)!
I really must make another cardigan. I made a V-neck Reine Cardigan, which I very much love and wear at least four days a week. Thanks for the other good ideas. I never used to like cardigans, but they have really grown on me.
I can’t get enough of the wee garter ridge over ribbing detail — I think I first noticed it in a few patterns by Carrie Bostick Hoge and now I want to add it to everything!
I have a bunch of Sparrow in my stash–any recommendations for a finer gauge cardigan pattern?
If you look at Kim Hargreaves patterns, she’s really good at that. The downside is they’re all contained in books. The upside is all of her books have multiple great patterns in them, if you can find them.
http://www.ravelry.com/designers/kim-hargreaves
Wow! These look spectacular. Thanks!
I’m currently knitting Isabell Kraemer’s Criss Cross:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/criss-cross-9
It’s a casual cardi with great details: nice movement from shoulder into sleeve cap, i-cord bind-off round front, and the criss cross at the back if you get bored with miles of stocking stitch.
Pingback: Make Your Own Basics: The crewneck cardigan | Fringe Association
Would any of these cardigan patterns be suitable for a first-timer? I would really like to move ahead of shawls.