Blue Sky Fibers Ribbon Trim Cardigan PDF

Blue Sky Fibers Ribbon Trim Cardigan PDF – Knitting Pattern by Sylvia Hager

The Blue Sky Fibers Ribbon Trim Cardigan is a beautifully detailed knitting pattern designed by Sylvia Hager and published by Blue Sky Fibers (formerly Blue Sky Alpacas). This intermediate-level pattern produces a classic, feminine cardigan featuring elegant cable detailing and a charming ribbon trim finish. The garment is worked flat in pieces and seamed together, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with shaping techniques and reading multi-size instructions.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a women's sport-weight cardigan with a polished, structured silhouette. The design is available in six sizes — XS, S, M, L, XL, and 2XL — to fit bust measurements of 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, and 50 inches respectively. The finished cardigan features ribbed hems, a cable-patterned body, bust shaping, armhole shaping, neck shaping, and a decorative ribbon trim along the front edges. Closures are achieved with 9 snaps, giving the front a clean, uncluttered look while the ribbon trim adds a tactile, couture-inspired detail.

Construction Method

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the cast-on edge upward, beginning with ribbing at the hem before transitioning into the cable pattern.
• Worked flat: All pieces — back, fronts, and sleeves — are knitted flat on circular needles, then seamed together for a traditional, structured finish.
• Seamed assembly: The completed flat pieces are joined using a sewing needle, producing clean seams that add stability and shape to the garment.
• Bust shaping: Gradual increases are worked into the body panels to create a more flattering, contoured fit through the bust.
• Armhole and neck shaping: Precise bind-offs and decreases sculpt the armhole openings and neckline for a refined, professional finish.

Techniques Used

• Cables: A cable pattern is introduced after the initial ribbing section and runs through the body of the cardigan, adding texture and visual interest. A cable needle is required to work these crossing stitches.
• Ribbing: The pattern begins with approximately 2–3 inches of ribbing at the lower hem, providing stretch and a neat edge.
• Increasing and decreasing: Bust shaping uses paired increases worked at the edges of right-side rows on a regular repeat. Armhole and neck shaping use bind-offs and decreases to sculpt the garment's upper structure.
• Stitch holders: Four stitch holders are used to hold live stitches during shaping and assembly.
• Ribbon trim application: A decorative finish is created by hand-sewing Blue Sky trims — approximately 2 yards each of three different trims — along the front edges, adding a distinctive, boutique-quality detail that sets this cardigan apart.

Stitches Used

• Rib pattern: Used at the hem and cuffs to create a stretchy, elastic border.
• Cable pattern: The primary stitch pattern for the body, worked over a defined repeat that creates the signature textured columns characteristic of traditional cable knitting.
• Stockinette and/or reverse stockinette: Likely used as the background fabric supporting the cable design, as is standard in cable-panel construction.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Blue Sky Sport Weight or Blue Sky Melange (50g / 110 yards per hank). The quantity required ranges from 13 to 22 hanks depending on size. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in Salsa #806.
• Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) 24-inch circular needles, or the size needed to obtain gauge. Circular needles are used to work the flat pieces, taking advantage of the longer cable to manage the stitch count comfortably.
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