"Flora Cardigan" - Cardigan Knitting Pattern For Girls in Willow & Lark Nest

Flora Cardigan by Willow & Lark – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Flora Cardigan is a charming children's knitting pattern from Willow & Lark's Fledgling Collection, designed to be worked in their signature Nest yarn. This colourful, floral-inspired cardigan brings a modern twist to classic Fair Isle knitting, featuring an intricate multicolour floral motif that makes it as eye-catching as it is wearable. It is sized to fit children aged 2–3, 4–5, 6–7, and 8–9 years, with actual chest measurements ranging from 62 cm to 78 cm (24½ in to 30¾ in).

What Is Being Made

The Flora Cardigan is a seamed, set-in-sleeve children's cardigan featuring a bold, kaleidoscopic floral Fair Isle yoke or body panel. It is designed to be a practical yet striking everyday garment, suitable for adventurous young wearers. The finished lengths range from 35 cm to 48 cm (back neck), with sleeve seams measuring 23 cm to 35 cm depending on the size, making it a well-proportioned layering piece across the full age range.

Construction Techniques

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the cast-on edge upward, which allows knitters to easily adjust length before committing to the yoke or armhole shaping.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight or circular needles, meaning the fabric is turned and worked in rows rather than in the round. This is typical for seamed garments and makes managing multiple colours more straightforward for many knitters.
• Seamed finishing: The individual pieces — fronts, back, and sleeves — are joined using seaming techniques such as mattress stitch, giving the finished cardigan a neat, structured shape with clean edges.
• Stranded colourwork (Fair Isle): The floral pattern is created using stranded knitting, a technique in which two or more yarn colours are carried across the back of the work simultaneously. Floats are formed where a colour is not in use, and managing float tension is key to keeping the fabric smooth and elastic. This is the hallmark technique of traditional Fair Isle and gives the Flora Cardigan its rich, tapestry-like appearance.

Stitches Used

• Stranded colourwork stitches forming the signature floral motif across the body and/or sleeves
• Standard knit and purl stitches for the main stocking stitch fabric
• Ribbing is typical for cuffs, button bands, and hem edges in garments of this style, providing stretch and a tidy finish
• Shaping techniques including increases and decreases for sleeve tapering and armhole shaping

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated intermediate, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic garment construction and are ready to explore stranded colourwork. The use of up to five contrast colours simultaneously requires attention to float management and colour dominance, but the flat construction means knitters do not need to purl stranded rounds, which many find easier when learning Fair Isle techniques.

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is designed specifically for Willow & Lark Nest, a luxurious DK weight yarn with a fibre composition of 69% Wool, 11% Cashmere, and 20% Tencel, sold in 50g / 1¾oz balls. This blend combines the warmth and elasticity of wool with the softness of cashmere and the subtle sheen and drape of Tencel, making it an excellent choice for a child's garment that needs to be both comfortable against the skin and durable in wear.

The pattern uses one main colour (M) and five contrast colours (A, B, C, D, and E) to achieve its floral palette. Two suggested colourways are provided:

• Colourway 1: Milk 201 (M), Garnet 229 (A), Baby Pink