Long and Short Sleeved Cardigans in Sirdar Cotton DK - 7499 - Downloadable PDF

Long and Short Sleeved Cardigans in Sirdar Cotton DK – Pattern 7499

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Sirdar presents two classic cardigans — a long sleeved version and a short sleeved version — both worked in Sirdar Cotton DK. The pattern is designed to fit bust sizes ranging from 81 cm (32 in) to 107 cm (42 in), covering dress sizes 10 through 20, making it an inclusive and versatile design suitable for a wide range of knitters. Both cardigans share the same fundamental construction and stitch vocabulary, differing primarily in sleeve length, giving knitters the choice of a practical, cosy long-sleeved garment or a lighter, warmer-weather short-sleeved alternative.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces two distinct but closely related garments:

• Long Sleeved Cardigan: A full-length cardigan with sleeves ranging from approximately 43 cm to 47 cm (17 in to 18½ in) depending on size, noted as adjustable. The full garment length ranges from 53 cm to 61 cm (21 in to 24 in) across the size range.
• Short Sleeved Cardigan: A lighter version of the same cardigan with a consistent short sleeve length of 6 cm (2½ in) across all sizes, ideal for spring and summer wear or layering.

Both cardigans feature shaped armholes and shoulders, with structured shoulder shaping achieved through cast-off rows and decreases, giving the finished garments a neat, tailored fit rather than a boxy silhouette.

Techniques Used

• Armhole shaping: Stitches are cast off at the beginning of rows and then decreased at the armhole edge over subsequent rows, creating a smooth, fitted armhole curve.
• Shoulder shaping: Worked by casting off a set number of stitches at the beginning of rows to create angled, professional-looking shoulder seams.
• Cable work: The pattern includes cable techniques using a cable needle, specifically T2L (Twist 2 Left) and T2R (Twist 2 Right) movements. T2L involves slipping one stitch to the front on the cable needle, purling one stitch, then knitting the held stitch; T2R involves slipping one stitch to the back on the cable needle, knitting one stitch, then purling the held stitch. These small cable twists add textural detail to the fabric.
• Tension management: Knitters are directed to work a tension swatch before beginning, with the pattern emphasising that achieving the correct tension is essential to the success of the finished garment.
• Increasing and decreasing: Standard shaping techniques are used throughout the pattern to shape the body, sleeves, and armholes.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch: The primary fabric stitch, worked over the main body and sleeves. The stated tension of 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) is measured over stocking stitch on 4 mm needles.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p): The fundamental stitches forming the fabric throughout.
• T2L and T2R cable twists: Small two-stitch cable movements that create decorative twisted rib or cable detailing within the pattern.
• Slip stitches: Used in shaping and cable techniques, including slipping stitches knitways (s1, s2) and passing slipped stitches over (psso, p2sso) for decreases.
• Yarn forward (yfwd): Used to create eyelets or as part of the stitch pattern detailing.

Materials – Yarn

Both versions of the cardigan are worked in Sirdar Cotton DK, a double knitting weight cotton yarn sold in 100g balls. The long sleeved cardigan is shown in shade 510 and requires 5 balls for sizes 10–14 and 6