Penny Cardigan in Wool and the Gang Shiny Happy Cotton - Downloadable PDF

Penny Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Wool and the Gang in Shiny Happy Cotton

The Penny Cardigan is a stylish, wearable knitting pattern designed by Wool and the Gang, one of the most recognisable names in contemporary DIY fashion knitwear. This downloadable PDF pattern guides knitters through the construction of a classic cardigan silhouette with a modern, relaxed sensibility. Shown in the striking colourway Coral Crush, the Penny Cardigan is a versatile layering piece suited to a range of wardrobes and occasions.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate in difficulty, placing it at level 3 on Wool and the Gang's four-point scale. It is well suited to knitters who have moved beyond the basics and are comfortable with shaping, garment construction, and reading a multi-section pattern. Beginners who have completed a few smaller projects and are ready to take on their first proper garment will find this an achievable and rewarding challenge.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a knitted cardigan — a front-opening, sleeved garment designed to be worn as a top layer. The Penny Cardigan features the kind of clean, wearable lines that have become synonymous with the Wool and the Gang aesthetic: bold enough to be a statement piece, but versatile enough for everyday wear. The pattern includes detailed sizing and measurements sections to help knitters select the correct fit before casting on.

Yarn: Shiny Happy Cotton

The specified yarn for this pattern is Wool and the Gang Shiny Happy Cotton, a cotton-based yarn from the brand's own line. As the name suggests, this yarn has a distinctive shiny, smooth finish that gives finished garments a polished, slightly lustrous appearance — quite different from the matte texture of a traditional wool or acrylic yarn. Cotton yarns like Shiny Happy Cotton are prized for their breathability and drape, making them an excellent choice for cardigans intended to be worn in warmer months or layered over lighter clothing. Cotton is also a naturally hypoallergenic fibre, making this cardigan a great option for knitters or wearers with sensitivities to animal fibres.

The yarn is classified as aran weight, which sits in the medium-to-heavy category of yarn weights. Aran weight yarns knit up relatively quickly compared to finer weights, making them a popular choice for garment knitting where the knitter wants to see satisfying progress without sacrificing stitch definition.

Needles Required

The pattern calls for two needle sizes:

• 5mm (US 8) knitting needles — the primary needle size used for the main body of the cardigan
• 3.5mm (US 4) knitting needles — a smaller size used for finer detail sections, such as ribbing, borders, or edging, where a tighter, neater finish is desirable

Using two needle sizes in a single garment pattern is a common and well-established technique in knitwear design. The smaller needle creates a denser, more structured fabric at the edges, helping the cardigan hold its shape and preventing the borders from flaring or stretching out of proportion with the main body.

Techniques and Stitches

As an intermediate knitting pattern, the Penny Cardigan draws on a range of knitting techniques that go beyond simple knit-and-purl combinations. The pattern includes a dedicated Techniques section to support knitters through any methods they may be less familiar with, and Wool and the Gang also provides supplementary video tutorials via their website for additional guidance.

Typical techniques involved in a cardigan of this type and difficulty level include:

• Casting on and binding off — fundamental skills used at the start and end of each section
• Knit and purl stitches — the foundational stitches used throughout the body of the garment
• Ribbing — a combination of knit and purl stitches worked in a repeating pattern, commonly used for cuffs, hems, and button bands to create a stretchy, structured edge
• Shaping through increases and decreases — used to create the fitted or tailored sections of the cardigan, such as armhole shaping and neckline shaping
• Working in separate pieces and seaming