Spray Cardigan in Rowan Fine Tweed Haze - Downloadable PDF

Spray Cardigan in Rowan Fine Tweed Haze – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Spray Cardigan is a classic, wearable knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey and worked in Rowan Fine Tweed Haze, a lightweight 4-ply yarn. Published as a downloadable PDF, this pattern is rated Advanced Beginner, making it an ideal next step for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to tackle simple shaping techniques such as shoulder and neckline construction.

What Is Being Made

The Spray Cardigan is a fitted, tailored cardigan designed to be worn as an everyday layering piece. It is constructed in multiple pieces — including a back, two fronts, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. The pattern offers nine sizes, with actual chest measurements ranging from 83 cm (32¾ in) up to 165 cm (65 in), making it suitable for a wide range of body types. The to-fit chest sizes span from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) through to 152–157 cm (60–62 in).

Design and Construction Details

The cardigan features carefully shaped shoulders and back neck, which give the finished garment a neat, professional finish. The shaping involves a combination of cast-offs and decreases worked across multiple rows. Specifically, stitches are cast off at the shoulder edge on right-side rows, while neck-edge decreases are worked simultaneously — a technique that requires attention to row-by-row instructions and is excellent practice for knitters developing their garment-making skills.

• Shoulder shaping: Stitches are cast off in stages at the beginning of right-side rows, with the number of stitches varying by size (ranging from 6 to 11 stitches per cast-off row).
• Back neck shaping: Centre back neck stitches (ranging from 23 to 29 stitches depending on size) are cast off from a holder, and each side of the neck is then worked separately to create a smooth, rounded neckline.
• Neck decreases: One stitch is decreased at the neck edge on each of the next 3 rows, ensuring a gradual and tidy neck curve.
• Remaining stitches: After all shaping is complete, the remaining shoulder stitches (ranging from 7 to 12 stitches by size) are cast off to finish each shoulder seam.

Techniques Used

The Spray Cardigan pattern employs a range of fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques that build confidence and skill in garment construction:

• Flat knitting – the garment pieces are worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round
• Shoulder and armhole shaping – using staged cast-offs to create angled shoulder lines
• Neckline shaping – working each side of the neck separately after placing centre stitches on a holder
• Stitch holders – used to hold live stitches while working the opposite side of the neck
• Decreasing – single stitch decreases at the neck edge to refine the neckline curve
• Seaming – finished pieces are joined together to complete the cardigan

Stitches Used

While the PDF excerpt focuses on the shaping sections, the construction references knit (K) stitches prominently in the shoulder and neck rows. As is typical of Martin Storey's cardigan designs in this yarn weight, the body fabric is likely worked in a combination of knit and purl stitches to create a smooth stocking stitch or textured fabric ground, with ribbing or another neat edging used at the borders and cuffs.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Fine Tweed Haze, a 4-ply weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. This yarn is known for its delicate haze of kid mohair blended with the earthy, flecked character of a traditional tweed, giving finished garments a beautifully soft yet textured appearance. The quantity of yarn required varies by size, ranging