Vera Cardigan in Rowan Soft Boucle (DE) - Downloadable PDF

Vera Cardigan in Rowan Soft Boucle – Pattern Summary (Quail Studio)

The Vera Cardigan is a knitted cardigan design by Quail Studio, worked in Rowan Soft Boucle yarn. This is a beginner-level pattern available as a downloadable PDF, making it an accessible project for those who are relatively new to garment knitting but ready to take on a classic, wearable piece. The design is photographed in Natural 602, a soft, neutral colourway that showcases the characteristic texture of the boucle yarn beautifully.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a full cardigan with a back, two front panels, and set-in or shaped sleeves. It is sized to fit a wide range of bust measurements, making it a versatile wardrobe staple. The construction follows a traditional flat-knitting approach, with separate pieces worked and then assembled.

• Garment pieces: Back, left front, right front (worked as a mirror image of the left), and two sleeves
• Fit range: Designed to fit bust measurements from 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm, covering nine size options
• Knitted bust measurements: Range from approximately 106.5 cm to 186.5 cm, indicating a relaxed, comfortable ease throughout all sizes

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Soft Boucle, a textured aran-weight yarn sold in 50g balls. Boucle yarns have a distinctive looped, nubby surface that creates a cosy, tactile fabric with natural visual interest even in simple stitch patterns. The yardage requirement varies by size, with the smallest size requiring 7 balls and the largest requiring 11 balls.

• Yarn: Rowan Soft Boucle, 50g balls
• Colourway shown: Natural 602
• Ball quantities: 7 (sizes 71–76 cm) to 11 (sizes 152–157 cm)

Needles

Two types of needles are specified for this pattern:

• Straight knitting needles: Size 6 mm, used for the main flat knitting of all garment pieces
• Circular knitting needle: Size 6 mm, approximately 100 cm in length, used where a longer needle is helpful for managing larger stitch counts or finishing

Tension and Gauge

The pattern specifies a tension of 12 stitches and 20 rows to 10 × 10 cm, measured over stocking stitch (purl side as right side) using 6 mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is important for ensuring the finished cardigan matches the stated measurements, particularly given the wide size range. Boucle yarns can sometimes behave differently from smooth yarns, so swatching is especially recommended.

Stitches and Techniques Used

Despite being rated as a beginner pattern, the Vera Cardigan introduces a pleasing combination of stitch patterns that give the finished garment structure and visual contrast:

• Rib stitch (1×1 ribbing): Used for the welts and cuffs. The ribbing alternates knit and purl stitches on each row, creating a stretchy, neat border. On the back, the ribbing is worked over 16 rows before transitioning to the main fabric. On the sleeves, ribbing is similarly worked for 15–16 rows.
• Stocking stitch (reverse, worked as purl/wrong side as right side – glatt li): The main body fabric is described in the German-language pattern as glatt li (reverse stocking stitch), meaning the purl side is used as the right side of the fabric. This creates a smooth, matte surface that contrasts softly with the boucle texture of the yarn.