Women Cardigans in Stylecraft Softie - 9816 - Downloadable PDF

Stylecraft Softie Chunky Women's Cardigans and Sweater – Pattern 9816 (Downloadable PDF)

Pattern 9816 from Stylecraft is a knitting pattern featuring two designs: a classic women's sweater and a women's cardigan, both worked in Stylecraft Softie Chunky yarn. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and stitch patterns but are ready to tackle more structured garment construction. Notably, the pattern includes larger sizes, offering an inclusive size range to suit a wide variety of figures.

Size Range and Fit

Both garments are sized to fit a bust measurement of 81–86 cm (32–34 in) through to 122–127 cm (48–50 in), covering five sizes in total. The designs are worked with positive ease for a comfortable, relaxed fit.

• Sweater actual chest measurement: 107–147 cm (42–57¾ in)
• Sweater full length: 61–74 cm (24–29¼ in)
• Sweater sleeve length: 43–45 cm (17–17¾ in)
• Cardigan actual chest measurement: approximately 98–159 cm (38½–62¾ in)
• Cardigan full length: 62–74 cm (approximately 24½–29¼ in)

Design 1: The Sweater

The sweater is a classic women's pullover constructed in pieces — front, back, and sleeves — and seamed together. The body begins at the lower edge with a seeded rib border, which creates a neat, textured hem that lies flat and adds visual interest without being overly decorative. After the ribbed border, stitches are increased using Make 1 (M1) increases on a dedicated increase row to set up the stitch count for the main body fabric.

Stitches and Techniques – Sweater

• Seeded rib: A two-row repeating pattern worked as knit on the right side and an alternating knit-one, purl-one sequence on the wrong side. This produces a subtly textured fabric that is slightly different in character from standard 1×1 rib.
• Make 1 (M1) increases: Used on the shaping row after the ribbed border to expand the stitch count smoothly before transitioning to the main body fabric.
• Standard knitting construction: The garment is worked flat in separate pieces and then seamed, a traditional approach well-suited to intermediate knitters building garment-making skills.

Design 2: The Cardigan

The cardigan is the second design included in pattern 9816 and shares the same yarn, needle size, and general construction approach as the sweater. As an open-front garment, the cardigan offers a versatile layering piece that works well across seasons, particularly given the warmth and softness of Stylecraft Softie Chunky. Like the sweater, it is sized across the full range from 81–86 cm through 122–127 cm bust, with the larger sizes explicitly included.

Stitches and Techniques – Cardigan

• Seeded rib: Consistent with the sweater, the cardigan uses seeded rib for its borders and edgings, giving both designs a cohesive aesthetic.
• Shaping and construction: As an intermediate-level pattern, the cardigan involves shaping for armholes, neckline, and front bands, requiring the knitter to follow size-specific instructions carefully.
• Flat knitting: Worked in pieces and seamed, consistent with traditional garment construction methods.

Materials

Yarn

Both designs are knitted in Stylecraft Softie Chunky, a chunky weight yarn from the Stylecraft brand. Softie Chunky is known for its exceptionally soft handle,