Free Cardigan Knitting Patterns

Cardigan shapes and yarn weights

Classic buttoned cardigans, longline dusters, cropped boxy shapes, shawl collars, cocoon wraps and neat little bed jackets, all free to download as PDFs from independent designers and well-known British yarn brands. DK gives a neat, wearable everyday layer and is the most common weight here. Aran and chunky knit up considerably faster and suit relaxed oversized fits. 4 ply is the choice for fine, close-fitting styles and lace panels, though it roughly doubles the knitting time for the same garment.

Choosing your size and ease

• Measure a cardigan you already wear and like across the chest, then double it and compare with the pattern's finished chest measurement.
• Decide on ease deliberately: two to four centimetres for a fitted look, ten or more for a relaxed layer, twenty for genuinely oversized.
• Check the sleeve length and the body length in the schematic, since both are easy to adjust before you cast on.
• Knit a tension square and block it exactly as you plan to wash the finished cardigan.
• Buy by yardage rather than ball count, keep to one dye lot and add a spare ball for the bands.

Construction, and what it means for your knitting

Cardigans worked flat in pieces are portable and easy to correct, but they need seaming and the fronts must match. Top-down raglans are knitted in one piece from the neck, so you can try them on as you go and lengthen the body to suit; they leave you with a great many stitches on the needle at the yoke. Contiguous and set-in sleeve methods give the most tailored shoulder. Steeked cardigans are knitted in the round and cut open at the front, which sounds alarming, but is in fact perfectly reliable in a woolly yarn.

Bands, buttons and buttonholes

The button band is where a handmade cardigan is made or ruined. Pick up stitches evenly, usually around three stitches for every four rows, and count carefully so both sides match. Knitted-on bands in rib or garter stitch are more stable than a band knitted separately and sewn on. Space buttonholes before you knit them, marking the positions so the top and bottom ones sit sensibly rather than an inch from the edge. Choose buttons after the cardigan is blocked, and sew them on with a shank so the band is not pulled tight.

Yarn behaviour and seasonality

Wool and wool blends recover their shape, which is what keeps a cardigan hanging properly after a day's wear. Cotton and linen are cool and hard-wearing for spring and summer layers, but with no memory the fronts can droop, so keep the length modest. Alpaca and mohair blends are warm and drapey and best in loose shapes. For a cardigan you will wear constantly, a machine-washable DK is hard to beat. Browse the wider cardigan patterns or the warmer chunky cardigans for more.

Care and finishing

Block the pieces before seaming, then block the whole garment again once it is finished. Wash by hand in lukewarm water unless the yarn is superwash, roll in a towel to remove the excess water and then dry flat, never on a hanger, as wet knitting stretches under its own weight. Fold cardigans for storage. For more free designs across every category, see the full free knitting patterns library.

Cardigan knitting questions

Is there an easy cardigan knitting pattern free as a PDF? Yes. Look for drop-shoulder or top-down designs with simple stocking stitch bodies and knitted-on garter bands.

Which DK cardigan patterns suit beginners? Those with straight edges, minimal shaping and bands picked up along the front rather than sewn on separately.

How much yarn does a ladies cardigan need? Typically 1,000 to 1,800 metres of DK depending on size and length. Follow the yardage in the pattern.

Can I knit a cardigan on straight needles? Yes, if it is worked flat in pieces. Seamless top-down designs need a long circular needle to hold the yoke stitches.

How do I stop the fronts stretching? Choose a wool or wool-blend yarn with recovery, knit the bands firmly, and dry the finished cardigan flat.