938 Lavender - Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Sunderland

Pattern Summary: #938 Lavender Cardigan by Julie Turjoman

The #938 Lavender is a beautifully textured, button-front cardigan knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman for women. Published as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level pattern produces a classic, elegant garment featuring an all-over herringbone stitch pattern, long cuffed sleeves, and a distinctive spread collar. Worked in the soft, warm colorway Lavender, this cardigan is designed to be a go-to layering piece for cool autumn evenings and beyond.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a women's button-front cardigan with a timeless, sophisticated aesthetic. The garment features full-length sleeves with cuffs, a spread collar, and a nine-button front closure. It is designed to fit with 2 to 4 inches of positive ease, giving a comfortable, relaxed fit without being overly oversized. The pattern is available in a wide range of sizes — XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, and 4XL — with finished bust measurements ranging from 33 inches up to 61 inches (buttoned). The sample shown in the pattern photography is knitted in Size 37 inches.

Construction Techniques

The #938 Lavender cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, worked-flat method. This traditional approach means each piece — the back, fronts, and sleeves — is knitted separately from the cast-on edge upward, then joined together using seams. This construction style is well-suited to intermediate knitters who are comfortable with finishing techniques and appreciate the structure and stability that seaming provides in a garment. Seamed construction also helps the herringbone stitch fabric maintain its shape over time, which is especially important when working with a luxurious, drapey fiber like baby alpaca.

• Bottom-up construction: Pieces are worked from the lower hem edge upward toward the shoulders, allowing easy length adjustments.
• Worked flat: Each garment piece is knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, which suits the herringbone stitch pattern and button band shaping.
• Seamed finishing: Individual pieces are sewn together using a tapestry needle, creating clean, durable seams at the shoulders, sides, and sleeves.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The defining feature of this cardigan is its all-over herringbone stitch pattern, which creates a rich, woven-looking texture across the entire body and sleeves of the garment. The herringbone stitch is a classic knitting technique that produces a distinctive diagonal, interlocking pattern reminiscent of woven herringbone tweed fabric. It adds visual depth and tactile interest to what might otherwise be a simple stockinette cardigan, elevating it into something truly special.

• Herringbone stitch: An all-over textured pattern worked across the body and sleeves, creating a woven, diagonal visual effect.
• Spread collar: Requires shaping and finishing techniques to achieve the characteristic open, relaxed collar silhouette.
• Cuffed sleeves: Long sleeves with cuff detailing at the wrists for a polished, finished look.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is written specifically for Valley Yarns Sunderland, described as the ultimate in luxurious Baby Alpaca. Valley Yarns Sunderland is a 100% Baby Alpaca yarn, sold in 50g skeins with approximately 109 yards per skein. Baby alpaca is prized for its exceptional softness, natural warmth, and subtle sheen, making it an ideal choice for a cozy yet refined cardigan. The yarn falls into the DK weight category, which produces a fabric that is lightweight yet warm — perfect for layering in cooler seasons.

Depending on the size being knitted, this project requires between 10 and 22 skeins of Valley Yarns Sunderland in the colorway Lavender:

• XS: 10 skeins
• S: 12 skeins