Ambience Cardigan in Rowan Cotton Revive - Downloadable PDF

Ambience Cardigan in Rowan Cotton Revive – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Ambience Cardigan is a classic knitted cardigan designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern delivers a relaxed, wearable everyday cardigan with clean lines and a refined silhouette. The design is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with shaping techniques and are ready to move beyond simple beginner patterns.

Sizing and Fit

The Ambience Cardigan is offered in an impressive nine sizes, designed to fit chest measurements ranging from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) up to 152–157 cm (60–62 in). The actual finished chest measurements of the garment span from 83 cm (32¾ in) to 165 cm (65 in), providing a comfortable, slightly relaxed fit across the full size range. This wide size inclusivity makes the pattern accessible to a broad range of knitters and body types.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted cardigan with a structured back, shaped left and right fronts, and classic garment construction. The finished piece features a hem border, armhole shaping, and carefully worked shoulder and back neck shaping for a polished, professional finish. The cardigan is photographed in Sienna 004, showcasing the warmth and texture of the recommended yarn beautifully.

Yarn and Materials

The recommended yarn is Rowan Cotton Revive, a sport weight yarn sold in 100 g balls. As a cotton-based yarn, Cotton Revive offers a breathable, crisp drape that is ideal for a cardigan intended to be worn across seasons. Its natural fibre content gives the finished garment a clean stitch definition, which enhances the textural details of the ribbed hem border and stocking stitch body.

• Yarn: Rowan Cotton Revive (100 g balls), photographed in Sienna 004
• Needles: 1 pair 3¾ mm (no 9) (US 5) needles
• Yarn Weight: Sport

Tension

The pattern specifies a tension of 25 stitches and 34 rows to 10 cm, measured over stocking stitch using 3¾ mm (US 5) needles. Achieving the correct tension is particularly important in a garment with nine sizes, as even small deviations can significantly affect the finished chest measurement and overall fit. Knitters are strongly encouraged to work a tension swatch before casting on.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The Ambience Cardigan employs a combination of classic knitting stitches and standard garment construction techniques. The main body fabric is worked in stocking stitch (st st), which creates a smooth, even surface that showcases the yarn's colour and texture. The hem borders are worked in a 2×2 rib pattern (K2, P2), providing a neat, elasticated edge that helps the cardigan maintain its shape at the lower hem.

• Stocking stitch (st st) – the primary fabric stitch used throughout the body and fronts
• 2×2 rib (K2, P2) – used for the hem border on both the back and the fronts
• Armhole shaping – worked by casting off and decreasing stitches to create a clean armhole opening
• Shoulder shaping – achieved through a series of cast-off rows at the beginning of right-side and wrong-side rows
• Back neck shaping – centre stitches are cast off and each side of the neck is worked separately, with decreases at the neck edge to create a smooth neckline curve
• Working each side of the neck separately – a standard intermediate technique requiring the knitter to place stitches on a holder and rejoin yarn

Construction Method

The cardigan is constructed in separate pieces using flat knitting on a standard pair