Fowberry Cardigan in Rowan Alpaca Classic - Downloadable PDF

Fowberry Cardigan in Rowan Alpaca Classic – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Fowberry Cardigan is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern produces a beautifully striped cardigan worked in Rowan Alpaca Classic, a lightweight DK-weight yarn that lends the finished garment a soft, luxurious handle with a subtle sheen. The Fowberry Cardigan is a standout design thanks to its sophisticated, multi-coloured stripe sequence, making it an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to explore colourwork through careful yarn management.

Garment Overview

The Fowberry Cardigan is a classic cardigan silhouette designed to fit a wide range of bust sizes. The pattern covers five size options:

• 81–86 cm (32–34 in)
• 91–97 cm (36–38 in)
• 102–107 cm (40–42 in)
• 112–117 cm (44–46 in)
• 122–127 cm (48–50 in)

The actual bust measurements of the finished garment range from 112 cm (44 in) up to 150 cm (59 in), indicating a relaxed, comfortable fit with generous positive ease. This makes the Fowberry Cardigan a wearable, everyday layering piece as well as a stylish statement garment.

Yarn and Colourway Details

The pattern calls exclusively for Rowan Alpaca Classic, a DK-weight yarn sold in 25g balls. The distinctive character of this cardigan comes from its rich, carefully sequenced stripe palette. The pattern uses multiple named colourways, each designated by a letter (A through J and beyond), allowing knitters to follow the stripe sequence with precision. The colourways specified in the pattern include:

• Yarn A – Purple Rain (shade 123): the most heavily used colour, requiring 5, 5, 6, 6, or 7 balls depending on size
• Yarn B – Golden Girl (shade 114): 1 ball across all sizes
• Yarn C – Verdigris (shade 108): 2 balls across all sizes
• Yarn D – Dahlia (shade 121): 1 ball across all sizes
• Yarn E – Copper Clay (shade 119): 1 ball across all sizes
• Yarns F, G, H, I, J: additional accent colours used in the stripe rotation, each contributing to the overall tonal palette

The combination of Purple Rain, Golden Girl, Verdigris, Dahlia, and Copper Clay alongside the additional accent shades creates a rich autumnal and jewel-toned palette that is characteristic of Lisa Richardson's design aesthetic. Rowan Alpaca Classic is a yarn that blends beautifully for stripe work, as its soft fibre content allows colours to sit cleanly next to one another without harsh transitions.

Stripe Sequence and Construction Technique

A defining feature of the Fowberry Cardigan is its intricate multi-colour stripe sequence. Rather than simple two-colour striping, the pattern rotates through the full range of yarn colours (A through J) in a structured, repeating sequence. Key details of the stripe construction include:

• Stripes are worked in pairs of rows, with each colour used for exactly two consecutive rows before switching to the next
• The sequence follows a four-row repeat structure within each colour grouping, meaning pairs of colours alternate before the pattern advances to the next set
• Specific rows are assigned to specific yarns — for example, Rows 27 and 28 use Yarn D,