Meryl Cardigan in Adriafil Avantgarde - Downloadable PDF

Meryl Cardigan in Adriafil Avantgarde – Free Knitting Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

The Meryl Cardigan is an elegantly shaped women's cardigan knitted in Adriafil Avantgarde, a 4-ply weight yarn. This free downloadable PDF pattern delivers a tailored silhouette through careful waist shaping, armhole construction, and a refined neckline, making it a rewarding project for knitters comfortable with following charted stitch patterns and working multiple pieces to shape.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a classic fitted cardigan worked in separate pieces — a back, a right front, and by implication a left front — which are then seamed together. The design features a shaped waistline that nips in and then flares back out, structured armhole shaping, and a carefully graduated neckline. The lower front edges are built up with incremental cast-ons to create a shaped or curved hem, adding a subtle design detail that distinguishes the Meryl from a simple straight-edged cardigan. The pattern is written for three sizes, with stitch counts and measurements given as a range throughout.

Construction and Shaping Techniques

• Waist shaping: The back and fronts are shaped at both side edges by working decreases of 1 stitch alternately every 6 and 8 rows, repeated 8 times, to draw in the waistline. Once the work reaches 13 cm, the same edges are then increased by 1 stitch alternately every 10 and 12 rows, again 8 times, to restore the hip width. This alternating row rhythm creates a smooth, gradual curve rather than a sudden step.
• Armhole shaping: At 34 cm of total length, armholes are formed at both edges by binding off 3 stitches once, then 2 stitches once, then 1 stitch once, each set of bind-offs separated by 2 rows. This stepped decrease is a standard set-in armhole technique that produces a neat, tailored curve.
• Back neckline shaping: When the back reaches 52–53–54 cm (size dependent), the centre 15 stitches are bound off and each shoulder half is worked separately. The neck edge is then further shaped by binding off 4 stitches three times every 2 rows, creating a smooth curved back neck. Shoulders are cast off when the piece reaches 54–55–56 cm.
• Right front lower edge shaping: The right front begins with a cast-on of 22–26–30 stitches and immediately builds the shaped lower hem. At the end of the first right-side row, 4 extra stitches are cast on, followed by 3 stitches cast on twice, then 2 stitches cast on three times, then 1 stitch cast on three times every 2 rows, and finally 1 stitch cast on four times every 4 rows. This incremental approach shapes the front hem into a curved or angled edge, a hallmark of a well-fitted open cardigan front.
• Right front neckline shaping: The front neck begins at 46–47–48 cm with a series of bind-offs: 5 stitches once, 3 stitches once, 2 stitches twice, and 1 stitch twice, worked every 2 rows to form the lapel or V-neck curve.
• Chart-based stitch pattern: The pattern references a chart with starting points labelled A, B, and C for the three sizes, meaning knitters must read and follow a knitting chart to work the main stitch pattern correctly across the body pieces.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

• Pattern stitch: The main body fabric is described as a Pattern stitch worked from a chart. While the specific stitch name is not spelled out in the pattern text, it is charted and begins on a right side row, indicating a textured or lace-based repeat that gives the Meryl its visual character.
• Standard knitting decreases and increases: Single stitch decreases (k2tog or ssk style) and increases are used throughout for all shaping, keeping the fabric clean at the edges