Slightly Dotty

Slightly Dotty Cardigan by Boadicea Binnerts

What Is Being Made

Slightly Dotty is a polka dot cardigan knit in the round from the bottom up. This intermediate-level knitting project features a playful all-over dot pattern created through colorwork techniques, combining four distinct colors—three shades of gray and one warm off-white—arranged in six different colorway combinations throughout the design.

Garment Construction and Techniques

The cardigan is constructed using several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive silhouette and polka dot design:

• Bottom-up circular knitting: The body is knit in the round from the hem upward, which creates a seamless construction and allows for efficient colorwork integration
• Steeks: Strategic steeks are used at the front opening, armholes, neck, and sleeve caps to allow for cutting and finishing these openings while maintaining the integrity of the circular knit
• Picked-up stitches: The front bands feature picked-up stitches that create a double buttonband designed to accommodate snaps for closure
• Curled edging: Both the hem and sleeve hems use stockinette stitch to create a naturally curled edge detail

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch used throughout the cardigan is stockinette stitch, which serves as the foundation for the polka dot colorwork. The dots themselves are created through stranded colorwork techniques, where multiple yarn colors are carried across rows to form the distinctive dotted pattern. The curled edging relies on the natural properties of stockinette stitch worked in the round.

Yarn and Materials

Slightly Dotty is designed to be knit with Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, a variegated yarn that brings soft, natural color variations to the project. The pattern accommodates multiple yarn weights including 4-ply, DK, and varied weights, offering flexibility for yarn substitution. The cardigan is worked on needles appropriate for these yarn weights, with the circular knitting method requiring circular needles or DPNs for the body and sleeves.

Sizing and Finished Measurements

The pattern includes five sizes ranging from XS to XL:

• XS: 72 cm / 28 inches bust circumference
• S: 76 cm / 30 inches bust circumference
• M: 80–86 cm / 32–34 inches bust circumference
• L: 91–96 cm / 36–38 inches bust circumference
• XL: 102–106 cm / 40–42 inches bust circumference
• XXL: 111–116 cm / 44–46 inches bust circumference

The finished measurements when laid flat and closed are 41 cm (15.5 inches) for XS, increasing to 52 cm (18.5 inches) for the largest size. The design incorporates a small amount of negative ease for a refined fit.

Skill Level

This is an intermediate knitting project, suitable for knitters with experience in colorwork, circular knitting, and steeking techniques. Familiarity with picking up stitches and managing multiple yarn colors simultaneously is recommended.