Stanley In Rowan Alpaca Soft DK - Downloadable PDF

Stanley Cardigan in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK

What is Being Made

Stanley is a knitted cardigan pattern designed by Quail Studios, available as a downloadable PDF. This garment is tailored to fit a range of chest sizes from 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm (28–30 inches to 60–62 inches), making it suitable for multiple sizing needs. The finished cardigan chest measurements range from 104 cm to 184 cm (41 to 72½ inches), allowing for various fit preferences from close-fitting to generously oversized styles.

Techniques Used

The Stanley cardigan employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques. The pattern incorporates stockinette stitch as a primary fabric base, combined with reverse stockinette stitch for textural contrast. The garment features sleeve extensions that are constructed using strategic increases worked at regular intervals—increases are made at each end of rows at varying frequencies (every 4th row, then alternating rows, then consecutive rows) to shape the sleeve cap and create the proper sleeve pitch and ease. The pattern requires working in pattern throughout, meaning the stitch pattern established in the initial rows is maintained consistently across the body and sleeves as the garment is constructed.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (St St): The primary fabric structure, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic appearance
• Reverse Stockinette Stitch (Rev St St): The inverse of stockinette, with purl stitches facing outward, used to create deliberate textural variation within the pattern
• Garter Stitch: Implied through the knit and purl row sequences that form the 34-row pattern repeat, creating a ribbed or ridged texture
• Increases: Single stitch increases worked at garment edges to shape sleeves and create proper fit

Pattern Repeat and Structure

The Stanley cardigan is built around a 34-row pattern repeat that establishes the visual and textural character of the finished piece. This repeat consists of specific sequences: knit rows, purl rows, reverse stockinette sections, and stockinette sections worked in a defined order. Once established, this pattern repeat is maintained throughout the entire garment—across the back, front panels, and sleeves—ensuring visual continuity and consistent fabric characteristics.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Stanley cardigan is designed to be knitted in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a DK-weight yarn (also called light worsted or 8-ply). This yarn is supplied in 50-gram balls. The pattern is photographed in the colorway Rainy Day, though Rowan Alpaca Soft DK is available in a full range of colors. DK weight is a versatile yarn weight suitable for creating garments with good drape and stitch definition. Specific needle sizes are not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, though DK-weight projects typically use needles in the US 3–6 (3.25–4 mm) range, depending on desired fabric density and personal gauge.

Yarn Requirements

The pattern specifies yarn quantities in balls of Rowan Alpaca Soft DK across the nine size options: requirements range from 14 balls (for the smallest sizes) to 17 balls (for the largest sizes), with most mid-range sizes requiring 15–16 balls. This allows crafters to calculate yardage requirements based on the specific ball weight and yardage of their chosen colorway.

Skill Level

Stanley is classified as an advanced beginner knitting project. This designation indicates the pattern is suitable for knitters who have mastered fundamental techniques such as casting on, knit and purl stitches, and basic increases and decreases, but who may still be developing confidence with more complex shaping, pattern repeats, and garment construction. The combination of stitch pattern work, sleeve shaping through multiple increase sequences, and the need to maintain pattern consistency throughout makes this an ideal project for knitters ready to move beyond simple stockinette garments into more structured, patterned pieces.