Women Cardigan in Bergere de France Julienne - M1338 - Downloadable PDF

Women's Cardigan in Bergère de France Julienne – Pattern M1338

This free downloadable PDF knitting pattern from the iconic French yarn brand Bergère de France presents a classic women's cardigan worked in their Julienne yarn, colourway Savane (shade 10496). Bergère de France has been crafting yarns in the heart of Lorraine, France, since 1946, producing over 8 million balls per year across more than 50 qualities and hundreds of shades. This pattern, reference M1338, is rated as suitable for beginner knitters, making it an accessible introduction to garment construction while still producing a polished, wearable result.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a women's cardigan — a classic open-front knitted jacket with set-in or drop-shoulder sleeves. The pattern is sized across five options to suit a wide range of figures:

• S – finished chest approximately 44–48 cm panel measurements
• M – mid-range sizing
• L – larger sizing
• XL – extra large
• XXL – extra extra large

The total body length runs to approximately 50–58 cm depending on size (209–243 rows of total height), giving a comfortable, flattering length suitable for everyday wear. The cardigan is constructed in separate pieces — a back, a right front, a left front, a right sleeve, and a left sleeve — which are then seamed together. This traditional flat-knitting, piece-by-piece construction method is ideal for beginners as it allows each section to be worked and checked individually before assembly.

Garment Pieces and Construction

The pattern schematic clearly identifies five separate pieces:

• Piece 1 – Back (Dos / Rugpand): The main back panel, worked from the lower hem upward. Measurements indicate a back width of approximately 50–58 cm across sizes.
• Piece 2 – Right Sleeve (Manche droite / Rechtermouw): A tapered sleeve shaped from the cuff upward.
• Piece 3 – Left Sleeve (Manche gauche / Linkermouw): The mirror image of the right sleeve.
• Piece 4 – Right Front (Devant droit / Rechtervoorpand): One half of the open cardigan front, including shaping for the neckline.
• Piece 5 – Left Front (Linkervoorpand / Devant gauche): The corresponding left front panel.

The pattern instructions describe picking up stitches across the top of the right sleeve, working across the left shoulder and neckline, casting on new stitches for the back neck, and then continuing across the right front — a technique that integrates the shoulder and neckband finishing neatly into the construction process. Specifically, the instructions reference working across 69–74–78–84–90 stitches in total at the upper section, with individual front panels each carrying 44–47–50–55–60 stitches and a cast-on of 50–54–56–58–60 new stitches for the back neckline. This integrated approach to the yoke and neckline is a clever technique that reduces the need for separate neckband pick-up rows later.

Techniques Used

As a beginner-level pattern, the cardigan relies on fundamental knitting techniques that are well within reach of those who have mastered the basics:

• Flat knitting – all pieces are worked back and forth in rows, not in the round, making this suitable for straight or circular needles used flat
• Casting on – including mid-project cast-ons for the back neckline during shoulder construction
• Row counting – precise stitch and row counts are given for each size to ensure correct proportions
• Shaping – sleeve tapering and neckline shaping are included, introducing beginners to basic increases and decreases in a gentle context
• Seaming – the five separate pieces are joined after knitting, a valuable skill for any knitter progressing toward garment