Cascade Yarns Knitting Patterns

Patterns written for the yarn they are knitted in

Cascade Yarns is a family-run company, and its pattern support exists to showcase what their yarn bases can do. That is the practical advantage of knitting from this collection: the tension, the ball count and the fabric the designer had in mind all refer to a yarn you can put in the same basket. There is no substitution maths, no guessing whether a superwash merino will bloom the way a rustic wool does, and no nasty surprise when the finished piece is blocked. The patterns are free downloads once you are signed in to your LoveCrafts account, so you can print two or three, swatch, and only then decide which one to commit a sweater's worth of yarn to.

What the Cascade weights are good for

Cascade's ranges each behave differently on the needle. The worsted-weight staples are the workhorses: even stitch definition, enough body for cables and ganseys, and a fabric that holds shape in a drop-shoulder jumper. Superwash merino bases are softer and heavier in drape, which flatters shawls and cowls but will lengthen a long garment if you knit it loosely. Sock-weight and 4 ply bases with a nylon content are the ones to reach for when a pattern names hard-wearing socks or fine colourwork. Chunky and bulky Cascade yarns turn accessories into an evening's work and are the fastest way to test a stitch pattern at scale.

Choosing by experience

• New knitters: a garter or stocking stitch hat or a simple rectangular cowl in worsted, where a mistake costs one evening, not one month.
• Getting confident: a top-down raglan jumper. Worked in one piece, tried on as you go, and the increases are the only new skill.
• Ready for texture: cabled cushions, gansey-style yokes and travelling stitch panels, all of which show best in a plied, round yarn.
• A longer project: stranded yoke sweaters, where Cascade's broad shade card really earns its keep.
• Fine work: lace shawls and socks in the lighter bases, worked on 2.25–3.25mm needles.

Working out how much yarn to buy

Every pattern lists yardage per size, and yardage is the number to shop by rather than the ball count, because ball weights differ across Cascade's ranges. As a rough planning figure, an adult worsted-weight jumper commonly needs somewhere between 900 and 1,600 metres depending on size and body length, a shawl 400 to 800, and a hat one or two balls. Buy the whole quantity in a single dye lot; hand-dyed and kettle-dyed shades in particular can shift noticeably between lots, and alternating two balls every other row is the only reliable fix if you are caught short.

Swatching, and why it matters more here

Knit at least 15cm square in the stitch pattern the design uses, not in plain stocking stitch if the garment is cabled. Wash and dry the swatch exactly as you intend to wash the finished piece, then measure across the middle. Superwash Cascade bases relax noticeably after their first soak, so an unwashed swatch will flatter you and the jumper will grow. If you are half a stitch out over 10cm, change needle size rather than trying to knit tighter.

Finishing and aftercare

Block everything. Non-superwash wools will full slightly and even out; superwash needs pinning to shape and will stay where you put it. Use mattress stitch in the project yarn for side seams and backstitch across shoulders. Weave ends along the line of the stitches, splitting the plies where you can. Wash superwash yarns on a wool cycle at 30°C and dry flat; hand-wash the rustic wools in lukewarm water, roll in a towel, and never hang a wet knit.

Cascade knitting questions

Are Cascade knitting patterns really free? Yes. Sign in to your LoveCrafts account and the PDF downloads instantly, with no charge.

Can I use a different yarn? You can, provided you match tension and total yardage. Match the ply structure too, or cables and ribbing will look different.

Which Cascade yarn suits a first jumper? A worsted-weight plied wool. It knits quickly, shows stitches clearly and blocks forgivingly.

Do the patterns give a full size range? Most give several finished chest measurements. Choose by measuring a jumper you already wear rather than by dress size.

Can I print them? Yes, the downloads are PDFs, so print the pages you need and keep notes in the margins.