Brontide

Brontide Cardigan by Susanna Winter

What Is Being Made

Brontide is a top-down cabled cardigan designed by Susanna Winter, inspired by the dramatic visual language of earthquakes and seismic events. This hip-length cardigan features a striking cable pattern that moves across the yoke like shifting tectonic plates, creating an hourglass silhouette with waist and back shaping for a flattering fit. The design combines bold cable work with reverse stockinette backgrounds, creating dramatic visual contrast and depth throughout the garment.

Construction Technique

This cardigan is worked seamlessly in one piece from the top down, a construction method that minimizes seaming and creates a cohesive garment. Short-row shaping is employed to create a rounded, well-fitted neckline without the need for additional seaming. The sleeves are worked seamlessly as part of the circular yoke construction, then continued down in reverse stockinette. After the body and sleeves are complete, stitches are picked up along the front edges to create ribbed button bands that frame the cardigan opening.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch techniques used in Brontide include:

• Cable stitches — Dramatic cables emerge from the reverse stockinette background across the circular yoke, moving back and forth to create the tectonic plate effect. Smaller cables flow seamlessly down the front edges.
• Reverse stockinette — Used as the background fabric throughout the yoke and sleeves, providing contrast that makes the cables pop visually
• Stockinette stitch — Forms the foundation of the main body fabric
• Ribbing — Applied to the button bands for structure and elasticity

Materials and Yarn

Brontide is designed to be knitted in worsted-weight or aran-weight yarn, which are plump, substantial yarns that allow the cable details to stand out prominently from the reverse stockinette background. The generous yarn weight ensures that the cables have excellent definition and visual impact. Knitters will need appropriately sized needles for their chosen yarn weight to achieve proper gauge and fabric drape.

Pattern Details and Difficulty

This is an intermediate-level knitting project, suitable for knitters with experience in cable work and top-down construction. The pattern is provided with both written and charted instructions for the cable panels, offering flexibility for different learning preferences. Metric and US terminology are both included throughout the pattern, making it accessible to international knitters. The combination of short-row shaping, seamless yoke construction, and cable panel work requires solid foundational skills but offers an achievable challenge for intermediate knitters seeking to expand their technical repertoire.