Cecilia Cardigan in West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious DK - Downloadable PDF

Cecilia Cardigan in West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious DK – Pattern Summary

The Cecilia Cardigan is a beautifully feminine knitted cardigan designed by Emma Wright, featuring an elegant Feature Leaf Lace design that gives the garment its distinctive, delicate character. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with lace techniques and shaping. The cardigan is worked in the luxurious West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious DK yarn, and the pattern is sized to fit a range of bust measurements, making it a versatile addition to any handknitted wardrobe.

What Is Being Made

The Cecilia Cardigan is a full-length cardigan with set-in or shaped sleeves, designed to be a classic, wearable layering piece. Its defining feature is the Feature Leaf Lace panel, which adds texture and visual interest against a backdrop of smooth stocking stitch and woven stitch fabric. The cardigan is sized across four sizes:

• Small: To fit 88 cm (34.5 in) bust, actual chest 88 cm
• Medium: To fit 102 cm (40 in) bust, actual chest 102 cm
• Large: To fit 116 cm (45.75 in) bust, actual chest 116 cm
• XLarge: To fit 130 cm (51 in) bust, actual chest 130 cm

The full length of the finished garment ranges from 56 cm (22 in) for the smallest size up to 66 cm (26 in) for the largest, while sleeve length ranges from 40.5 cm (16 in) to 48.5 cm (19 in) across the four sizes. These generous dimensions make the Cecilia Cardigan a substantial, cosy garment suitable for year-round wear.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious DK in the colourway Claret (508), a rich, deep red shade that beautifully showcases the leaf lace detailing. The quantity required varies by size:

• Small: 4 x 100g balls
• Medium: 5 x 100g balls
• Large: 5 x 100g balls
• XLarge: 6 x 100g balls

West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious DK is a premium British yarn brand known for producing high-quality, beautifully dyed yarns. The DK weight (double knitting) of this yarn makes it an ideal choice for a cardigan that has both drape and structure, ensuring the lace stitches open up clearly while the body of the garment retains its shape.

Needles and Tools

The Cecilia Cardigan is knitted using the following needles:

• 4mm (US 6) straight needles – the primary needles used throughout the pattern
• 4mm (US 6) circular knitting needles – listed as optional, these may be used for picking up stitches along button bands or for working larger stitch counts more comfortably

Circular needles are a practical choice for knitters who prefer to manage a large number of stitches without the weight of the work pulling on straight needles, and they are particularly useful when working button bands or necklines on cardigans.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern. The specified tension is 21 stitches x 29 rows to 10 cm / 4 in, measured over the Woven Stitch pattern using 4mm (US 6) needles. Knitters are strongly encouraged to work a tension swatch before beginning, as even small variations in tension can significantly affect the finished dimensions of a garment across four sizes.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Cecilia