Checkerboard Cardigan - Knitting Pattern for Women in Debbie Bliss Nell by Debbie Bliss

Checkerboard Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Women by Debbie Bliss in Nell Yarn

The Checkerboard Cardigan is a bold, colorwork knitting pattern designed by Debbie Bliss and worked in her exclusive chunky-weight yarn, Debbie Bliss Nell. This intermediate-level pattern produces a striking, color-blocked cardigan featuring a classic checkerboard motif across the body and sleeves. The design is available as a downloadable PDF and is sized to fit a wide range of chest measurements, from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) up to 132–137 cm (52–54 in), with generous finished chest measurements ranging from 121 cm (47¾ in) to 164 cm (64½ in).

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a women's seamed cardigan with a structured, relaxed silhouette. The finished garment features set-in or drop-shoulder-style sleeves, a button band, and a neat ribbed hem and cuffs. Three large buttons fasten the front opening. The cardigan is worked in six sizes, with finished lengths ranging from 53 cm (21 in) to 63 cm (24¾ in) and sleeve lengths from 48 cm (19 in) to 52 cm (20½ in), making it a versatile wardrobe piece suited to a variety of body types.

Construction Techniques

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the cast-on edge upward, beginning at the hem of the back and front pieces and the lower edge of the sleeves.
• Worked flat: All pieces — back, fronts, and sleeves — are knitted flat on straight needles, meaning right-side and wrong-side rows are worked alternately.
• Intarsia colorwork: The checkerboard pattern is created using the intarsia technique, in which separate small bobbins or lengths of yarn are used for each distinct color block. Unlike stranded colorwork, intarsia does not carry yarn across the back of the work, keeping the fabric single-thickness and drape-friendly — particularly important with a chunky yarn like Nell.
• Seamed finishing: Individual pieces are sewn together after knitting, giving the cardigan a traditional, structured finish with clean seam lines at the shoulders, sides, and sleeves.
• Circular needle for edging: A 5mm (US 8) circular knitting needle is used to pick up and work the button bands and neckband, allowing the knitter to work comfortably around the full front opening without the restriction of short straight needles.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (stockinette stitch): The main body of the cardigan and the checkerboard color blocks are worked in stocking stitch — knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows — creating a smooth, flat fabric that showcases the bold color squares clearly.
• 1×1 Rib (knit 1, purl 1): The welts, cuffs, and button bands are worked in single rib, providing elasticity and a neat, professional edge that frames the colorwork panels.
• Decreases: Standard decreases are used for armhole and neck shaping, worked as directed in the pattern to maintain the integrity of the checkerboard motif through the shaping sections.

Colorwork Design Detail

The checkerboard pattern is built from five colors of Debbie Bliss Nell, each worked in alternating blocks across the fabric. The colors specified in the pattern are:

• Aqua 06 (Color A)
• Sunset 11 (Color B)
• Jade 07 (Color C)
• Willow 08 (Color D)
• Rose 09 (Color E)

These five shades create a vibrant, multi-toned checkerboard that reads as both playful and sophisticated. Because intarsia is used rather than stranded knitting, each color block is worked with its own separate yarn supply, and colors are twisted at the joins on wrong-side rows to prevent holes