Confetti Cardigan - Free Cardigan Knitting Pattern in Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Aran

Confetti Cardigan – Free Intermediate Knitting Pattern by Paintbox Yarns

The Confetti Cardigan is a colourful, textured cardigan knitting pattern from Paintbox Yarns, available as a free downloadable PDF. Designed for intermediate knitters, this project combines stranded colourwork with stripe sequences to create a playful, confetti-inspired fabric that is both visually striking and satisfying to knit. The pattern is worked in six sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 81 cm to 117 cm (32 in to 46 in), with actual finished measurements of 89 cm to 117 cm, making it a gently relaxed fit across the size range. The finished length from back neck is approximately 51–53 cm (20–20¾ in), and the sleeve seam measures a consistent 31 cm (12¼ in), giving the cardigan a cropped-to-mid-length silhouette ideal for layering.

Construction and Techniques

The Confetti Cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, worked-flat method. This means the body pieces and sleeves are knitted flat on circular or straight needles, then sewn together at the seams — a traditional approach that many intermediate knitters will find familiar and manageable. Working flat also makes it straightforward to keep track of right-side and wrong-side rows, which is particularly helpful when managing multiple colours.

The pattern incorporates two key decorative techniques:

• Stranded colourwork: Multiple yarn colours are carried across the row simultaneously, creating the characteristic "confetti" speckled or spotted effect in the fabric. In stranded knitting, the yarn not currently in use is carried loosely across the back of the work, forming floats. Keeping these floats even is essential to maintaining correct tension and drape.
• Stripes: Colour changes are also used in a stripe format, adding bold horizontal bands of colour that complement the stranded sections and give the garment its cheerful, multi-tonal character.

The combination of stranded colourwork and stripes at an intermediate level means knitters will need confidence working with two or more colours in a single row, as well as experience reading a multi-size pattern with square bracket notation for size variations.

Stitches Used

The Confetti Cardigan uses a core set of knitting stitches and techniques throughout:

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) stitches form the foundation of the fabric.
• Slip stitch (sl 1) is used in shaping and finishing details.
• Pass slipped stitch over (psso) contributes to decrease shaping.
• Knit two together (K2tog) and related decrease methods shape the armholes, neckline, and sleeve caps.
• Yarn round needle (yrn) is referenced for buttonhole or decorative detailing.
• Knitting through back of loops (tbl) is used for neat, twisted stitches where specified.
• Increases (inc) and decreases (dec) are used throughout to shape the body and sleeves.

The tension (gauge) for this pattern is 21 stitches and 22 rows to 10 cm (4 in), measured over the colourwork pattern using 4½mm (UK 7 – US 7) needles. Achieving this tension is important, particularly in a stranded pattern where floats can tighten the fabric if not managed carefully.

Materials – Yarn

The pattern calls for Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Aran, used in three colourways across the design. Despite the pattern being labelled with a DK weight attribute, the yarn specified in the PDF is an Aran weight yarn, worked on 4½mm needles to achieve the stated gauge. The three colours used are:

• Colour A – Dusty Lilac: 3 [3: 3: 4: 4: 4] × 100g balls
• Colour B – Misty Grey: 3 [3: 4: 4: 5: 5] × 100g balls