#1226 Mammonth Cave - Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Westhampton by Valley Yarns

Pattern Summary: #1226 Mammoth Cave – Fitted Cable Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The #1226 Mammoth Cave is a women's fitted cable cardigan knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This pattern is worked in Valley Yarns Westhampton, a 100% Pima Cotton DK-weight yarn that gives the finished garment an exceptionally soft, wearable quality. With its cropped silhouette, elbow-length sleeves, and elegant cabled front panels, Mammoth Cave is designed as a versatile capsule wardrobe piece — equally at home layered over a dress or paired casually with a tee shirt and jeans.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a cropped, fitted cardigan for women with elbow-length sleeves and decorative cable panels running along the front. The cardigan is designed to be worn with 0 to 2 inches of positive ease, creating a close, flattering fit. It is available in eight sizes ranging from XS through 4XL, with finished bust measurements spanning approximately 31¼ inches to 59¼ inches when buttoned. The sample shown in the pattern photography is knitted in size S in the colorway Rose Glow (Color 4).

Construction and Techniques

Mammoth Cave is a seamed, worked-flat cardigan, meaning the individual pieces — fronts, back, and sleeves — are knitted flat on straight or circular needles and then joined using seaming techniques. This traditional construction method gives the finished garment excellent structure and a clean, tailored appearance. Key techniques used throughout the pattern include:

• Cable knitting – The signature cabled front panels are the focal design element, requiring the knitter to work cable crossings that create a rich, textured rope or twist effect. Cables are worked by temporarily placing stitches on a cable needle and crossing them over one another before knitting.
• Seaming – Pieces are worked separately and then sewn together, a technique that adds durability and shape to the finished cardigan.
• Button band finishing – The cardigan closes with 9 buttons, requiring the knitter to work button bands and create evenly spaced buttonholes as part of the finishing process.
• Flat knitting – All pieces are worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round, making this an approachable construction style for knitters familiar with basic flat garment knitting.

Stitches Used

While the pattern's primary decorative element is its cable stitch panels, a fitted cardigan of this type typically incorporates a combination of the following foundational stitches:

• Knit and purl stitches – The building blocks of all flat knitting, used throughout the body and sleeves.
• Cable stitches – Worked on the front panels to create the signature textured design; cables require a cable needle to cross groups of stitches.
• Ribbing – Commonly used at cuffs, hems, and button bands in fitted cardigans to provide stretch and a neat, finished edge.

Materials Required

The pattern is designed specifically for Valley Yarns Westhampton, a DK-weight yarn made from 100% Pima Cotton, sold in 50g/109-yard balls. Pima Cotton is prized for its exceptional softness, smooth stitch definition, and breathability, making it ideal for a year-round layering piece like this cardigan. The yardage required ranges from 6 balls for size XS up to 15 balls for size 4XL. The colorway featured in the pattern is Rose Glow (Color 4).

• Primary needles: US 6 (4.00mm) circular needles in 16" and 32–40" lengths, plus double-pointed needles (dpns)
• Secondary needles: US 5 (3.75mm) circular needles in 16" and 32–40" lengths, plus dpns (used for ribbing or border sections requiring a tighter gauge)
• Additional materials: Stitch markers, tapestry needle