Dark Stars Cardigan in Rowan Pure Wool Worsted - D172 - Downloadable PDF

Dark Stars Cardigan by Deborah Newton – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Dark Stars Cardigan is an intermediate-level knitting pattern by designer Deborah Newton, available as a downloadable PDF exclusively from Rowan. This stylish cardigan is worked in a richly textured stitch pattern using multiple coordinating colorways of Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and multi-color yarn selection.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a women's cardigan — a front-opening, long-sleeved knitted garment. The design is offered in five sizes, fitting bust measurements ranging from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) through to 122–127 cm (48–50 in), labeled Small through XXL. The cardigan is designed to be a substantial, wearable piece with a back length of approximately 41 to 45 cm depending on size, making it a mid-length layering garment suitable for cooler seasons.

Design Details and Construction

The Dark Stars Cardigan features a distinctive textured stitch pattern worked over a 12-row repeat. The construction involves working the body in one piece or in sections, with the pattern explicitly noting a divide for the right front, indicating the garment is shaped with separate front panels and a back. A circular needle is used for certain sections of the body, which is a common technique to manage a larger number of stitches comfortably, even when working flat (back and forth in rows).

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting worked back and forth in rows, including on a circular needle for ease of handling stitch counts
• Textured stitch patterning using a structured 12-row repeat that creates a raised, geometric surface texture
• Garment shaping, including dividing stitches for the right front and placing remaining stitches on a holder — a standard technique in cardigan construction
• Stitch holder management, used to keep live stitches inactive while working separate sections of the garment
• Multi-yarn colorwork, incorporating four distinct yarn shades into the design

Stitches Used

The 12-row stitch pattern that defines the Dark Stars texture is built from combinations of knit and purl stitches arranged in shifting alignments across right-side and wrong-side rows. The specific rows are as follows:

• Rows 1–4: Straightforward stocking stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS), establishing a smooth base
• Rows 5–8: A broken rib variation — K1, *P1, K2, repeat from * to last 2 sts, P1, K1 on RS rows, with the corresponding WS rows mirroring the pattern
• Rows 9–12: A shifted rib texture — *P2, K1, repeat from * to end on RS rows, with *P1, K2, repeat from * to end on WS rows

Together, these rows create the signature dark stars surface relief that gives the cardigan its name. The interplay of knit and purl columns shifting across the repeat produces a subtle, geometric, almost star-like visual effect across the fabric.

Materials – Yarn

The pattern calls for Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted, a worsted weight yarn, used in four colors:

• Color A – Damson 150: The main color, requiring 6 (7, 8, 8, 9) x 100g balls depending on size
• Color B – Peacock 139: An accent color, requiring 1 x 100g ball across all sizes
• Color C – Oxford 148: A further accent, requiring 1 x 100g ball across all sizes
• Color D – Magenta