Fitted Scoop Cardigan

Fitted Scoop Cardigan by Jo Sharp

What is Being Made

The Fitted Scoop Cardigan is a neatly fitted cardigan featuring a scoop neckline and fully shaped sleeves. This garment is designed with a deep rib at the waist, creating a structured silhouette with shaping throughout the bodice. The cardigan is available in four sizes, with stitch counts ranging from 109 to 145 stitches, making it a versatile project suitable for various body measurements.

Knitting Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its fitted shape and professional finish. The construction includes strategic increases and decreases for side shaping, armhole shaping, and sleeve cap shaping. The garment utilizes waist shaping with increases and decreases worked on alternating rows and sixth rows to create gradual, elegant curves. Armhole shaping is accomplished through cast-off stitches at the beginning of rows, followed by decreased stitches worked over multiple rows to taper the armholes smoothly.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Fitted Scoop Cardigan incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined with strategic shaping techniques. Key stitches include:

• Knit stitch (K) for the main fabric
• Make one (M1) for increases that maintain pattern continuity
• Slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (sl1, K1, psso) for left-leaning decreases
• Knit two together (K2tog) for right-leaning decreases
• Ribbing at the waist for structure and elasticity

The pattern uses symmetrical decreases on right and left fronts, with decreases worked as K2, sl1, K1, psso on one side and K2tog on the opposite side to maintain visual balance.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Fitted Scoop Cardigan is designed for sport weight yarn, which provides a lightweight yet structured fabric ideal for a fitted garment. The sample shown features Mulberry Silk Georgette, a luxurious natural fiber blend that drapes beautifully while maintaining the crisp definition necessary for a tailored cardigan silhouette. While specific needle size is not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, sport weight yarn typically works well with needles in the US 3–5 range, though the exact recommendation would be found in the complete pattern specifications.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner level project, the Fitted Scoop Cardigan is accessible to knitters new to garment construction. While the pattern includes shaping techniques such as increases, decreases, and armhole cast-offs, these are fundamental skills that beginners can master. The straightforward stitch patterns and clear shaping instructions make this an excellent introductory fitted garment project.

Pattern Format

This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing crafters to access the complete instructions, schematic diagrams, and sizing information digitally for convenient reference during knitting.