Noreen Cardigan in Berroco Lanas Quick - Downloadable PDF

Noreen Cardigan in Berroco Lanas Quick – Pattern Summary

The Noreen Cardigan is a striking, intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Åsa Buchta and published by Berroco. This downloadable PDF pattern produces a bold, colorful cardigan worked in a modular, geometric construction using Berroco Lanas Quick, a super chunky weight yarn. The design is a wonderful choice for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore colorwork and modular knitting in a satisfying, relatively quick project thanks to the chunky gauge.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a relaxed, oversized cardigan featuring a distinctive open front with a gap rather than a traditional button or zipper closure. It is worked in a modular square construction, with each back square measuring 6" x 6" / 15 cm x 15 cm. The cardigan is offered in three finished bust sizes:

• 48" / 122 cm (shown in the pattern sample)
• 60" / 152.5 cm
• 72" / 183 cm

The finished length is 20" / 51 cm for all sizes, giving the cardigan a cropped-to-hip silhouette. The recommended ease is generous, at approximately 8–16" / 20–40 cm of positive ease, making this a deliberately relaxed and drapey garment that suits a wide range of body types and styling preferences.

Construction and Techniques

The Noreen Cardigan is built using a modular knitting approach, in which individual geometric squares are knitted and joined to form the body of the garment. This construction method is both practical and visually dynamic, allowing the colorful squares to create a patchwork-like effect across the finished piece. Modular knitting is a technique where each section is worked independently or picked up and joined as you go, reducing or eliminating the need for extensive seaming at the end.

The pattern also incorporates the use of waste yarn to hold stitches, a common intermediate technique used to place live stitches on hold while other sections are worked — a skill that knitters will want to be comfortable with before casting on.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used throughout the Noreen Cardigan is Garter Stitch, which is the basis for the gauge swatch and the construction of the modular squares. Garter stitch — produced by knitting every row when working flat — creates a squishy, reversible fabric with a distinctive ridged texture that is particularly well-suited to chunky yarns. It lies flat without curling, making it an ideal choice for a modular, patchwork-style construction where clean edges are important.

• Garter Stitch – the primary stitch pattern throughout
• Modular square construction – geometric units worked individually and assembled
• Live stitch holding – using waste yarn to hold stitches between construction stages

Gauge

The gauge for this pattern is 12 stitches and 24 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Garter Stitch, measured after blocking. Because this is a modular pattern where each square has a specific finished measurement of 6" x 6", achieving accurate gauge is especially important. The pattern advises knitters to take time to check and adjust their gauge before beginning.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Berroco Lanas Quick, a super chunky weight yarn sold in 100-gram hanks. This yarn is used in a rich, multi-color palette of seven shades, which are central to the visual impact of the finished cardigan. The specific colorways used are:

• #7701 Cream (C1) – (2, 2, 3) hanks
• #77205 Olive (C2) – (2, 3, 3) hanks
• #77110 Grapefruit (C3) – 1 hank
• #77124 Coast (C4)