Perinone Cardigan in Rowan Kidsilk Haze - ZM72-00051-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Perinone Cardigan in Rowan Kidsilk Haze by Zandra Rhodes – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Perinone Cardigan is a stunning, advanced-level knitting pattern designed by the legendary British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, released as part of the Rowan pattern collection under reference ZM72-00051-DEP. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern creates an elegant, lace-weight cardigan worked in the iconic Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn, celebrated for its delicate halo and luxurious drape. The design reflects Zandra Rhodes' signature aesthetic — bold colour, intricate detail, and a distinctly artistic sensibility.

About the Garment

The Perinone Cardigan is a sophisticated, multi-coloured striped cardigan worked in a richly sequenced stripe pattern across the body. The back and front pieces are constructed together, beginning at the lower edge of the back and worked upward in one piece, a technique that reduces seaming and creates a more fluid, unified fabric. The construction is thoughtfully engineered, with increases built into the early rows to shape the fabric from a small cast-on, gradually expanding to the full width of the garment.

The stripe sequence is elaborate and carefully prescribed, cycling through four distinct colourways across hundreds of rows. This level of colour management is part of what places this pattern firmly in the advanced difficulty category, requiring knitters to track and switch colours with precision throughout the entire project.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls exclusively for Rowan Kidsilk Haze, a lace-weight yarn renowned for its blend of kid mohair and silk. This yarn produces a soft, airy fabric with a distinctive halo effect, making it ideal for a garment with this level of colour detail and drape. Four colourways are used throughout the pattern:

• Blackcurrant 641 (Colour A) – the dominant colour, requiring 10 x 25 g balls
• Liqueur 595 (Colour B) – used as a rich accent stripe, requiring 1 x 25 g ball
• Scarlett 715 (Colour C) – a vivid contrast colour, requiring 4 x 25 g balls
• Blushes 583 (Colour D) – a softer tonal contrast, requiring 5 x 25 g balls

The interplay of these four shades — from the deep, jewel-toned Blackcurrant and Liqueur to the vibrant Scarlett and the softer Blushes — creates a visually striking stripe sequence that is characteristic of Zandra Rhodes' bold approach to colour in fashion.

Needles

The pattern specifies 3.25 mm (size 3¼) needles, used as a standard pair. However, the pattern notes that as the stitch count increases during construction, knitters are advised to transition to circular needles of varying lengths to comfortably accommodate the growing number of stitches. This is a practical and important recommendation for knitters to follow, as the one-piece body construction means stitch counts can become substantial.

Tension and Gauge

The required tension is 25 stitches and 34 rows to 10 x 10 cm, measured over stocking stitch using 3.25 mm needles. Achieving accurate gauge is especially important in a lace-weight project like this, where even small deviations can significantly affect the finished dimensions of the cardigan. Knitters are strongly encouraged to work a gauge swatch before beginning.

Techniques and Construction

The Perinone Cardigan employs a range of knitting techniques that contribute to its advanced difficulty rating:

• One-piece body construction – the back and front are worked together from the lower edge of the back, minimising seams and creating a cohesive fabric
• Integrated shaping with increases – from the very first rows, stitches are increased within the fabric using a variety of increase methods, building from just 3 cast-on stitches to the full garment width
• Multi-colour stripe