WEBS DIR01 I Feel Vine by Fiona Ellis - Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Amherst

I Feel Vine Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Fiona Ellis – Pattern Summary

The I Feel Vine Cardigan is a women's knitting pattern designed by Fiona Ellis as part of the Designer in Residence Series #1, published by WEBS (pattern reference DIR01). It is a long-line, seamed cardigan worked in Valley Yarns Amherst, a 100% Merino Wool worsted weight yarn. The design is rated intermediate in difficulty and is available as a downloadable PDF.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a women's long-line cardigan with a graceful, feminine silhouette. The garment is designed to be versatile across seasons — cozy enough for cooler months and light enough to layer over a sleeveless top when the weather is warmer. It features a flattering construction that transitions through three distinct stitch zones from hem to shoulder, giving the finished piece both visual interest and a naturally shaped fit. The pattern is shown in size 37.5 inches and is available in the following finished bust measurements:

• 34, 37.5, 40, 44, 46.5, 50, and 53 inches

Construction and Techniques

The I Feel Vine Cardigan is constructed bottom-up and worked flat in separate pieces that are later seamed together — a traditional construction method well suited to intermediate knitters who are comfortable with finishing techniques. Working flat means each piece (back, fronts, and sleeves) is knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, producing a fabric with distinct right-side and wrong-side rows.

The construction of the back piece illustrates the clever stitch progression that defines this design:

• The hem begins with seed stitch, providing a tidy, non-rolling edge.
• The body transitions into Stockinette stitch for the lower portion of the garment.
• At the waist, the pattern introduces a section of 2x2 ribbing worked on smaller needles, which draws in the fabric naturally to create gentle waist shaping without the need for traditional increases and decreases.
• Above the waist, the ribbing transitions into a leaf cable pattern worked from a chart (Chart A), introducing organic, nature-inspired texture to the upper body.
• The leaf motif then evolves into eyelet lace stitch-work, adding a delicate, feminine quality to the upper portion of the cardigan near the shoulders and front bands.

This flowing progression — from seed stitch through Stockinette, into ribbing, then cables, and finally lace — is central to the design's identity and is described by the designer as a deliberate use of stitch patterning to create shape and visual movement across the garment.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

• Seed stitch – used at the hem for a textured, stable border
• Stockinette stitch (St st) – the foundational stitch for the lower body sections
• 2x2 Ribbing – worked on smaller needles at the waist and cuffs to provide natural elastic shaping
• Leaf cable pattern – a charted cable motif (Chart A) that forms the signature vine-like texture across the upper body
• Eyelet lace – incorporating yarn-overs (yo) paired with decreases (ssk and k2tog) to create an open, lacy fabric in the upper sections

Knitters working this pattern should be comfortable reading knitting charts, working cables, and managing lace shaping at edges — particularly when armhole shaping interacts with partial lace repeats, which requires careful attention to ensure yarn-overs and their paired decreases remain balanced.

Materials

The recommended yarn is Valley Yarns Amherst, a 100% Merino Wool yarn sold in 50g skeins of approximately 109 yards each. The sample shown in the pattern was knitted in the colorway Stone Blue. The yardage requirements by size are as follows: