Bergère de France Knitting Patterns

French knitwear, written for knitters

Bergère de France has been spinning yarn in the Meuse since the 1940s and its pattern range reflects a particular idea of knitwear: clean lines, simple silhouettes, and detail used sparingly. You will find pullover dresses and tunics, which are unusual in British pattern ranges, alongside cabled cardigans, plain jumpers with an interesting neckline, and a deep selection of baby and toddler knits from jackets and hats to pram sets.

Most designs sit in 4 ply and DK. Finer weights take longer but produce the smooth, close-fitting fabric that this style depends on; a chunky version of the same shape would lose the line entirely.

Choosing a project

• Beginner: baby hats and simple jackets. Small, quick, and forgiving of tension wobbles.
• Building skills: a plain adult jumper in DK, where you learn shaping and seaming on straightforward pieces.
• Next level: cabled cardigans, which require you to keep shaping in pattern up the fronts.
• Most involved: fitted 4 ply dresses and tunics, which combine a long body, waist shaping and a very high stitch count.

Reading a continental pattern

French-originated patterns sometimes phrase things differently from British ones. Measurements are metric throughout, tension is given over 10cm as usual, and shaping is often described in centimetres of length rather than in a number of rows, so keep a tape measure and a row counter to hand and note the row on which you worked each decrease so the second sleeve matches the first. Where a pattern gives a range of sizes, work through your own size in a highlighter before casting on; it saves a great deal of counting later.

Tension and yarn quantities

Knit at least a 15cm square in the stated stitch, wash it, dry it flat and measure the centre. Half a stitch out over 10cm becomes several centimetres across an adult chest, and this style of knitwear is unforgiving of extra ease. Buy the quantity listed for your size in a single dye lot, adding a ball if you plan longer sleeves or a deeper body. Yardage varies between bases, so work in metres rather than counting balls if you substitute.

Finishing so it looks shop-bought

These designs live or die on their finishing. Block every piece to the schematic measurements before seaming, pinning the edges straight rather than easing them into shape. Use mattress stitch in the project yarn for side and sleeve seams and backstitch across the shoulders for firmness. Pick up neckbands evenly, counting picked-up stitches into sections rather than working around blindly, and sew buttons on with a shank so the band lies flat rather than pulling. Press seams lightly under a damp cloth if the fibre allows.

Seasonal and gift knitting

The baby patterns in this range are the obvious gift knits: a jacket, hat and bootee set in 4 ply is small enough to finish between hearing the news and the arrival, and it posts easily. For adults, the plain jumpers and tunics are winter knitting, since a 4 ply body is a project measured in weeks rather than evenings. Start autumn garments in late summer if you want to wear them the same year.

Bergère de France questions

What yarn weights do these patterns use? Mostly 4 ply and DK, with some aran designs. Each pattern states its tension.

Can I use another brand of yarn? Yes, provided you match the tension and buy the same total metres for your size.

Are the patterns in English? The patterns sold here are supplied in English with metric measurements.

Are there patterns for babies? Yes, a large part of the range is baby and toddler knits, including jackets, hats and pram sets.

How do I choose my size? Compare the pattern's finished chest measurement with a garment you already wear and like, rather than guessing from clothing sizes.