Marja Cardigan in Novita 7 Veljestä - Downloadable PDF

Marja Cardigan in Novita 7 Veljestä – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Marja Cardigan is a beautifully designed knitted cardigan created by designer Sisko Sälpäkivi and worked in Novita 7 Veljestä yarn. This intermediate-level knitting pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF and offers a relaxed, wearable silhouette with set-in sleeves and thoughtful structural details throughout. The pattern is sized to suit a wide range of body types, from S through 4XL, making it an inclusive and versatile project for knitters looking to expand their garment-making skills.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a long-line cardigan featuring a structured body, separate sleeves, and a ribbed front band with button loops. When completed, the cardigan measures approximately 98–116 cm in width across the four size groupings — S(M/L)XL/XXL(3XL/4XL) — with a finished length of approximately 74–83 cm. The sleeves add approximately 32 cm in length. The fabric has a notably stretchy quality due to the stitch patterns used, which contributes to the comfortable, relaxed fit of the finished piece.

Construction and Techniques

The Marja Cardigan is constructed in separate pieces — a left front, a right front (worked as a mirror image of the left), a back, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. This traditional construction method gives the cardigan its clean, tailored structure.

Short Row Shaping

One of the more technically engaging elements of this pattern is the use of short rows for shoulder shaping. The pattern employs double stitches as the short row method, a technique in which a stitch is worked twice to create a neat, nearly invisible turn. Knitters work progressively shorter rows, stopping a set number of stitches before the previous double stitch each time, then close the loops of the double stitches together on a subsequent row. This creates smooth, sloped shoulders without the stepped appearance of traditional bind-off shaping.

Shoulder Decreases

Following the short row section, shoulder decreases are worked at the right end of the piece while the left end continues in ribbing. This combined approach ensures the shoulder seam area is neat and the front bands remain continuous and tidy throughout the shaping process.

Seed Stitch and Ribbing

The pattern incorporates both seed stitch and ribbing as key stitch patterns. Seed stitch — worked by alternating knit and purl stitches and offsetting them on each row — creates a textured, non-curling fabric that is ideal for borders and structural sections. Ribbing, which alternates columns of knit and purl stitches, is used extensively along the front bands and at the shoulder sections, providing elasticity and a polished finish. On the wrong side rows following shoulder shaping, the ribbing stitches are bound off in pattern to maintain the integrity of the rib texture through to the very edge.

Button Loops

The front opening of the cardigan is finished with button loops worked as part of the front band, adding a delicate and functional closure detail that complements the overall aesthetic of the design.

Stitches Used

• Seed stitch — for textured sections and border detailing
• Ribbing — for front bands, shoulder sections, and bound-off edges
• Short rows with double stitches — for smooth, shaped shoulder construction
• Standard knit and purl stitches — forming the foundation of all stitch patterns throughout

Materials

Yarn

The pattern calls for Novita 7 Veljestä in the colourway (053) Berry Porridge. This is an aran weight yarn, which knits up at a satisfying pace and produces a fabric with excellent stitch definition — ideal for showing off the textural interplay of seed stitch and ribbing. The yarn quantity required ranges from 1250 g for size S up to 1400 g for