"Silvia Cardigan" - Cardigan Knitting Pattern For Women in Willow and Lark Woodland

Silvia Cardigan: Intarsia and Cable Knit Pattern by Sasha Kagan

What is Being Made

The Silvia Cardigan is a classic women's cardigan designed by Sasha Kagan for the Willow and Lark Woodland collection. This is a sophisticated knitting project featuring a mandarin collar, dropped shoulders, and horizontal pockets. The cardigan showcases individual intarsia leaves in multiple colorways—Cherry, London Bus, Marmalade, Toffee, and Olive—set against a Black background, creating a nature-inspired botanical design. The pattern is available in six sizes to fit bust measurements from 81 cm (32 in) to 107 cm (42 in), with finished lengths ranging from 69 to 74 cm.

Techniques Used

The Silvia Cardigan employs advanced knitting techniques suitable for experienced crafters. The primary construction methods include:

• Intarsia: Individual leaf motifs are worked in separate colors (Cherry, London Bus, Marmalade, Toffee, and Olive) against the Black base, requiring careful color changes and yarn management throughout the body of the garment
• Cable knitting: Textured cable stitches add dimensional interest and visual character to the design
• Seamed construction: The cardigan is worked flat in separate pieces and then seamed together for a polished, tailored finish
• Worked flat: Rather than in-the-round, the pieces are knitted on flat needles, allowing for easier intarsia color work and shaping

Stitches and Stitch Details

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, the Silvia Cardigan combines cable stitches with stockinette stitch backgrounds to showcase the intarsia leaf designs. The mandarin collar and horizontal pockets require precise shaping and finishing techniques typical of advanced garment construction.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Silvia Cardigan is designed to be knitted with Willow and Lark Woodland yarn, a premium blend of 50% Wool, 25% Alpaca, and 25% Viscose. This luxurious fiber composition provides warmth, drape, and a refined appearance suitable for a classic cardigan.

Yarn quantities required (by size):

• Black 403 (Main color): 9–11 balls depending on size
• Marmalade 410 (Accent color): 2 balls for all sizes
• Cherry 408 (Accent color): 2 balls for all sizes
• London Bus 409 (Accent color): 2 balls for all sizes

Each ball contains 50g (1.7 oz) of yarn. The pattern is worked in DK (Double Knit) weight yarn, which is ideal for creating detailed intarsia work and achieving the refined drape and fit characteristic of this classic cardigan design.

Appropriate knitting needles for DK weight yarn (typically US 3–5 / 3–3.75 mm) are required, though specific needle sizes are not listed in the provided excerpt. The seamed construction method and intarsia technique demand precision and attention to gauge throughout the project.

Design Summary

The Silvia Cardigan represents an advanced knitting project combining traditional British design sensibilities with contemporary colorwork. The combination of cable texture, intarsia leaf motifs, and structured tailoring—including the mandarin collar and practical horizontal pockets—makes this a statement piece suitable for confident knitters seeking a complex, rewarding project with heirloom-quality results.