196 Market Street Tied Cardigan - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash

196 Market Street Tied Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Women by Kirsten Hipsky

The 196 Market Street Tied Cardigan is a women's knitting pattern designed by Kirsten Hipsky, available as a downloadable PDF. This relaxed, feminine cardigan features a distinctive V-neckline and a charming tie closure that threads through a small gap left in the right side seam during finishing — a thoughtful design detail that adds both style and ease of wear. The pattern is rated beginner difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are building confidence with garment construction while still producing a polished, wearable result.

Garment Overview

The Market Street Tied Cardigan is a seamed, flat-knit cardigan worked in separate pieces — fronts, back, and sleeves — and then assembled. This classic construction method allows knitters to work manageable flat sections rather than navigating complex in-the-round shaping, making it particularly approachable for those newer to sweater knitting. The finished garment is designed to fit a range of women's sizes, with finished bust measurements of 34, 38, 42, 46, and 50 inches, offering inclusive sizing across five options.

The sleeves are set-in style, shaped with gradual decreases worked every 8th, 10th, or 12th row depending on the size, and measure approximately 17 to 19 inches in length. The right and left sleeves are worked separately with mirrored shaping, a detail that ensures a professional, symmetrical fit.

Techniques Used

• Worked flat – all pieces are knitted back and forth in rows, keeping the construction straightforward and beginner-friendly
• Seamed construction – underarm and side seams are sewn together during finishing, with a deliberate 1-inch gap left open in the right side seam to allow the tie to pass through
• Sleeve shaping with paired decreases – decreases are worked at both the beginning and end of designated rows to taper the sleeve cap and body
• Edging with picked-up stitches – with the right side facing, stitches are picked up along the right front cast-on edge, the V-neck edges, shoulder cast-on edges, and back neck edge to create a neat, finished border around the entire cardigan opening
• Stitch markers – used during the edging pick-up round to delineate key sections such as the back neck, aiding in even stitch distribution

Stitches Used

• Pattern stitch – the body and sleeves are worked in a repeating stitch pattern; sleeves are worked even in pattern until the specified length, ending on a Row 5 of the repeat before binding off
• Pick-up and knit – used extensively along all front, neck, and shoulder edges to create the integrated edging
• Bind off – standard bind-off is used to close sleeve and body pieces

Materials Required

This pattern is designed specifically for Valley Yarns Valley Superwash, a 100% extra fine merino wool yarn available in 50g balls, each approximately 97 yards. The featured colorway is color 321 Mulberry. Depending on the size being knitted, the pattern calls for 15 to 25 skeins — specifically 15 skeins for the smallest size up to 25 skeins for the largest — making it important to purchase yarn according to your intended finished size.

Valley Superwash is a worsted weight yarn, and its superwash merino fiber content means it is both soft against the skin and easy to care for — an ideal choice for a wearable everyday cardigan. The merino fiber provides excellent stitch definition, which helps the pattern stitch read clearly in the finished fabric.

Needle Requirements and Gauge

The pattern recommends US size 8 knitting needles, though knitters are encouraged to use whatever needle size is necessary to achieve the correct gauge. The target gauge is 4.5 stitches and 8 rows per 1 inch in the pattern stitch. Achieving accurate