276 Hosta Leaf Cardigan - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Northfield

276 Hosta Leaf Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Women by Cheryl Burke

The 276 Hosta Leaf Cardigan is a beautifully crafted women's knitting pattern designed by Cheryl Burke and published by Valley Yarns. This intermediate-level pattern produces an elegant, feminine cardigan featuring intricate cable detailing inspired by the flowing, organic shape of hosta leaves. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, making it instantly accessible for knitters ready to cast on right away.

What You Will Make

This pattern creates a women's cardigan with thoughtful waist shaping that gives the finished garment a flattering, tailored silhouette. The body features a cable panel section at the lower portion that transitions into Stockinette stitch as the piece progresses upward, blending textural interest with a clean, polished finish. Sleeves are worked separately and incorporated into the seamless construction. The cardigan is offered in multiple sizes, accommodating a wide range of body measurements.

Construction and Techniques

The 276 Hosta Leaf Cardigan is worked bottom-up and largely worked flat, making it an approachable project for knitters comfortable with reading both right-side and wrong-side rows. Key construction techniques include:

• Bottom-up construction: The body begins at the lower hem and is worked upward, allowing the knitter to easily adjust length before reaching the armhole shaping.
• Cables: The signature hosta leaf cable motif is worked at the lower body, adding rich texture and visual interest that defines the character of this cardigan.
• Waist shaping: Precise decrease and increase rows are worked at regular intervals to create a defined waist, with decreases worked every 6th or 8th row depending on size, followed by increases every 8th row to restore fullness at the hip.
• Seamless elements: Sleeves are begun by casting on stitches and joining in the round on double-pointed needles (dpns), incorporating seamless circular knitting for a smooth, comfortable finish.
• Ribbing: A simple rib pattern is established at the sleeve cuff using a k1, p2 rib sequence, providing a neat, stretchy edge.

Stitches Used

Knitters working the 276 Hosta Leaf Cardigan will use and practice a variety of stitches and techniques throughout the pattern:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): Used throughout the upper body and as the primary background fabric once the cable section is complete.
• Cable stitches: The hosta leaf cable pattern forms the decorative focal point of the lower body section.
• k2tog (knit two together): A right-leaning decrease used in waist shaping rows.
• ssk (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease paired with k2tog to create symmetrical waist shaping.
• m1 (make one): An increase stitch used in the increase rows to restore fullness at the hip after waist shaping.
• k1, p2 ribbing: Worked at the sleeve cuff for a tidy, elastic border.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty. Knitters should be comfortable with basic shaping techniques such as decreases and increases, reading cable charts or written cable instructions, and working both flat and in the round. The combination of cables, waist shaping, and transitioning between construction methods makes this a rewarding and skill-building project for those who have moved beyond beginner-level patterns.

Yarn and Materials

The 276 Hosta Leaf Cardigan is designed for use with Valley Yarns Northfield, a DK weight yarn. DK weight yarn strikes an ideal balance between drape and stitch definition, making it particularly well-suited to showcasing the cable motif while keeping the finished cardigan lightweight and wearable across seasons. Sleeves are worked on double-pointed needles (dpns) for the seamless circular construction, while the body is worked flat on standard knitting needles appropriate for DK weight yarn.