807 Downstream Cardigan - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Northampton

807 Downstream Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Women by Melissa LaBarre

The 807 Downstream Cardigan is a beautifully designed women's knitting pattern by Melissa LaBarre, available as a downloadable PDF. This short-sleeved, open-front cardigan is a versatile wardrobe staple that showcases elegant textured stitch panels flowing down the back, giving the garment a distinctive, artisan quality. Worked in Valley Yarns Northampton at a worsted weight, this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and are ready to explore more refined construction techniques.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a top-down, open-front cardigan with short sleeves and a relaxed, wearable silhouette. The defining design feature is a panel of texture stitches running down the back of the garment, creating visual interest and a flowing, structural detail. The cardigan is worked seamlessly from the top down, meaning there are minimal seams to sew at the end, resulting in a polished, professional finish straight off the needles.

The pattern is offered in eight sizes, with finished bust measurements of 32, 34, 38, 40, 44, 46, and 50 inches, making it accessible to a wide range of body types. This generous size range reflects a thoughtful, inclusive approach to garment design.

Construction Techniques

The 807 Downstream Cardigan employs several well-regarded knitting construction methods that work together to create a seamless, well-fitting garment:

• Top-down construction: The cardigan begins at the neckline and is worked downward toward the hem. This approach allows knitters to try on the garment as they go and make fit adjustments in real time, a major advantage for achieving a personalized fit.
• Raglan shaping: Increases are worked at four raglan points to simultaneously shape the body and sleeves as the knitting progresses downward. Raglan construction is a classic seamless technique that creates a smooth, diagonal seam line from the underarm to the neckline.
• Seamless knitting: By working in the round for portions of the garment, the pattern avoids the need for complex seaming, resulting in a cleaner finish and a more comfortable wearing experience.
• Worked flat and in the round: The pattern combines flat knitting (working back and forth in rows) with circular knitting (working in the round), a hallmark of sophisticated seamless garment construction. The open cardigan front is typically worked flat, while body and sleeve sections transition to working in the round.

Stitches Used

The pattern makes use of a focused set of knitting stitches and techniques, including:

• Knit (k): The foundational stitch used throughout the garment.
• Kfb (knit in the front and back): An increase stitch used to add stitches during shaping.
• K2tog (knit two together): A right-leaning decrease used in shaping sections.
• M1L and M1R (Make 1 Left and Make 1 Right): Directional increase stitches used to maintain tidy, symmetrical shaping, particularly at the raglan points.
• Texture stitch panel: A dedicated panel of textured stitches worked down the back of the cardigan, which is the signature design element of this pattern. Stitch markers (designated as marker B) are used to frame and track this panel throughout the knitting.

Materials

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool worsted weight yarn available in 100g skeins with approximately 247 yards per skein. The sample shown uses the colorway Sage Heather, a soft, natural-toned green that complements the textured stitch work beautifully. Depending on the size being knitted, the pattern requires 3 to 5 skeins, making it a relatively economical project.

• Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton, 100% wool, 100g / 247 yards per skein, color Sage Heather