Au Jardin Cardigan

Au Jardin Cardigan by Littletheorem

What is Being Made

The Au Jardin Cardigan is a cute cropped cardigan featuring a pretty lace yoke, designed as a lightweight, warm weather layering piece. The name "Au Jardin" is French for "in the garden," perfectly capturing the garment's floral lace motif aesthetic. This seamless cardigan is available in 8 sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 75 to 150 cm (30" to 60"), making it accessible for a wide range of body types.

Construction and Techniques

This cardigan is worked using a yoked construction method, knitted from the top down. This approach allows for quick knitting while maintaining a lightweight, breathable fabric ideal for warm weather wear. The seamless construction eliminates the need for seaming, resulting in a polished, professional finish with no interruption to the lace pattern flow.

The lace yoke is the signature design element, featuring a floral lace motif that requires attention to detail but remains achievable for intermediate-level knitters. The pattern provides comprehensive support for executing the lace work accurately.

Stitches and Stitch Instructions

The pattern includes lace patterns with both charted and written instructions, accommodating different learning preferences and knitting styles. This dual-format approach ensures clarity whether you prefer following visual charts or detailed row-by-row written directions. The lace stitches create an open, airy fabric characteristic of decorative lace yokes.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Au Jardin Cardigan is designed to be knitted with 3-ply and 4-ply weight yarn, creating a delicate, refined fabric suitable for the warm weather cardigan category.

Suggested Yarn: La Bien Aimee Cashmerino, which offers 433 m/473 yds per 100 g. This yarn blend consists of 75% Merino Wool, 15% Cashmere, and 10% nylon, providing softness, warmth, and durability. The yarn is available in gorgeous handdyed shades, including the colourway Quartz Fumé, adding visual interest and artisanal quality to the finished garment.

Yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from 570 to 1,460 yards (630 to 1,340 m) depending on the chosen size. The upper sleeve circumference ranges from 12" to 19" across the 8 available sizes, with sleeve length options of 12" to 12½".

Pattern Details and Measurements

• Bust sizes: 75 to 150 cm (30" to 60")
• Across back underarm to underarm: 15" to 29"
• Length underarm to hem: 10" to 12"
• Upper sleeve circumference: 12" to 19"
• Sleeve length: 12" to 12½"

The pattern includes both metric and imperial measurements, ensuring accessibility for knitters worldwide regardless of their preferred measurement system.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, the Au Jardin Cardigan is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle lace work. The combination of top-down yoked construction and lace pattern work provides a rewarding project that builds confidence in intermediate techniques without overwhelming complexity.