Berroco Mainstay PDF

Berroco Mainstay Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Amy Palmer

The Berroco Mainstay is a beautifully crafted women's cardigan pattern designed by Amy Palmer as part of the Berroco Modern Cotton and Modern Cotton DK Spring 2018 Collection. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces an elegant, lightweight open-front cardigan with delicate lace detailing, making it an ideal transitional layer for warmer seasons. The design is worked flat in pieces and seamed together, resulting in a polished, structured finish that flatters a wide range of body types.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a women's seamed cardigan with a refined, relaxed silhouette. It is available in seven sizes with a finished bust measurement (closed) of 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, or 60 inches, and a length ranging from 13 to 16 inches depending on size. The garment is designed with approximately 2–4 inches of positive ease, so knitters are encouraged to carefully consider their size selection. The sample shown in the pattern photography is knitted in size 40 inches. The shorter length gives this cardigan a cropped, modern feel that pairs well with high-waisted bottoms or as a layering piece over dresses and tops.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the lower edge upward, a traditional and widely understood approach that allows knitters to easily adjust length before committing to armhole and shoulder shaping.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows on a circular needle, rather than in the round. This flat construction is standard for seamed garments and produces neat, even edges.
• Seamed finishing: Individual pieces are joined together using seaming techniques, giving the finished cardigan structure and a clean, professionally finished appearance.
• Lace: The pattern incorporates an Eyelet Ridge Pattern, a simple yet elegant lace technique that adds visual texture and lightness to the fabric. Eyelet lace is created through a combination of yarn-overs and decreases, producing small decorative holes arranged in a repeating pattern.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary fabric stitch of the cardigan, worked by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. It creates a smooth, classic knitted surface.
• Eyelet Ridge Pattern: A lace stitch pattern unique to this design that combines yarn-overs with corresponding decreases to form a repeating eyelet motif. This stitch is central to the decorative character of the Mainstay cardigan.

Gauge

Achieving correct gauge is essential for this pattern. Two separate gauge measurements are specified:

• 20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette stitch
• 20 stitches and 40 rows = 4 inches in Eyelet Ridge Pattern

Knitters should swatch in both stitch patterns before casting on, as the row gauge differs significantly between the two, which will affect the overall drape and proportions of the finished garment.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Notions

The pattern calls for Berroco Modern Cotton DK, a DK weight yarn sold in 100-gram hanks. The colorway used in the sample is #6663 Hope, a soft, nature-inspired shade. The quantity required ranges from 2 to 4 hanks depending on the size being knitted:

• 2 hanks: sizes 36" and 40"
• 3 hanks: sizes 44", 48", and 52"
• 4 hanks: sizes 56" and 60"

Berroco Modern Cotton DK is a cotton-blend yarn well suited to spring and summer knitting projects. Its smooth texture makes it ideal for showcasing stitch definition in both Stockinette and lace patterns, and its breathability makes the finished cardigan comfortable