Capsicum Cardigan in Rowan Kidsilk Haze & Fine Lace - ZB298-00001-Capsicum Cardigan-UK - Downloadable PDF

Capsicum Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Lisa Richardson – Rowan Kidsilk Haze & Fine Lace

The Capsicum Cardigan is an elegant, lace-weight knitted cardigan designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and produces a beautifully draped, lightweight cardigan with a refined silhouette. The design is worked in a luxurious combination of two Rowan yarns held together, creating a fabric with exceptional softness, subtle halo, and delicate texture.

Garment Overview

The Capsicum Cardigan is a women's garment designed to fit a range of bust sizes, from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) through to 122–127 cm (48–50 in), with an actual hip measurement of the finished garment ranging from 96.5 cm to 136.5 cm. This generous range of sizing makes the pattern accessible to a wide variety of knitters. The cardigan features shaped front slopes, integrated sleeve shaping, and a defined shoulder fold line, all of which contribute to its structured yet fluid appearance.

Design Details and Construction

The Capsicum Cardigan is constructed with careful attention to shaping throughout. Key construction elements include:

• Front slope shaping – Gradual increases are worked at the front edges to create a neat, sloping neckline with a flattering open front.
• Neck edge decreasing – Decreases are worked at the neck edge over multiple rows, including consecutive rows and alternate rows, to shape the neckline precisely.
• Shoulder fold line – Markers are placed at both ends of a designated row to denote the shoulder fold line, a technique that creates a clean, seamless-looking shoulder without a traditional seam.
• Sleeve shaping – Stitches are cast off in stages at the beginning of successive rows to shape the sleeve cap, giving the garment a tailored fit through the upper arm and shoulder.
• Stitch pattern integration – Increases are taken into the established pattern as the shaping progresses, ensuring the lace or textured motif remains consistent across the fabric.

Techniques Used

As an intermediate-level pattern, the Capsicum Cardigan requires a solid foundation in knitting and an ability to manage multiple shaping elements simultaneously. Techniques employed include:

• Shaping on right side and wrong side rows – Knitters must track which side of the work is facing to execute increases and decreases correctly.
• Paired increases and decreases – Used throughout the front slope and neck shaping to maintain stitch counts and pattern alignment.
• Working from markers – Stitch markers are used to denote key construction points such as the shoulder fold line.
• Casting off in stages – Multiple cast-off rows at the beginning of alternate rows create the curved sleeve shaping characteristic of set-in or shaped sleeves.
• Pattern continuity across shaping – A hallmark of intermediate knitting, maintaining the stitch pattern while simultaneously increasing or decreasing requires careful row-by-row attention.

Stitches Used

While the full stitch dictionary is contained within the complete PDF pattern, the Capsicum Cardigan incorporates:

• Knit and purl stitches – The foundation of the fabric structure.
• Lace or textured pattern stitches – Referenced throughout as patt, indicating a repeating stitch motif that runs through the body and sleeves of the garment.
• Increase stitches – Used along the front slope and sleeve areas to add stitches while keeping the pattern intact.
• Decrease stitches – Applied at the neck edge and sleeve cap to reduce stitch counts in a controlled, shaped manner.

Yarn and Materials

The Capsicum Cardigan is worked using two Rowan yarns, both in the lace weight category, which are used together to create the finished fabric:

• Rowan Kidsilk Haze in