Cardigans in Sirdar Country Style DK - 8225 - Downloadable PDF

Cardigans in Sirdar Country Style DK – Pattern 8225: Three Classic Knitted Cardigan Designs

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Sirdar presents three distinct cardigan designs, all worked in Sirdar Country Style DK yarn. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and covers an impressive range of sizes, from a chest/bust of 61/66 cm (24/26 in) up to 112/117 cm (44/46 in), making it a versatile choice for knitters looking to create a well-fitted, classic knitwear piece for themselves or others. Each cardigan shares the same fundamental construction approach but offers a different neckline style, giving knitters genuine variety within a single pattern booklet.

The Three Cardigan Designs

V Neck Cardigan

The first design features a classic V neckline, one of the most flattering and timeless cardigan shapes in hand knitting. The V neck creates an elongating effect and suits a wide range of body types. This version is worked in Sirdar Country Style DK shade 654 and requires between 4 and 10 balls of 50g yarn depending on size. It is fastened with 5 to 7 Sirdar Elegant Buttons (code BS611-0941). The V neck shaping is typically achieved through careful decreasing along the front bands, and the button band is usually worked in a neat ribbed or moss stitch border to give a clean, professional finish.

Shawl Collar Cardigan

The second design offers a shawl collar, a more relaxed and cosy neckline that wraps softly around the neck and adds a stylish, contemporary feel. Shawl collars in knitting are generally picked up and worked in a continuous ribbed or textured strip that folds over naturally. This cardigan is shown in Sirdar Country Style DK shade 655 and also requires between 4 and 10 balls of 50g yarn across the size range. Buttons required are 5 to 7 Sirdar Elegant Buttons (code BS611-0936). The shawl collar construction may call for the optional 3¼mm circular needle referenced in the materials list, which is particularly useful for picking up and working the collar neatly in the round or across a long continuous edge.

Round Neck Cardigan

The third design is a round neck cardigan, a clean and classic silhouette that works beautifully as both a casual layer and a smarter everyday garment. Round neck cardigans are perennially popular due to their versatility and ease of wear. This version is worked in Sirdar Country Style DK shade 389 and requires slightly more yarn than the other two designs — between 5 and 11 balls of 50g yarn — likely due to additional neckband fabric. It uses 6 to 8 Sirdar Elegant Buttons (code BS611-0924). The neckband is typically worked in a short ribbed trim to give a neat, structured finish.

Construction and Techniques

All three cardigans in this pattern are knitted flat in separate pieces — back, left front, right front, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. This is a traditional construction method well suited to intermediate knitters who are comfortable with shaping, seaming, and picking up stitches for neckbands and button bands. Key techniques used throughout the pattern include:

• Stocking stitch – the primary fabric of all three cardigans, worked by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side, creating a smooth, classic knitted surface
• Ribbing – typically used for welts, cuffs, and neckbands to provide stretch and a neat, structured edge
• Decreasing – used for armhole shaping, sleeve cap shaping, and V neck or round neck shaping; techniques referenced include k2tog (knit two together) and psso (pass slipped stitch over)
• Increasing – used along sleeve seams to shape the sleeve from cuff to underarm
• Picking up stitches – required along front edges and necklines to work button bands and collar finishes
• Wrap 1 – a short-row technique referenced in the abbreviations