Carousel

Carousel Cardigan by Deb Hoss

What Is Being Made

Carousel is a lightly shaped cardigan featuring a distinctive wide and dipping neckline. This top-down knit design offers a flattering silhouette with seven size options ranging from 31¼ inches to 55 inches in bust measurement, accommodating a broad range of body sizes. The cardigan is designed to be worn with minimal ease, creating a close, refined fit that showcases the stitch pattern.

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate-level cardigan employs several essential knitting techniques that build foundational skills. The garment is worked from the top down, beginning with the neckline and progressing downward—a construction method that allows for easy fitting adjustments and eliminates the need for seaming the body. Slim sleeves are also worked top down in the round using circular knitting methods, then set into the armholes using the set-in sleeve technique. The pattern incorporates short row shaping to create the garment's contoured fit and dipping neckline detail.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary texture throughout Carousel is Mock English Rib, a simple knit and purl repeat that creates visual interest and subtle texture without requiring cable needles or complex colorwork. This stitch pattern is bordered strategically by 1x1 ribbing at all hems and edges, providing structure, elasticity, and a polished finish to the cardigan's openings. The ribbed edgings ensure the garment maintains its shape through wear and washing.

Required Knitting Skills

Knitters should be comfortable with the following techniques before beginning this project:

• Long-tail cast-on and cable cast-on methods
• Decreases including ssk (slip, slip, knit), k2tog (knit two together), p2tog (purl two together), and p2tog tbl (purl two together through back loop)
• Increases including m1R (make one right), m1L (make one left), and yarn overs (yo)
• Short row shaping for contouring
• Picking up stitches along edges
• Circular knitting in the round
• Setting in sleeves
• Blocking to finish and shape the completed garment

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Carousel is worked in fingering weight yarn, also known as 4-ply weight. The designer, Deb Hoss, used two different yarns for this project, chosen specifically for color selection purposes. Both yarns share identical gauges, allowing knitters the flexibility to use either a single yarn throughout or mix two different yarns according to personal preference and color availability. Specific needle sizes and yardage requirements are detailed within the pattern documentation. The finished garment is completed with blocking, which sets the stitches and enhances the drape of the Mock English Rib texture.

Design Details

The Carousel cardigan showcases thoughtful design elements including its signature wide, dipping neckline that creates an elegant, contemporary aesthetic. The combination of lightly shaped construction with the textured Mock English Rib creates a garment that is both visually interesting and wearable for various occasions. The top-down construction method and set-in sleeves demonstrate intermediate-level garment design principles, making this pattern an excellent project for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond basic garment construction.