Carrick Bend

Carrick Bend Cardigan by Amanda Scheuzger

What is Being Made

The Carrick Bend is a modern cabled cardigan designed to update a fall wardrobe with a contemporary approach to traditional cable knit styling. This top-down knit cardigan features a prominent cable motif positioned around the yoke as the focal point of the design, while the body maintains a clean, minimalist aesthetic. The cardigan is constructed with thoughtful shaping that transitions from round yoke construction to raglan shaping, creating a refined and well-fitted silhouette suitable for advanced knitters.

Construction and Techniques

The Carrick Bend cardigan is knit from the top down, beginning at the neck with a smaller circular needle. This construction method allows for seamless yoke shaping and the ability to try on the garment as it progresses. The yoke features round shaping that smoothly transitions into raglan shaping for the body, providing a sophisticated fit across the shoulders and upper body. The design incorporates strategic increases worked throughout the yoke to accommodate the transition from neck to body width.

The cardigan is worked flat rather than in the round, as indicated by the set-up instructions that specify not joining stitches. This flat construction allows for button bands and front openings to be incorporated naturally into the design.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Carrick Bend employs a combination of fundamental knitting stitches to achieve its refined appearance:

• Stockinette Stitch forms the primary fabric of the cardigan body, creating a smooth, classic knit surface that serves as a neutral backdrop for the cable feature
• Ribbed Edgings are used at the neckline and edges, worked in a two-over-three rib pattern (k2, p3) that provides structure and prevents curling
• Cable Stitches are featured around the yoke as the signature design element, allowing the cable work to command visual attention
• Make One Left (M1L) Increases are used strategically throughout the yoke shaping rows to create the necessary width expansion from neck to body

Materials and Specifications

The Carrick Bend is designed to be worked in sport weight yarn, a lightweight yarn that creates a drapey, refined fabric suitable for a cardigan with elegant shaping. The pattern is worked on smaller circular needles for the ribbed edgings and yoke sections, with the construction accommodating multiple sizes through a range of cast-on stitch counts (125 to 145 stitches) and corresponding finished stitch counts that range from 255 to 349 stitches after the initial increase rows.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced, making it suitable for experienced knitters who are comfortable with top-down construction, yoke shaping, cable knitting, and seamless raglan increases. The combination of techniques and the precision required for proper fit across multiple sizes positions this as a project for knitters with solid foundational skills.

Pattern designed by Amanda Scheuzger, originally published in 2018 and revised July 12, 2019.