Doris Cardigan in Adriafil Slogan - Downloadable PDF

Doris Cardigan Knitting Pattern in Adriafil Slogan Yarn – Free Downloadable PDF

The Doris Cardigan is an elegant, feminine knitted cardigan pattern designed to be worked in Adriafil Slogan yarn. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this pattern offers a beautifully shaped garment featuring a distinctive openwork lace stitch, a flattering waist-shaping silhouette, and a gracefully curved lower front edge. The pattern is written across three sizes, making it accessible to a range of knitters who want to create a lightweight, stylish layering piece.

What Is Being Made

The Doris Cardigan is a classic open-front or button-front cardigan constructed in separate pieces — a back and two fronts — which are then seamed together. The design incorporates careful shaping at the waist, armholes, neckline, and shoulders, resulting in a tailored, structured fit. The curved lower front edges add a distinctive and polished finishing detail that sets this cardigan apart from simpler rectangular-construction garments.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting in pieces: The back and right front (and by mirror, the left front) are worked flat, back and forth in rows, before being seamed.
• Waist shaping: Decreases and increases are worked at both side edges to create a fitted waist. Stitches are decreased six times, one stitch at a time, every 12 rows, then increased three times, one stitch at a time, every 16 rows to shape the hip and bust.
• Armhole shaping: Stepped bind-offs are worked at both edges to create a clean, shaped armhole. This involves binding off groups of stitches in a graduated sequence — first larger groups, then smaller — over alternating rows.
• Neckline shaping: Center back stitches are bound off and each shoulder half is finished separately, with additional bind-offs worked at the neck edge every other row to create a smooth, rounded neckline curve.
• Shaped lower front edge: The right front begins with a smaller cast-on and stitches are added progressively at the end of rows in a carefully sequenced series of increases — casting on groups of varying sizes every 2 rows, every 4 rows, and every 6 rows — to build the curved lower front hem. This is a more advanced shaping technique that creates an elegant, sweeping front edge.
• Seaming and finishing: Once all pieces are complete, the cardigan is assembled using standard knitting seaming methods.

Stitches Used

• Openwork pattern: The primary stitch pattern used throughout the entire cardigan is an openwork lace-style stitch. Openwork knitting typically involves a combination of yarn-overs and corresponding decreases to create deliberate holes or eyelets within the fabric, producing a light, airy, and decorative texture. This stitch is well-suited to the delicate nature of 4-ply weight yarn and adds visual interest without overwhelming the garment's elegant silhouette.
• Standard cast-on and bind-off: Used throughout for starting pieces, shaping armholes, necklines, and shoulders.
• Increases and decreases: Single-stitch increases and decreases are worked at edges for waist, armhole, and neckline shaping, as well as the progressive cast-ons used to build the shaped front lower edge.

Materials

• Yarn: Adriafil Slogan — a 4-ply weight yarn. Adriafil Slogan is a fine-weight yarn known for its smooth, refined finish, making it ideal for delicate openwork stitch patterns. Its lightweight character ensures the finished cardigan drapes beautifully and is comfortable to wear across seasons.
• Needles: Knitting needles appropriate for 4-ply / fingering weight yarn — typically in the range of 2.75 mm to 3.25 mm, though knitters should always check their tension swatch against the pattern gauge to ensure correct sizing.

Who Is This Pattern Suitable For

The Doris Cardigan pattern is best suited to intermediate to experienced knitters