Doris Cardigan - Knitting Pattern For Women in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

Doris Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Women – MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

The Doris Cardigan is a women's knitted cardigan pattern designed by MillaMia, worked in their signature Naturally Soft Merino yarn. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a beautifully textured, striped button-front cardigan with a classic, wearable silhouette. The design is available as a downloadable PDF and is suitable for knitters who are comfortable with shaping, stripe sequences, and working flat on straight needles.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a women's seamed cardigan featuring a structured stripe pattern created by alternating yarn colours across knit and purl rows. The cardigan includes set-in or shaped sleeves with a fixed sleeve length of 46 cm / 18 inches, and a button band with 9 buttons. It is sized to fit a bust measurement of 82–107 cm (32–42 inches), with actual bust measurements ranging from 88–120 cm (34¾–47¼ inches) across six sizes. The length to shoulder ranges from 54–59 cm (21¼–23¼ inches) depending on size.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino, a sport weight yarn sold in 50 g / 1¾ oz balls. Three colours are used in the main colourway:

• Storm 102 (Colour A) – 5 (6:6:6:7:7) balls
• Snow 124 (Colour B) – 4 (5:5:5:6:6) balls
• Pitch Black 100 (Colour C) – 2 (2:2:3:3:3) balls

A suggested alternative colourway is also referenced in the pattern, incorporating shades Grass 141, Ink 106, Putty 121, and Midnight Blue 101, offering a fresh take on the same design. In addition to yarn, the pattern requires a pair of 3 mm (US 2) knitting needles and a pair of 3.25 mm (US 3) knitting needles, plus 9 buttons.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for a well-fitting cardigan. The pattern specifies two tension measurements using 3.25 mm (US 3) needles:

• 25 stitches and 34 rows to 10 cm / 4 inches over stocking stitch (stockinette stitch)
• 25 stitches and 41 rows to 10 cm / 4 inches over the textured stripe pattern

The difference in row gauge between stocking stitch and the textured pattern reflects how the alternating knit and purl rows compress the fabric vertically, creating the characteristic raised stripe texture.

Techniques Used

The Doris Cardigan is worked flat on straight needles, meaning each piece — the back, fronts, and sleeves — is knitted separately and then seamed together to construct the finished garment. This traditional construction method gives the cardigan a neat, structured finish. Key techniques featured in the pattern include:

• Stripes: The defining feature of the Doris Cardigan is its textured stripe pattern, achieved by alternating yarn colours and alternating between knit and purl rows. This creates a beautifully raised, dimensional stripe rather than a flat colour block.
• Buttonholes: The button band includes worked buttonholes to accommodate the 9 buttons. The pattern hints that using a cable needle when picking up and knitting the buttonhole band can help manage stitches more easily.
• Seaming: Individual pieces are joined using standard seaming methods after blocking and finishing.
• Shaping: Standard knitting increases and decreases are used throughout, including k2tog (knit two together) for right-leaning decreases and