Echinops

Echinops Cardigan by Maloraé Designs

What is Being Made

The Echinops is a knitted cardigan designed as a downloadable PDF pattern by independent designer Maloraé Designs. This intermediate-level project creates a fitted yet comfortable cardigan available in six sizes (0 through 5) with finished bust circumferences ranging from 90 cm to 140 cm (35 to 55 inches). The cardigan features a button-front closure with nine 12 mm buttons and is designed to be worn with positive ease of approximately 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3 inches) for comfortable wear.

Finished Measurements and Fit

The Echinops cardigan offers versatile sizing options to accommodate different body types. Bust circumference measurements span from 90 cm in size 0 to 140 cm in size 5. Upper arm circumference ranges from 30 cm to 42 cm across the size range, allowing for varied sleeve fits. The cardigan length from underarm to hem is a consistent 44 cm (17 inches), while sleeves measure 42 cm (16.5 inches) from underarm to cuff, providing standard proportions suitable for most wearers.

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate cardigan incorporates several essential knitting techniques that add visual interest and demonstrate skill development. The pattern includes picking up stitches, a fundamental technique used for constructing the neckline and other edges by drawing yarn through existing stitches. Sleeve stitches are picked up separately, allowing for seamless integration with the body. The design also features cables worked without a cable needle, a technique that creates twisted stitch patterns without requiring additional tools, streamlining the knitting process while producing elegant textural effects.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The primary stitch used throughout the Echinops cardigan is moss stitch, a classic textured pattern that creates a bumpy, tweedy appearance. Moss stitch is worked by alternating knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence across rows, producing a reversible fabric with visual depth and excellent drape. The ribbing sections, typically found at cuffs, hem, and button bands, utilize a different stitch pattern to create elasticity and structure at these edges. The inclusion of cables without a cable needle adds dimensional interest to specific sections of the design.

Yarn and Materials

The Echinops cardigan is knitted with fingering weight yarn, a fine yarn category that creates delicate, detailed fabric. Total yardage requirements vary by size, ranging from approximately 1070 meters (1170 yards) for size 0 to 1660 meters (1815 yards) for size 5. This yardage calculation allows crafters to select appropriate yarn quantities before beginning the project. The pattern specifies 3.5 mm (US 4) needles for the body of the cardigan and 3 mm (US 2.5) needles for ribbing sections, with the smaller needles creating tighter, more elastic ribbed edges. Additional materials include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and waste yarn for holding stitches during construction. Nine buttons measuring 12 mm complete the button-front closure.

Gauge and Blocking

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit in the Echinops cardigan. The pattern specifies a gauge of 26 stitches and 36 rows to 10 cm (approximately 66 stitches and 91 rows per 4 inches) when working moss stitch on 3.5 mm needles after blocking. Blocking, the process of washing and shaping the finished knitted fabric, is necessary to achieve this gauge and ensure the cardigan reaches its intended finished measurements. Knitters should swatch in moss stitch and block their swatch before beginning the full project to verify gauge accuracy.