Flora Cardigan in Adriafil Avantgarde- Downloadable PDF

Flora Cardigan in Adriafil Avantgarde – Free Knitting Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

The Flora Cardigan is an elegantly shaped, women's knitted cardigan worked in Adriafil Avantgarde yarn. This free downloadable PDF pattern produces a classic, tailored silhouette with waist shaping, set-in sleeves, a structured ribbed border, and a neat neckline finish. The design is available in three sizes — 44, 46, and 48 — making it a versatile project for knitters who enjoy working with fine-weight yarn on small needles to achieve a polished, detailed fabric.

What Is Being Made

The pattern constructs a full cardigan consisting of four separate knitted pieces: a back panel, a right front, a left front, and two sleeves. These pieces are worked flat and then seamed together using a tapestry needle. The finished garment features waist shaping through side decreases and increases, shaped armholes, set-in sleeve caps, and a front button band worked as an integral ribbed border on each front piece. The neckline is shaped with stepped cast-offs to create a smooth, rounded finish.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Adriafil Avantgarde in violet, shade no. 19 — approximately 550 g required
• Needles: 2.5 mm knitting needles (no. 2½)
• Notions: A tapestry needle for seaming and finishing

Adriafil Avantgarde is a 4-ply weight yarn, making this a project suited to knitters comfortable working with finer yarns. The lightweight nature of the yarn contributes to the delicate drape and refined texture of the finished cardigan. Working at this gauge requires attention to tension, and a gauge swatch is strongly recommended before beginning.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 28 stitches and 40 rows over a 10 × 10 cm square worked in knit stitch on 2.5 mm needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the garment to match the intended sizing across all three size options.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Elastic rib — used for the opening border rows to create a neat, flexible cast-on edge
• K1/P1 rib stitch — used along the front bands of both the right and left front panels to create an integrated button band effect
• K2/P2 rib stitch — worked across the lower border section of all main pieces, adding structure and stretch to the hem area
• Knit stitch (stockinette / stocking stitch) — the primary stitch used across the body and sleeves once the border section is complete, creating a smooth, classic fabric surface

Construction and Shaping Techniques

The back panel is cast on with a generous stitch count — 182 (186–190) stitches depending on size — and begins with the elastic rib border followed by the k2/p2 rib section over the first 8 cm. Stitches are then decreased evenly as the work transitions into knit stitch for the main body. Waist shaping is achieved through side decreases of one stitch at each end every 5 cm, repeated seven times, creating a fitted silhouette. The waist is then reversed with a series of increases — one stitch every two rows nine times, then two stitches twice, then three stitches — to build out the bust and underarm area. Shoulder shaping uses stepped cast-offs every two rows, with the exact stitch counts varying by size. The neckline is shaped by casting off the centre stitches and then working each shoulder separately with additional decreases toward the centre.

The right and left front panels are mirror images of each other. Each front is cast on with 134 (137–140) stitches and worked with the same border sequence. A 7-stitch k1/p1 rib band is maintained along the front opening edge throughout the entire length of the piece, forming the integrated button band. Side shaping, bust increases, and shoulder