Franca Cardigan in Berroco Merino 401 Chunky

Franca Cardigan in Berroco Merino 401 Chunky – Pattern Summary

The Franca Cardigan is a beautifully structured, chunky-weight knitted cardigan designed by Tabetha Hedrick and published by Berroco. Rated as an intermediate skill level project, this pattern offers an inclusive size range spanning 11 sizes — from a finished bust circumference of 34¾" / 87 cm up to 74¾" / 187 cm — making it a versatile wardrobe staple for a wide range of knitters. The sample shown is knitted in size 2 (39¼" / 98 cm), modeled with approximately 3¾" / 9.5 cm of positive ease, and the designer recommends wearing this cardigan with roughly 3–4" / 7.5–10 cm of positive ease for a relaxed, comfortable fit.

What Is Being Made

The Franca Cardigan is a classic, button-front cardigan worked in a chunky weight yarn. It features a clean, structured silhouette with a button band that runs along both front edges and around the back neck. The finished garment length ranges from 18" / 45 cm in the smallest size up to 23¾" / 59.5 cm in the largest, giving it a slightly cropped to hip-length appearance depending on the size chosen. Four 7/8" / 22 mm buttons are sewn on after finishing to complete the front closure.

Construction Techniques

The Franca Cardigan is constructed using a traditional worked flat in pieces and seamed method. This means the individual sections — such as the front panels, back, and sleeves — are each knitted separately as flat fabric and then joined together through seaming. This approach is well-suited to intermediate knitters who are comfortable with basic finishing techniques and produces a sturdy, well-defined structure in the finished garment.

• Flat knitting: All pieces are worked back and forth in rows, rather than in the round, making this an approachable project for knitters transitioning from beginner to intermediate level.
• Seaming: Once all pieces are complete, they are joined together, a technique that adds structure and durability to the cardigan.
• Picked-up button band: The button band is not worked separately and sewn on; instead, stitches are picked up along the front edges and back neck, then worked flat. This creates a neat, integrated finish that lies smoothly against the body of the cardigan.
• Garter stitch selvedge edges: When working in Stockinette stitch, the pattern instructs knitters to knit the first and last stitch of every row, creating a tidy garter stitch selvedge. This technique helps keep edges from curling and makes seaming significantly easier and more precise.
• Blocking: Gauge is measured after blocking, which is an important finishing step for any yarn with natural fiber content. Blocking evens out stitches, opens up the fabric, and ensures the finished measurements match those stated in the pattern.

Stitches Used

The Franca Cardigan relies on two foundational knitting stitches that are familiar to most intermediate knitters:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout the body and sleeves of the cardigan. Stockinette is created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic fabric with excellent drape. The gauge for Stockinette stitch in this pattern is 12 stitches and 15 rows = 4" / 10 cm.
• Garter stitch: Used for the button band and as selvedge edges throughout the flat pieces. Garter stitch is produced by knitting every row, resulting in a ridged, reversible texture that lies flat without curling — ideal for borders and edgings. The gauge for Garter stitch in this pattern is 12 stitches and 18 rows = 4" / 10 cm. Note that Garter stitch rows are more compressed vertically than Stockinette rows, which is why the row gauge differs between the two stitch patterns.

Yarn and Materials