Gentle Hug Cardigan in Novita Natura - Downloadable PDF

Gentle Hug Cardigan in Novita Natura – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Gentle Hug Cardigan is a beautifully relaxed, cosy knitted cardigan designed by Sari Nordlund and worked in Novita Natura yarn. This intermediate-level knitting pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is offered completely free of charge. The design lives up to its name, offering a softly structured silhouette with thoughtful details including deep patch pockets, a ribbed hem, and a clean front border — making it an ideal project for knitters ready to move beyond the basics and tackle a full garment with shaping and construction techniques.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a full-length cardigan with long sleeves, front pockets, and a ribbed lower body. The finished garment has a generous, relaxed fit suitable for layering. Completed dimensions vary by size:

• Body circumference: 106(114)122(130)138 cm / 41¾(45)48(51¼)54¼ in
• Total length: 103(105)105(107)108 cm / 40½(41¼)41¼(42¼)42½ in
• Sleeve length: 47(48)49(49)50 cm / 18½(19)19¼(19¼)19¾ in

The cardigan is worked in sizes XS(S)M/L(L)XL, making it accessible across a wide range of body measurements. The back panel holds 85(91)97(103)109 stitches, and each front panel holds 61(64)67(70)73 stitches, giving the garment a balanced and well-proportioned structure.

Construction and Techniques

The Gentle Hug Cardigan is constructed using a combination of flat and in-the-round knitting methods, with the body worked on a long circular needle. Key construction techniques include:

• Top-down or bottom-up body construction worked flat on a circular needle, with fronts and back separated at the underarm
• Integrated front borders worked simultaneously with the body, keeping 11 stitches at each end in pattern throughout
• Neckline shaping using skp (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over) decreases on right-side rows for a clean, gradual neckline
• Patch pocket construction worked as a separate section by turning the work mid-row, knitting 23 stitches back and forth on smaller needles until the pocket measures 26 cm, then rejoining to the main body
• Stitch markers placed to separate the right front, back, and left front sections for easy navigation during construction
• Sleeve knitting worked either on double-pointed needles or using the Magic Loop technique on a long circular needle

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a small but effective set of classic knitting stitches and stitch patterns:

• Stockinette stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS) — used for the main body, sleeves, and pocket linings
• 1x1 ribbing (*k1, p1* repeat) — used for the lower body hem section, providing elasticity and a neat finish
• Integrated border stitches — a combination of knit and purl stitches worked over 8–11 stitches at each front edge to create a stable, non-curling front band
• skp decrease — a left-leaning decrease used during neckline shaping

The interplay between the ribbed hem, the textured front borders, and the smooth stockinette body gives the cardigan a polished, structured look without requiring complex stitch patterns. This makes the design approachable for intermediate knitters while still offering enough variety to keep the project engaging throughout.

Materials Required

Yarn

The pattern calls for Novita Natura in colourway (015) Lake, a soft worsted-weight