Keepin' it Cozy Cardigan - Free Knitting Pattern for Women in Paintbox Yarns Wool Blend Worsted - Downloadable PDF

Keepin' It Cozy Cardigan – Free Knitting Pattern for Women in Paintbox Yarns Wool Blend Worsted

The Keepin' It Cozy Cardigan is a women's knitted cardigan pattern rated at intermediate difficulty, available as a free downloadable PDF. Designed to be worked in Paintbox Yarns Wool Blend Worsted, this cozy, cable-accented cardigan is a satisfying project for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore classic cable construction. The pattern is exclusively available through LoveCrafts, where Paintbox Yarns is sold.

What You Are Making

This pattern produces a women's button-front cardigan featuring cable detailing, a comfortable fit, and a classic, timeless aesthetic. The finished garment is closed with six buttons, giving it a neat, polished look. The cardigan is offered in multiple sizes, with instructions written for the smallest size and changes for larger sizes given in round brackets throughout the pattern.

Construction and Techniques

The Keepin' It Cozy Cardigan is constructed using a bottom-up, worked flat, seamed method. This means the pieces — typically the back, two fronts, and sleeves — are knitted separately from the lower edge upward and then joined together by seaming. This traditional construction approach gives knitters full control over each panel and makes it easy to try on pieces as you go.

• Bottom-up construction: Work begins at the cast-on edge and progresses toward the shoulders, a classic and approachable method for garment knitting.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows on straight needles rather than in the round, making this ideal for knitters who prefer traditional flat knitting.
• Seamed finishing: Individual panels are sewn together after knitting, which adds structure and durability to the finished cardigan.
• Cable knitting: The pattern incorporates cables as a key design feature, adding textural interest and visual depth to the fabric.

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a focused set of stitches and techniques well-suited to an intermediate knitter:

• Stockinette stitch (st st) — also referred to as stocking stitch in UK terminology — forms the main body fabric of the cardigan.
• Garter stitch (g-st) is used as an accent or border element, creating a ridged, non-curling edge.
• C6B (Cable 6 Back): The signature cable stitch used in this pattern. It is worked by slipping the next 3 stitches onto a cable needle and holding them at the back, knitting the next 3 stitches, then knitting the 3 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a classic right-leaning rope cable.
• Decreases including k2tog (knit two together), p2tog (purl two together), and skpo (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over) are used for shaping throughout the garment.
• Yarn forward (yf) is used to create eyelets, likely for buttonholes along the front band.

Materials Required

The recommended yarn is Paintbox Yarns Wool Blend Worsted, sold in 3½oz / 100g balls. The colorway specified in the pattern is Stream. Depending on the size being knitted, the pattern calls for 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, or 9 balls of yarn, making it important to check your size before purchasing.

• Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Wool Blend Worsted in Stream
• Needles: A pair of US 5 (3.75mm) knitting needles and a pair of US 7 (4.5mm) knitting needles — the smaller size is typically used for ribbing or borders, while the larger size is used for the main fabric.
• Cable needle: Required for working the C6B cable stitches.
• Six buttons: Needed to finish the cardigan front