Khaki Cardigan in Rowan Summerlite DK & Kidsilk Haze - RM004-00018-DE - Downloadable PDF

Khaki Cardigan in Rowan Summerlite DK & Kidsilk Haze – Pattern Summary (RM004-00018-DE)

The Khaki Cardigan is a beautifully crafted women's knitted cardigan designed by Quail Studio for Rowan, published in 2021. This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF (reference RM004-00018-DE) and is written in German, making it an excellent choice for German-speaking knitters. Rated as an intermediate difficulty project, it suits knitters who are comfortable with shaping techniques and working with multiple yarn strands held together.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a classic, elegant cardigan worked in a sophisticated khaki colorway. The garment features a structured silhouette with front shaping, shoulder shaping, and ribbed details. It is designed to be a versatile wardrobe staple, combining the drape of a DK-weight cotton yarn with the delicate halo of a lace-weight mohair-silk blend for a luxurious finish.

The cardigan is available in five sizes, fitting actual bust measurements of approximately:

• 81–86 cm (actual garment bust: 121 cm)
• 91–97 cm (actual garment bust: 132 cm)
• 102–107 cm (actual garment bust: 141 cm)
• 112–117 cm (actual garment bust: 152 cm)
• 122–127 cm (actual garment bust: 161 cm)

The generous ease built into each size gives the finished cardigan a relaxed, contemporary fit. The garment length is worked to approximately 82–87 cm before shoulder shaping begins, depending on size, making this a longline cardigan suitable for layering.

Construction and Techniques

The Khaki Cardigan is knitted flat in separate pieces — including a back, left front, and right front — which are then seamed together. This traditional construction method gives the finished garment excellent structure and clean finish lines.

Key Techniques Used

• Ribbing: The pattern begins with a rib stitch pattern, used to create neat, elasticated edges at the hem and cuffs. Knitters begin with Row 1 of the rib and maintain the rib pattern correctly throughout the edging sections.
• Front slope shaping: The left front (and corresponding right front) features carefully worked front slope decreases. Stitches are decreased at the front edge at the beginning of specified rows — for example, decreasing 3 (5: 7: 4: 5) times every 4th row, followed by 12 (11: 10: 12: 12) times every 6th row — creating a smooth, gradual V-shaped or angled neckline.
• Shoulder shaping: Shoulder shaping is worked using row-by-row cast-offs at the beginning of right-side and wrong-side rows, producing a neat sloped shoulder line that sits well when seamed.
• Holding two strands together: One of the most distinctive techniques in this pattern is working with one strand of Summerlite DK (Colour A) and one strand of Kidsilk Haze (Colour B) held together throughout. This double-stranding technique is central to achieving the garment's characteristic texture, depth of colour, and subtle mohair halo effect.

Stitches Used

• Rib stitch – used for borders and edgings, providing stretch and a tidy finish
• Stocking stitch (Stockinette) – the primary stitch used for the body of the cardigan, creating a smooth, even fabric that showcases the yarn combination beautifully
• Decrease stitches – used systematically along the front slope and at the shoulders to shape the garment

Materials

Yarn

This pattern uses two Rowan yarns worked together as one:

• Ro