Reef Cardigan in Rowan Brushed Fleece - RTP004-0003-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Reef Cardigan in Rowan Brushed Fleece by Martin Storey – Pattern Summary

The Reef Cardigan is a beautifully textured, cosy knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF (reference RTP004-0003-DEP), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with shaping, short-row techniques, and working across multiple needle sizes. The garment is a classic, relaxed-fit cardigan worked in a luxurious chunky weight yarn, delivering warmth and softness with a tactile, brushed finish.

Garment Overview

The Reef Cardigan is a full-length sleeved cardigan featuring structured shaping at the shoulders, armholes, and neckline. It is designed to fit a wide range of bust measurements, spanning nine sizes from 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm, with a generous knitted ease built into each size. The photographed sample is worked in Briar 281, a warm, earthy colourway that showcases the depth and texture of the yarn beautifully. The finished knitted bust measurement ranges from 106 cm to 188 cm depending on the size selected, confirming the cardigan's relaxed, comfortable silhouette.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Brushed Fleece, a premium chunky weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. Brushed Fleece is known for its incredibly soft, halo-like surface created through a brushing process that lifts fine fibres from the yarn's core, giving finished garments a warm, cloud-like appearance. The quantity required ranges from 8 to 11 balls depending on the size being knitted. The yarn is photographed in Briar 281, though the pattern can of course be worked in any available Brushed Fleece shade.

• Yarn: Rowan Brushed Fleece, 50 g per ball
• Yarn weight: Chunky
• Colourway shown: Briar 281
• Quantity: 8–11 balls depending on size

Needles and Accessories

The Reef Cardigan is knitted using two sizes of straight knitting needles, along with a circular needle for finishing. The specific requirements are as follows:

• Straight needles: Size 5 mm and size 6 mm
• Circular needle: One long size 5 mm circular needle (used for picking up and working the button band or neckband edging)
• Accessories: Stitch holders or spare needles for holding stitches during shoulder and neckline shaping

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern, particularly given the range of sizes available. The stated tension is 14.5 stitches and 22 rows to 10 x 10 cm, measured over the main stitch pattern using 6 mm needles. Knitters are strongly advised to work a tension swatch before casting on, as the chunky nature of Brushed Fleece means even small variations in gauge can significantly affect the finished dimensions of the cardigan.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The Reef Cardigan is worked primarily in a 2x2 rib-based main stitch pattern, which gives the fabric excellent structure and stretch while remaining visually interesting. The rib pattern alternates between knit and purl stitches in a regular sequence, creating vertical columns of texture across the body and sleeves. This type of stitch pattern is well suited to the soft, halo finish of Brushed Fleece, as the texture remains visible even through the yarn's characteristic fuzziness.

Key stitches and techniques referenced in the pattern include:

• 2x2 rib: The main stitch pattern, worked as knit 2, purl 2 on right-side rows and purl 2, knit 2 on wrong-side rows, with a two-stitch knit edge at each end of the row