Rosy Maple Cardigan in Berroco Millstone Tweed and Aerial - Downloadable PDF

Rosy Maple Cardigan: A Cozy Knitting Pattern in Berroco Millstone Tweed and Berroco Aerial

The Rosy Maple Cardigan, designed by Mel Kennelly and published by Berroco, is a relaxed, wearable cardigan pattern rated Advanced Beginner in skill level. This downloadable PDF pattern offers a beautifully textured, layered fabric achieved by holding two distinctive Berroco yarns together throughout the entire project. With ten sizes available and a generous recommended ease of 4–8 inches, the Rosy Maple is designed to fit a wide range of bodies comfortably and stylishly.

What Is Being Made

The Rosy Maple is a bottom-up cardigan featuring a classic silhouette with set-in or picked-up sleeves, a button front closure, and a structured ribbed texture. It is a full-length cardigan with finished bust measurements ranging from 40¼ inches up to 76½ inches (approximately 102 cm to 194 cm), making it genuinely size-inclusive. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in size 2 (43½" / 110 cm), modeled with approximately 8 inches of positive ease for a relaxed, draping fit. Lengths range from approximately 31½ to 34 inches depending on size, giving this cardigan a longline, comfortable feel. The finished garment is fastened with three 1-inch / 25 mm buttons, adding a polished, functional detail to the front opening.

Construction Techniques

The Rosy Maple Cardigan is constructed using a traditional bottom-up, worked-in-pieces method. Knitters work the body pieces flat and then seam them at the sides and shoulders — a classic approach that gives the finished garment clean, structured seams and a tailored look. This construction style is excellent for knitters who are comfortable with basic seaming techniques such as mattress stitch or backstitch.

• Bottom-up construction: The body is worked from the cast-on edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as they go and adjust length if needed.
• Worked in pieces and seamed: The front and back panels are knitted separately and then joined at the sides and shoulders, a technique well-suited to Advanced Beginner knitters building confidence with garment finishing.
• Sleeves picked up and worked in the round: Rather than seaming sleeve pieces, the sleeve stitches are picked up around the armholes after seaming and then worked downward in the round. This top-down sleeve approach reduces finishing work and creates a smooth, seamless sleeve join.
• Double-stranding: A key construction note is that Berroco Millstone Tweed and Berroco Aerial are held together throughout the entire pattern. This technique of holding two yarns simultaneously creates a uniquely rich, textured fabric that combines the rustic warmth of a tweed with the delicate halo or sheen of a lighter yarn.

Stitches Used

The Rosy Maple Cardigan uses a focused, beginner-friendly stitch vocabulary that is approachable while still producing a visually interesting fabric:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary stitch pattern used throughout the body and sleeves, creating a smooth, classic knitted fabric that showcases the blended yarn combination beautifully.
• K2, P2 ribbing: A two-by-two rib pattern is used for texture and structure, likely at hems, cuffs, and possibly the button band. Ribbing is an elastic stitch pattern that helps edges lie flat and gives the cardigan a neat, finished appearance.

The gauge for this pattern is set at 15 stitches and 21 rows to 4 inches / 10 cm in both stockinette stitch and k2, p2 ribbing, measured after blocking with both yarns held together. Blocking is specifically called out as essential for accurate gauge measurement, which is an important step for garment knitting at any skill level.

Materials: Yarn

One of the most distinctive features of the Rosy Maple Cardigan is its double-yarn approach, combining two Berroco yarns from different weight categories to create a single unified fabric:

• Berroco Millstone Tweed™ — An aran weight