Rue Cardigan in Rowan Handknit Cotton - Downloadable PDF

Rue Cardigan by Martin Storey in Rowan Handknit Cotton – Pattern Summary

The Rue Cardigan is a classic knitted cardigan designed by Martin Storey and published by Rowan. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this pattern is rated as beginner level, making it an excellent choice for knitters who are building their skills and looking to complete their first or early garment projects. The design is clean, wearable, and timeless — the kind of everyday cardigan that suits a wide range of styles and occasions.

What Is Being Made

The Rue Cardigan is a shaped, set-in sleeve cardigan worked in pieces and seamed. It features a structured body with armhole shaping, shoulder shaping, and a defined back neck. The garment is designed to fit a range of bust sizes, offering five size options to ensure a comfortable and flattering fit across different body types.

• Sizes available: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• To fit bust: 81–86 cm / 32–34 in through to 122–127 cm / 48–50 in
• The cardigan is photographed in Delphinium 334, a rich, cool-toned colourway that showcases the stitch definition of the yarn beautifully

Construction and Shaping Techniques

Although rated as beginner-friendly, the Rue Cardigan introduces knitters to several important garment-construction techniques that form the foundation of confident knitting. These include:

• Armhole shaping – Stitches are decreased at each end of specified rows to create a neat, fitted armhole. Decreases are worked over a combination of every row, every alternate row, and every fourth row, giving a smooth, gradual curve.
• Shoulder shaping – Stitches are cast off at the beginning of rows to form the shoulder slope, a standard technique in set-in sleeve construction.
• Back neck shaping – After shoulder cast-offs, remaining stitches are worked separately to shape the back neck, a detail that improves the fit and finish of the finished garment.
• Paired decreases – The pattern uses K2tog and K2tog tbl on right-side rows, and P2tog tbl and P2tog on wrong-side rows, creating mirrored, symmetrical decreases on both sides of the fabric. This is a key technique for tidy, professional-looking shaping.

Stitches Used

The Rue Cardigan is worked primarily in straightforward knit and purl stitches, making it very accessible for beginner knitters. The specific stitches and techniques referenced in the pattern include:

• Knit (K) – The fundamental knitting stitch, used throughout the body of the cardigan
• Purl (P) – Used on wrong-side rows to create smooth stocking stitch fabric
• K2tog – A right-leaning decrease worked on right-side rows
• K2tog tbl – A left-leaning decrease worked through the back loop, creating a mirrored effect to K2tog
• P2tog – A purl decrease used on wrong-side rows
• P2tog tbl – A mirrored purl decrease worked through the back loop
• Cast off – Used at shoulders and neck to finish and shape the upper garment

The use of paired decreases — matching left-leaning and right-leaning reductions on both knit and purl sides — is a hallmark of well-finished knitwear and is a valuable technique for any beginner to learn early in their knitting journey.

Yarn and Materials

The Rue Cardigan is designed to be knitted in Rowan Handknit Cotton, a DK weight yarn sold in 50g balls. This yarn is a 100% cotton yarn beloved for its stitch clarity, breathability, and smooth finish