Sara Cardigan in Ella Rae Lace Merino - ER18-03 - Downloadable PDF

Sara Cardigan in Ella Rae Lace Merino – ER18-03 Pattern Summary

The Sara Cardigan is a beautifully structured women's knitted cardigan designed to be worked in Ella Rae Lace Merino yarn. This downloadable PDF pattern from Ella Rae produces a classic, elegant cardigan featuring a distinctive textured panel detail across the body, a neat ribbed border, and a button-front opening. It is available in four sizes — XS, S, M, and L — with finished bust measurements ranging from 81 cm / 32 in up to 96 cm / 38 in, making it a versatile pattern suitable for a range of figures.

What Is Being Made

The Sara Cardigan is a front-opening knitted cardigan constructed in separate pieces: a Back, a Left Front, and by implication a Right Front, which are then seamed together. The garment features a structured centre panel of Stockinette stitch flanked on each side by reverse Stockinette stitch panels, creating a raised, textural column effect across the body. The lower edges and front bands are worked in 1×1 rib, giving the cardigan a tidy, professional finish. The front closure is fastened with 6 small buttons. Armhole shaping is worked by casting off stitches at the beginning of right-side rows, creating clean, defined armhole edges.

Construction and Techniques

• Flat knitting: All pieces are worked flat on straight needles, back and forth in rows, rather than in the round.
• 1×1 Ribbing: The lower body of both the Back and Fronts begins with approximately 8 cm of k1, p1 rib on smaller 3mm / US 2-3 needles, providing elasticity and a neat hem.
• Needle progression: After the ribbed border is complete, knitters switch to larger 3.25mm / US 3 needles for the main body, a standard technique to achieve the correct tension in the body fabric.
• Textured stitch pattern: The main body fabric is established through specific Establishment Rows that set up a combination of knit and purl stitches, creating reverse Stockinette side panels framing a central Stockinette panel. This combination gives the Sara Cardigan its signature visual interest without requiring complex lace or cable techniques.
• Stitch increases on transition rows: When transitioning from the ribbed border to the main body on the Left Front, a small number of stitches are increased on the last rib row — 2 (3, 0, 1) stitches depending on size — to accommodate the slight difference in gauge between rib and the main pattern.
• Armhole shaping: Worked by casting off 5 (5, 7, 7) stitches at the beginning of the appropriate rows, a straightforward shaping method that keeps the construction accessible for intermediate knitters.
• Working from two hanks simultaneously: Because Ella Rae Lace Merino is a hand-dyed yarn, the pattern specifically advises alternating between two hanks at a time to blend colour variations and avoid visible inconsistencies in the finished fabric — a common and important technique when working with hand-dyed or kettle-dyed yarns.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary fabric stitch for the central body panel, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows.
• Reverse Stockinette stitch: Used for the side panels of the body, created by purling on right-side rows and knitting on wrong-side rows, producing a bumpy, textured surface that contrasts with the smooth central panel.
• 1×1 Rib (k1, p1): Used for the lower borders of the Back and Fronts, alternating knit and purl stitches to create an elastic, stretchy fabric.
• k2tog (knit two together): A standard right-leaning decrease used during shaping sections.
• p2tog (purl two together): A purl-side decrease used where shaping