Sweet Rosie

Sweet Rosie Cardigan by Meiju Kallio

Garment Overview

Sweet Rosie is a lovely, romantic, and feminine cardigan designed by Meiju Kallio. This seamlessly constructed top-down cardigan features elegant raglan sleeve shaping and distinctive pouch-like pocket details that add both visual interest and functionality. The design is intended to be worn with a small amount of positive ease (1-2 inches or 2.5-5 cm), making it a comfortable, close-fitting garment suitable for various occasions.

Construction Method

The Sweet Rosie cardigan is worked seamlessly from the top down, a construction technique that minimizes seaming and creates a smooth, professional finish. The raglan sleeve shaping is integrated into the main body during knitting, allowing for a natural shoulder line and comfortable arm mobility. The cable buttonband stitches are picked up from the front pieces after the main body is complete, creating a polished closure edge. During finishing, the pocket linings are sewn down by hand, combining seamless knitting techniques with strategic seaming for structural integrity.

Knitting Stitches and Techniques

• Raglan shaping: Integrated decreases create the distinctive sloped shoulder line characteristic of raglan sleeves
• Cable stitches: Featured in the buttonband for textural detail and visual appeal
• Top-down construction: Allows for easy fit adjustments and seamless integration of body and sleeves
• Picked-up stitches: Used for the buttonband, creating a neat, finished edge
• Seamless knitting: The primary construction method, with minimal seaming required except for pocket finishing

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Sweet Rosie is designed to be worked in sport weight yarn, specifically The Uncommon Thread Merino Sport, which is composed of 100% merino wool. Each skein provides 262 meters or 286 yards and weighs 100 grams. Yardage requirements vary by size: XS requires approximately 1154 yards (1057 meters), while the largest size (XXXL) requires approximately 2057 yards (1885 meters). The pattern calls for 5-7 skeins depending on the chosen size, with smaller sizes (XS, S, M) requiring 5 skeins and larger sizes (L, XL, XXL, XXXL) requiring 6-7 skeins.

Sizing Information

Sweet Rosie is available in seven sizes ranging from XS to XXXL, accommodating bust measurements from 30 inches (75 cm) to 54 inches (135 cm). This wide range of sizing ensures that knitters of different body types can find an appropriate fit for this romantic cardigan design.

Skill Level

This cardigan is classified as an intermediate difficulty project, making it suitable for knitters with some experience. The combination of seamless top-down construction, raglan shaping, cable stitches, and finishing techniques requires solid foundational knitting skills and familiarity with more advanced construction methods.