Top-Down Cardigan in Loopy Mango Summer Cotton - Downloadable PDF

Top-Down Cardigan in Loopy Mango Summer Cotton – Pattern Summary

This intermediate-level knitting pattern from Loopy Mango guides you through constructing a relaxed, open-front cardigan worked entirely from the top down in their signature Summer yarn, a 100% cotton yarn made in Italy. The top-down construction method is a hallmark of modern seamless knitting, allowing you to try on the garment as you go and make length adjustments with ease. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is sized to fit a wide range of bodies.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a classic open-front cardigan featuring a fitted yoke, set-in sleeves worked in the round, and optional patch pockets with pocket flaps. It is designed in six sizes ranging from XS to 2X/3X, with finished widths spanning from 15.5 inches (39.5 cm) up to 26.5 inches (67.5 cm) and lengths from 18 inches (45.5 cm) to 22.25 inches (56.5 cm). The silhouette is clean and wearable, making it a versatile layering piece suited to warmer seasons thanks to the breathable cotton yarn.

Construction and Techniques

The cardigan is constructed using a top-down, flat-to-round hybrid method. The yoke is worked flat (back and forth in rows) from the neck edge down to the armholes. At the armhole division, sleeve stitches are placed on hold while the body continues to be worked flat all the way to the bottom edge. Once the body is complete, the held sleeve stitches are returned to the needles and each sleeve is worked in the round down to the cuff. This approach eliminates the need for seaming the body and sleeves together, which is a significant advantage for knitters who prefer a more seamless finish.

The optional pockets are added after the main body is complete by picking up stitches along the body fabric, a technique that integrates the pockets neatly without any sewing. Pocket flaps are also worked as an additional decorative and functional detail.

• Top-down construction: Begins at the neck and works downward, allowing for easy length customization before binding off.
• Flat knitting: The yoke and body are worked back and forth in rows, making the pattern accessible even for knitters less comfortable with working fully in the round.
• Working in the round: Sleeves are worked in the round after the body is complete. Knitters using the longer 32-inch circular needles will employ the magic loop method for the sleeves, while those who prefer to avoid magic loop can use optional 16-inch circular needles.
• Picking up stitches: Used to attach the optional pockets and pocket flaps directly to the body of the cardigan.
• Holding stitches: Sleeve stitches are placed on hold while the body is worked, a standard technique in seamless top-down garment construction.

Stitches Used

The pattern uses a straightforward combination of fundamental knitting stitches and simple shaping techniques, making it approachable for an intermediate knitter who is comfortable with basic stitch patterns and garment construction.

• Knit (K): The foundational knit stitch, used throughout the stockinette body and yoke sections.
• Purl (P): Used in combination with knit stitches for ribbing and texture.
• Seed stitch / Rib pattern: The yoke begins with a ribbed band alternating knit and purl stitches in a k1, p1 sequence worked over several rows, providing a neat, stable neckband edge.
• Stockinette stitch: The primary stitch pattern for the body and sleeves, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows when working flat, and knitting every round when working in the round. Gauge is set at 13 stitches and 18.5 rows per 4 inches in stockinette on US 10 needles.
• K2tog (Knit two together): A right-slanting single decrease used for shaping throughout the garment.
• P2tog (Purl two together):