Top Down Cropped Cardigan in Lion Brand Touch of Merino - L80109 - Downloadable PDF

Top Down Cropped Cardigan in Lion Brand Touch of Merino – Free Knitting Pattern L80109

About This Pattern

Designed by Lisa Carnahan and published by Lion Brand Yarn Company, the Top Down Cropped Cardigan (Pattern Number L80109) is a free downloadable PDF knitting pattern that produces a stylish, modern cropped cardigan worked entirely from the top down. This construction method is a favorite among knitters because it allows for easy fit adjustments as you go and eliminates the need to seam multiple separately knitted pieces together at the end. The result is a smooth, continuous fabric with a clean, professional finish.

The pattern is rated Intermediate in skill level, making it an excellent next step for knitters who have moved beyond the basics and are ready to explore shaping, raglan-style construction, and working in the round on circular needles. It is available as a free downloadable PDF, making it immediately accessible to anyone looking to add a versatile layering piece to their handmade wardrobe.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a cropped cardigan — an open-front, short-bodied sweater designed to sit at or above the natural waist. The cropped silhouette makes it a highly wearable, contemporary piece that pairs beautifully with high-waisted skirts, trousers, or jeans. Because it is worked top down, the yoke, sleeves, and body are all integrated from the very beginning, giving the finished garment a seamless, elegant structure.

The cardigan is offered in six sizes: S, M, L, 1X, 2X, and 3X, with finished bust measurements ranging from approximately 36 inches (91.5 cm) up to 55 inches (139.5 cm). Finished length ranges from about 18 inches to 22½ inches, not including the neck band, ensuring a consistently cropped look across all sizes. The pattern is written for the smallest size, with changes for larger sizes noted in parentheses throughout — a standard convention that makes it easy to follow once you circle your size before casting on.

Yarn and Materials

The featured yarn is Lion Brand Touch of Merino (Art. #676), a 3-ply lightweight yarn that blends the softness and warmth of merino wool with easy-care practicality. The sample shown uses colorway 105 Swedish Blue, a cool, serene tone that highlights the clean lines of the cropped silhouette. Depending on size, the pattern calls for 4 to 6 balls of this yarn — specifically 4 balls for sizes S and M, 5 balls for sizes L and 1X, and 6 balls for sizes 2X and 3X.

In addition to the yarn, the following notions are required:

• Circular knitting needle, size 5 — used throughout the pattern for working the top-down construction in the round and flat
• Lion Brand stitch markers — essential for tracking raglan increase points and section divisions
• Lion Brand stitch holders — used to hold sleeve stitches while the body is worked
• Lion Brand large-eyed blunt needle — for weaving in ends and finishing

Construction Technique: Top Down Knitting

The defining construction method of this cardigan is the top-down approach, which begins at the neckline and works downward through the yoke, separates the sleeves from the body, and continues to the hem. This technique is particularly well-suited to intermediate knitters because it offers the opportunity to try on the garment as it grows, checking fit at the yoke and adjusting sleeve or body length before binding off.

Top-down cardigans are typically worked on circular needles, even when knitting flat sections, because the long cable accommodates the large number of stitches involved. Stitch markers are placed at key points — usually at the four raglan lines — to guide regular increase rounds that simultaneously shape the yoke, the two fronts, the back, and the two sleeves. Once the yoke reaches the underarm, the sleeve stitches are placed on holders and the body is worked separately to the hem.

Stitches and Techniques Used

While the full stitch list is detailed within the PDF, patterns of this construction type and skill level typically incorporate the following knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit and purl stit