WEBS DIR11 Red Letter Day by Fiona Ellis - Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Northampton

Red Letter Day Cardigan Knitting Pattern by Fiona Ellis – WEBS Designer in Residence Series #11

The Red Letter Day Cardigan is a women's knitting pattern designed by Fiona Ellis as part of the prestigious WEBS Designer in Residence Series, numbered #11. This is a sophisticated, seamed cardigan worked flat from the bottom up, featuring an intricate cable panel that transitions organically from a ribbed lower section into a stunning display of Celtic-inspired knotwork. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with cables and are ready to tackle more complex stitch patterning.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a women's V-neck cardigan with long sleeves and a center front opening. The garment is designed with careful attention to visual flow: a wide cable panel that runs along the back and sleeves is elegantly split in half to frame the center front opening, with each half of the panel traveling smoothly around the V-neck shaping. The result is a garment that feels cohesive and artfully constructed, with the cables serving as both a structural and decorative element throughout. The cardigan is shown in size 35 inches and is available in six sizes.

Finished Measurements

• Bust: 32, 35, 38, 42, 46, and 50 inches
• Length to shoulder: 28½ (29, 30¼, 30¾, 31½, 32½) inches

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the lower hem upward, which allows knitters to establish the ribbed pattern before transitioning into the cable panel. This approach also makes length adjustments straightforward before the armhole shaping begins.
• Worked flat and seamed: All pieces — back, fronts, and sleeves — are knitted flat on straight needles and then joined using seaming techniques. Seamed construction gives the finished garment excellent structure and durability, and it allows each piece to be blocked independently before assembly.
• Cable knitting: The signature feature of this design is its elaborate cable panel, which measures 7 inches wide. The cables include closed loop motifs reminiscent of Celtic knot patterning, a technique that creates a magical, interlaced appearance. A cable needle (cn) is required to hold stitches to the front or back while crossing cable sections.
• Ribbing transitioning into cables: The lower section of the garment begins with a ribbed pattern that gradually morphs into the full cable panel — a design detail that adds visual interest and a sense of organic growth to the fabric.
• V-neck shaping: The center front opening and V-neck are shaped in a way that accommodates the split cable panel, requiring careful attention to maintaining pattern continuity while decreasing for the neckline.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): Used as the background fabric and as the basis for gauge measurement — 20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch.
• Ribbing: Featured in the lower section of the cardigan, providing elasticity and a polished hem before the cable panel emerges.
• Seed stitch: Referenced in the pattern instructions, seed stitch (worked over an even number of stitches) is used as a textural contrast stitch, adding a nubbly, non-curling surface that complements the smooth cables.
• Cable stitches: Complex multi-stitch cable crosses form the closed-loop Celtic knot motifs that are the centerpiece of the design. The cable panel spans 7 inches in width and requires use of a cable needle.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton (100% wool, 247 yards / 100g per skein), in color 17 Red. You will need 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8) skeins depending on your size. Valley Yarns Northampton is a worsted weight wool yarn, well-suited to cable work due to its stitch definition and the way