Checker In Rowan Kaffe Fassett Felted Tweed - Downloadable PDF

Checker Cardigan in Rowan Kaffe Fassett Felted Tweed – Knitting Pattern Summary

About This Pattern

The Checker is a striking intarsia-style block-check cardigan designed by Kaffe Fassett and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a boldly coloured, textured cardigan worked in a classic two-colour checkerboard block pattern. The design is available across five size ranges, fitting actual chest measurements from approximately 91 cm (35¾ in) up to 163.5 cm (64¼ in), making it a genuinely inclusive pattern with broad sizing options.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a colour-block check cardigan — a relaxed, wearable garment with a garter stitch border and an all-over intarsia checkerboard body. The finished piece features a neckband worked from held stitches, shaped armholes, and carefully constructed front and back panels. The left front, right front, and back are each worked separately and seamed, giving the garment a clean, structured finish.

Techniques Used

• Intarsia colourwork – the defining technique of this pattern, intarsia involves working separate yarn bobbins or lengths for each colour block, twisting yarns at colour joins to prevent holes. This is distinct from stranded colourwork, as yarn is not carried across the back of the work, keeping the fabric single-thickness and drapey.
• Garter stitch borders – the cast-on edges are worked in garter stitch (knit every row) for a neat, non-rolling hem finish.
• Armhole and neckline shaping – achieved through casting off and decreasing stitches at the beginning of alternate rows, requiring careful attention to row counts across multiple size brackets.
• Holding stitches for neckband – centre neckline stitches are slipped onto a holder and later picked up to work the neckband, a standard finishing technique for clean, professional necklines.
• Joining and breaking off colours as required – consistent with intarsia methodology, colours are introduced and cut at each block section rather than carried.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch – used for the lower border and likely cuffs, creating a firm, reversible fabric.
• Block pattern (intarsia) – the main body stitch pattern, creating bold square or rectangular checks in two contrasting colours.
• Standard cast on and cast off methods are used throughout, including mid-row cast-offs for armhole and shoulder shaping.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Felted Tweed, a popular DK weight yarn sold in 50g balls. Felted Tweed is a beautifully textured blend of wool, alpaca, and viscose that gives a subtle tweedy halo, making it an ideal canvas for bold colourwork like this checker design.

Two specific colourways are called for:

• Yarn A – Regal (K0015): required in quantities ranging from 4 to 7 balls depending on size.
• Yarn B – Daffodil (K0012): required in quantities ranging from 4 to 6 balls depending on size.

The deep, jewel-toned Regal paired with the bright, sunny Daffodil creates the high-contrast colour blocking that is a hallmark of Kaffe Fassett's signature aesthetic.

Needles

• 3¼mm (US 3) needles – used for the garter stitch border sections.
• 4mm (US 6) needles – used for the main body of the cardigan in the block intarsia pattern.

Skill Level and Suitability

This pattern is rated intermediate, making it well suited to knitters who are