Fleur Cardigan in Rowan Summerlite DK - ZB314-00001-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Fleur Cardigan by Martin Storey in Rowan Summerlite DK – Pattern Summary

The Fleur Cardigan is a beautifully crafted women's cardigan designed by Martin Storey and knitted in Rowan Summerlite DK yarn. Published as a downloadable PDF (reference ZB314-00001-DEP), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with colourwork and basic shaping techniques. The design features a sophisticated multi-colour stranded pattern that gives the finished garment a fresh, summery character.

Garment Overview

The Fleur Cardigan is a full cardigan with a structured body and set-in or shaped sleeves, worked in a repeating colourwork chart. The pattern is available in nine sizes, fitting bust measurements from 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm, with a knitted bust measurement ranging from 100 cm to 169 cm, offering generous ease across the size range. This inclusive sizing makes the pattern accessible to a wide range of body types.

Colourwork and Design Details

The defining feature of the Fleur Cardigan is its multi-colour stranded colourwork pattern, worked from a chart. The pattern repeat consists of three colour blocks of 64 rows each, totalling a 192-row repeat that is worked continuously throughout the body pieces. This type of repeating colourwork chart creates a flowing, rhythmic design that builds naturally as the knitting progresses.

Four colours of Rowan Summerlite DK are used throughout the garment:

• Colour A – Mushroom (shade 454): the primary background colour, requiring 8–14 balls depending on size
• Colour B – Silvery Blue (shade 468): a cool accent tone, requiring 3–4 balls
• Colour C – Seashell (shade 466): a soft neutral highlight, requiring 2–4 balls
• Colour D – Pink Powder (shade 472): a delicate blush accent, requiring 2–3 balls

The combination of these four shades creates a subtle, tonal palette that is characteristic of Martin Storey's refined aesthetic — understated yet detailed.

Techniques Used

The Fleur Cardigan employs a range of knitting techniques suited to an intermediate-level knitter:

• Stranded colourwork (Fair Isle-style): Multiple yarn colours are carried across rows to create the repeating chart pattern. Knitters work from a colour chart, managing floats across the wrong side of the fabric.
• Garter stitch border: The lower edges are begun with 7 rows of garter stitch (knit every row) worked in Colour A, providing a neat, non-curling hem.
• Stocking stitch (stockinette) colourwork body: After the garter stitch border, the main body is worked in stranded stocking stitch following the colourwork chart.
• Armhole shaping: The pattern includes instructions for armhole shaping, worked at the appropriate point in the colourwork repeat.
• Tension/gauge swatch: Knitters are advised to achieve a gauge of 26 stitches and 27 rows to 10 x 10 cm using 3¾ mm needles in stranded stocking stitch — an important step given the colourwork nature of the fabric.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch – used for the lower border sections
• Stocking stitch (stockinette) – used for the main body worked in colourwork
• Stranded colourwork – multi-colour pattern worked from a repeating 192-row chart across all main body pieces

Yarn and Needles

The pattern calls for Rowan Summerlite DK