Mimosa Cardigan in Rowan Cotton Wool (DE) - RB001-00003-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Mimosa Cardigan by Erika Knight in Rowan Cotton Wool – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Mimosa Cardigan is an original knitwear design by celebrated British designer Erika Knight, published by Rowan as part of the Bloom collection. Released as a downloadable PDF (reference RB001-00003-DEP), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with shaping techniques and working multiple pattern sections simultaneously. The cardigan is a classic layering piece with a relaxed, wearable silhouette, designed to be both stylish and practical.

Sizing and Fit

The Mimosa Cardigan is offered in five sizes, designed to fit bust measurements of:

• 81–86 cm
• 91–97 cm
• 102–107 cm
• 112–117 cm
• 122–127 cm

The actual knitted bust measurements are 102, 112, 122, 132, and 142 cm respectively, providing a generous, relaxed ease across all sizes. This inclusive size range makes the pattern accessible to a wide range of knitters and wearers.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted cardigan — a front-opening, sleeved garment worked in pieces and seamed together. The construction includes shaped shoulders, a defined neckline with separate left and right neckline edges, and shoulder shaping worked using short-row or partial-row techniques. The pattern instructs knitters to work both sides of the neckline and shoulders separately, with stitches placed on Hilfsnadeln (stitch holders or spare needles) to allow precise shaping on each side independently. This approach results in a clean, professional finish at the neckline and shoulder seams.

Techniques Used

The Mimosa Cardigan employs a range of intermediate knitting techniques that give the finished garment its polished, structured appearance:

• Short-row shoulder shaping – stitches are worked to a turning point and the work is turned mid-row, with remaining stitches placed on a holder; this creates smooth, angled shoulder lines without the staircase effect of traditional cast-off shaping
• Neckline shaping – left and right neckline edges are finished separately, requiring the knitter to manage two active sections of the work simultaneously
• Working in pattern (Muster/Mst) – the body is worked throughout in a defined stitch pattern, maintaining continuity even through shaping rows
• Decreasing – two stitches are worked together (2 M zusammenstricken) at the neckline edge to shape the curve neatly
• Three-needle cast-off (Abketten) – a spare needle of the same size is used to join shoulder seams using a three-needle cast-off method, creating a tidy, flat seam directly on the needles
• Stitch holder management – stitches are regularly placed on spare needles or holders and returned to working needles at the appropriate stage

Stitches Used

While the pattern is written in German, the construction references a primary stitch pattern (Muster) worked consistently throughout the body and sleeves of the cardigan. The pattern instructs knitters to maintain this stitch pattern even while working shaping rows, which requires a sound understanding of how to keep the pattern correct across a decreasing or partial stitch count. Standard knitting stitches and techniques associated with DK-weight garment construction are employed throughout.

Yarn and Materials

The Mimosa Cardigan is designed specifically for Rowan Cotton Wool, a DK-weight yarn that blends the softness of cotton with the warmth and elasticity of wool. This combination makes it an ideal choice for a cardigan intended to be worn across seasons. The pattern sample shown is knitted in Piglet 207, a soft, warm-toned shade that perfectly suits the delicate, botanical feel of the Bloom collection.

The yarn requirements by