Ronan Cardigan

Ronan Cardigan by Triona Murphy

What is Being Made

The Ronan Cardigan is a one-piece baby and child cardigan sweater designed by Triona Murphy. This knitted garment is suitable as a gift for baby showers, active children, or personal projects. The cardigan is available in six size options ranging from newborn (0-3 months) through early childhood (6-8 years), with finished chest measurements from 16.75 inches to 26.25 inches and lengths from 9.75 inches to 20.25 inches.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This advanced-level knitting project employs a one-piece construction method, which streamlines the building process by working the entire garment as a single unit rather than assembling separate pieces. The cardigan features cable knitting as a primary design element, with eye-catching cables on the back and simple cables incorporated into the overall design. Cable work requires careful attention to stitch manipulation and is a hallmark of advanced knitting techniques.

Stitches and Stitch Details

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, the design incorporates cable stitches as structural and decorative elements. Cable stitches involve crossing groups of stitches over one another to create twisted, rope-like textures. The pattern includes a neckband finish, indicating the use of ribbing or similar edging stitches to create a neat, elastic finish at the neck opening.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Ronan Cardigan is designed to be worked in Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted, a 100% merino wool yarn. This yarn weight category falls within the worsted and aran range, providing good stitch definition for cable work. The yardage requirement is 210 yards per 100-gram skein, with pattern requirements ranging from 2 skeins (for the smallest sizes) to 4 skeins (for the largest 6-8 year size). The sample shown features the color Emerald.

Needles and Tools Required

• US #7 [4.5 mm] circular needle, 16-32 inches long (size dependent on which child size is being knitted)
• US #7 [4.5 mm] double-pointed needles, set of 4 or 5
• US #8 [5.0 mm] circular needle, 16-32 inches long (size dependent)
• US #8 [5.0 mm] double-pointed needles, set of 4 or 5

Knitters should check gauge and adjust needle sizes as needed to achieve the correct finished measurements. The use of both circular needles and double-pointed needles indicates that this pattern employs both flat and in-the-round knitting techniques.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced difficulty, reflecting the cable work involved and the one-piece construction method. Knitters should have solid foundational skills before attempting this project.