Taye Cardigan in West Yorkshire Spinners The Croft DK - DBP0042 - Downloadable PDF

Taye Cardigan by Sarah Hatton – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Taye Cardigan is a beautifully crafted women's knitted cardigan designed by Sarah Hatton, available as a downloadable PDF pattern. Published in partnership with West Yorkshire Spinners, this intermediate-level knitting project combines classic structure with elegant textural detail, making it a rewarding make for knitters who are comfortable with shaping and stitch pattern work.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a full-length women's cardigan with set-in sleeves and a structured body. It is sized to fit a wide range of bust measurements, from XS through to XXL, covering bust sizes 28–30 inches up to 48–50 inches. The actual finished garment measurements range from 82 cm to 132 cm in circumference, with a full length measured from the back of the neck ranging from 56 cm to 66 cm depending on size. Sleeve lengths range from 43 cm to 48 cm. The cardigan is fastened with 7 buttons, giving it a classic, polished finish.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting in rows – the back, left front, right front, and sleeves are all worked flat on straight needles, then seamed together.
• Shaping – the pattern involves both decreasing and increasing to shape the body, armholes, and sleeves, making this suitable for intermediate knitters confident with garment construction.
• Stitch marker placement – markers are used to denote key points in the construction, such as transitions between sections.
• Tension/gauge swatching – the pattern emphasises the importance of achieving the stated tension before beginning, with two separate tension measurements required over different stitch patterns.
• Seaming – as a traditionally constructed knitted garment, the pieces are worked separately and joined, requiring standard finishing and assembly skills.
• Button band construction – the front bands are incorporated into the design, with buttonholes worked to accommodate the 7 buttons.

Stitches Used

• Irish Moss Stitch – a key textural stitch pattern used across the body of the cardigan. This four-row repeat stitch creates a dense, slightly raised fabric with a subtle woven appearance. It differs from standard moss stitch in that it uses a four-row rather than a two-row repeat, producing a more defined texture. The pattern sets this stitch across the lower body sections before transitioning to the main stitch pattern.
• Stocking Stitch (st-st) – worked as one row knit and one row purl when working flat in rows. This smooth, classic fabric forms a significant portion of the garment body and is the basis for the primary tension measurement of 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm.
• 1x1 Rib – used at the cast-on edges to create neat, elastic borders. Worked as knit 1, purl 1 alternating across rows, this stitch provides a tidy, professional edge finish.

Materials Required

The pattern is written specifically for West Yorkshire Spinners The Croft DK yarn in the colourway Colsay (212). This yarn is a 100% Shetland wool DK weight, sold in 100g hanks containing approximately 225 metres (246 yards) per hank. The quantity required ranges from 4 hanks for size XS up to 7 hanks for size XXL. Being a pure Shetland wool, this yarn has excellent stitch definition, making it particularly well suited to the textural Irish moss stitch sections of this design. Care instructions note that the finished garment should be reshaped whilst damp and should not be tumble dried.

Two sizes of straight knitting needles are required: 3.25mm (UK 10 / US 3) needles for the ribbed and moss stitch border sections, and 4mm (UK 8 / US 6) needles for the main body of the garment. Stitch markers are also listed as a required accessory. The recommended tension on 4mm need