Water St. Cardigan

Water St. Cardigan by GlennaC

Garment Overview

The Water St. Cardigan is a beginner-friendly knitted cardigan from the Urban Collection, Winter-to-Spring 2012 by designer Glenna C. This cardigan is designed to be simple to knit and effortless to wear, making it an ideal project for knitters new to garment construction. The design draws inspiration from Peterborough, Ontario, and the vibrant knitting community found at a local yarn shop on Water Street.

Construction Technique

The Water St. Cardigan employs a practical modular construction method. The sleeves and body are each worked separately as individual pieces before being joined together to create a raglan yoke. This approach breaks down the garment into manageable sections, making it accessible for beginner knitters while maintaining a polished, professional finish. The raglan yoke construction provides a smooth, fitted shoulder line that transitions seamlessly from the body to the sleeves.

Stitch Details and Texture

The cardigan features garter ridges worked at key points throughout the garment to add visual and tactile texture. These garter ridges appear at the cuffs and across the upper torso, creating subtle horizontal lines that enhance the overall design without requiring advanced stitch techniques. Garter stitch—created by knitting every row—is one of the most fundamental knitting stitches and is perfect for beginners, as it produces a reversible, textured fabric with excellent drape.

Yarn and Materials

The Water St. Cardigan is designed to be worked with 4-ply (fingering weight) yarn. The pattern calls for Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label Cashmere Sock, though knitters are encouraged to substitute their preferred fingering weight wool or wool-cashmere blend. This yarn weight creates a refined, drapey fabric suitable for transitional seasons from winter into spring. The use of fingering weight yarn allows for detailed stitch definition while remaining accessible to beginner knitters.

Skill Level

Rated as a beginner project, the Water St. Cardigan requires only fundamental knitting knowledge. The separate construction of body and sleeves, combined with straightforward garter stitch texture work, makes this an excellent choice for knitters developing their garment-making skills. No advanced techniques such as colorwork, lace, or complex shaping are required.