A new easy cardigan knitting pattern, the Elise Cardigan, is now a free cropped cardigan knitting pattern here on the blog. Read all about the inspiration and easy construction or scroll down for the free cardigan pattern.
No time right now? Pin this easy cardigan knitting pattern for later!
*This post contains affiliate links (only for products I love, use and spend my own money on obviously). This means I earn some yarn money if you make a purchase through one of these links (of course at no extra cost for you!), which I promise to use to create more awesome patterns like this one. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.
Have you spent hours working on on a sweater that was trendy, and then were only able to wear it a few times because it went out of style?
The Elise Cardigan is the exact opposite. It has a really interesting detail thanks to the dotted purl stitches, but will always be a classic. It is the perfect lightly cropped cardigan to wear over dresses, with jeans or shorts, or to add a little bit of style to any outfit.
This cardigan knitting pattern is easy and working it in panels makes it a breeze! Make yours with the free pattern below.
Easy Cardigan Construction
The cardigan is worked in pieces sewed together. The back and front panels are worked from the bottom up with a little waist shaping and a rounded neck. After assembling the panels, stitches are picked for the neckline ribbing first then for the button band.
Downloadable PDF Cropped Easy Cardigan Pattern
Why I Recommend You Purchase the PDF Pattern
If you’ve never used PDF patterns before, you are missing out on so much convenience!
- You don’t need to take screenshots of the pattern
- You don’t need to have your computer, phone or tablet around to work on your project.
- You don’t need to panic if your husband accidentally closed the page
- You can take notes, highlight your size and write down where you are.
- When your best friend begs you to make her the same sweater, you have the pattern ready.
- It’s a great way to support the blog so I can continue to bring you knitting tutorials.
Grab the printable PDF of the Elise cropped cardigan knitting pattern is now in my Etsy shop or on Ravelry:
Before you Start your Easy Cardigan Knitting Pattern
Materials
- 3.75 mm / US 5 knitting needles
- KatiaYarns Cotton-Yak (Fine weight 2, 60% cotton, 30% wool, 10% yak, 130m/142yd, 50g/1.75oz) in colorway 108 Parelmoer – light red: 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 11, 11) skeins
- 7 x 15 mm buttons
- Tapestry needle to weave in the ends. I love this set as it has different eye sizes for different yarn thicknesses and it comes in a small tube which is very convenient so I don’t lose them.
Size
The sweater knitting pattern is available in the following sizes: XS to 5XL. Sizes are noted throughout the pattern in the following way: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL). The pictures illustrate the L size.
The cardigan is designed with a boxy oversized fit, 8 – 12 cm / 3 – 5” ease at the bust.
Final garment measurements are:
- XS: 84 cm / 33” bust, 96 cm / 38” hip, 33 cm / 13” upper arm.
- S: 94 cm / 37” bust, 106 cm / 42” hip, 33 cm / 13” upper arm.
- M: 104 cm / 41” bust, 116 cm / 45.5” hip, 38 cm / 15” upper arm.
- L: 114 cm / 45” bust, 126 cm / 49.5” hip, 38 cm / 15” upper arm.
- XL: 124 cm / 49” bust, 136 cm / 53.5” hip, 43 cm / 17” upper arm.
- 2XL: 134 cm / 53” bust, 146 cm / 57.5” hip, 43 cm / 17” upper arm.
- 3XL: 144 cm / 57” bust, 156 cm / 61.5” hip, 48 cm / 19” upper arm.
- 4XL: 154 cm / 61” bust, 166 cm / 65.5” hip, 53 cm / 21” upper arm.
- 5XL: 164 cm / 64.5” bust, 176 cm / 69.5” hip, 53 cm / 21” upper arm.
The total cardigan length is 56cm / 22”. You can easily adjust this length by adding/removing rows at the end of the back panel section & before the neck shaping of the front panels.
Gauge
The gauge for this pattern, in stockinette (knit on RS, purl on WS) stitch, is 20 st by 32 rows for a 10 cm by 10 cm square (4” by 4”).
Abbreviations & Instructions
- st = stitch
- k = knit
- p = purl
- k2tog = knit 2 stitches together, single right-leaning decrease
- Sl1k = slip 1 stitch knitwise
- Sl1p = slip 1 stitch purlwise
- RS = Right side
- WS = Wrong side
Repeat instructions between [] the indicated number of times or until the end of the round/row.
The final number of stitches is indicated at the end of the round/row between < >.
Special Stitches and Techniques
The cardigan is worked in mini dots stitch:
Row 1: Sl1k, knit across
Row 2 (and all even rows): Sl1p, purl across.
Row 3 – 4: Repeat Row 1 & 2.
Row 5: Sl1k, k6, p1, [k9, p1] until last 8 st, k8.
Row 6: Sl1p, purl across.
Row 7 – 10: Repeat Row 1 – 4.
Row 11: Sl1k, k1, p1, [k9, p1] until last 3 st, k3.
Row 12: Sl1p, purl across.
When working decreases/increases make sure you always align the purl stitches on Row 5 and 11 with the purl dots on the rows below to keep the pattern, you’ll have to adjust the number of stitches to knit before the first purl stitch accordingly.
The Actual Easy Cardigan Knitting Pattern
Back panel
With your 3.75 mm / US 5 knitting needles, cast on 96 (106, 116, 126, 136, 146, 156, 166, 176) st.
[k1, p1] across for 5 rows.
Work in mini dots pattern for 5cm/2”.
Decrease row (always on the RS): Sl1k, k2tog, knit in pattern, k2tog, k1. <94 (104, 114, 124, 134, 144, 154, 164, 174)
Work in mini dot pattern (refer to special stitches section above) followed by a decrease row every 5cm/2” until your total length reaches 30cm/12”. <84 (94, 104, 114, 124, 134, 144, 154, 164) st>
Note: Make sure your dots (purl stitches) align with the ones below, you’ll have to adjust the number of stitches to knit before the first purl stitch accordingly.
Continue in dot pattern without decreases until your total length is 56cm/22”.
Note: To adjust the cardigan length, add/remove length here.
Cast off.
Front Panel 1
With your 3.75mm / US 5 knitting needles, cast on 48 (54, 58, 64, 68, 74, 78, 84, 88) st.
[k1, p1] across for 5 rows.
Work in mini dots pattern for 5cm/2”.
Note: At the end of the row, you will end up with a different number of stitches than stated in the mini dots stitch pattern.
Decrease row (always on the RS): Sl1k, knit in pattern until last 3 st, k2tog, k1. <47 (53, 57, 63, 67, 73, 77, 83, 87)>
Work in mini dot pattern followed by a decrease row every 5cm/2” until you reach 30cm/12”. <42 (48, 52, 58, 62, 68, 72, 78, 82) st>
Work in mini dots pattern without decreases until your total length is 46cm/18”.
Note: To adjust the cardigan length, add/remove length here. Make sure you make the same adjustment as you did on the back panel.
Neck shaping
Start on a RS row.
Cast off 8 st, knit the rest of the row in mini dots pattern. <34 (40, 44, 50, 54, 60, 64, 70, 74) st>
Purl 1 row.
[Cast off 2 st, knit the rest of the row in mini dots pattern.
Purl 1 row] twice. <30 (36, 40, 46, 50, 56, 60, 66, 70) st>
[Cast off 1 st, knit the rest of the row in mini dots pattern.
Purl 1 row] 4 times. <26 (32, 36, 42, 46, 52, 56, 62, 66) st>
[Work 2 rows in mini dots pattern.
Cast off 1st, knit the rest of the row in mini dots pattern.
Purl 1 row] 3 times. <23 (29, 33, 39, 43, 49, 53, 59, 63) st>
Continue in mini dots pattern without decreases until your total length is 56cm/22”.
Cast off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Front Panel 2
With you 3.75mm / US 5 knitting needles, cast on 48 (54, 58, 64, 68, 74, 78, 84, 88) st.
[k1, p1] across for 5 rows.
Work in mini dots pattern for 5cm/2”.
For the stitch pattern to come out nicely at the button band replace row 5 in the mini dots stitch by: Sl1k, k4, p1, [k9, p1] until last 8 st, k8.
And row 11 by: Sl1k, k9, p1, [k9, p1] until last 3 st, k3.
Decrease row (always on the RS): Sl1k, k2tog, knit in pattern until end of row. <47 (53, 57, 63, 67, 73, 77, 83, 87)>
Work in mini dot pattern followed by a decrease row every 5cm/2” until you reach 30cm/12”. <42 (48, 52, 58, 60, 68, 72, 78, 82) st>
Work in mini dots pattern without decreases until your total length is 46cm/18”.
Note: To adjust the cardigan length, add/remove length here. Make sure you make the same adjustment as you did on the back panel.
Neck shaping
Start on a WS row.
Cast off 8 st, purl the rest of the row. <34 (40, 44, 50, 54, 60, 64, 70, 74) st>
Knit 1 row in mini dots pattern.
[Cast off 2 st, purl the rest of the row.
Knit 1 row in mini dots pattern.] twice. <30 (36, 40, 46, 50, 56, 60, 66, 70) st>
[Cast off 1st, purl the rest of the row.
Knit 1 row in mini dots pattern.] 4 times. <26 (32, 36, 42, 46, 52, 56, 62, 66) st>
[Work 2 rows in mini dots pattern.
Cast off 1st, purl the rest of the row.
Knit 1 row in mini dots pattern.] 3 times. <23 (29, 33, 39, 43, 49, 53, 59, 63) st>
Continue in mini dots pattern without decreases until your total length is 56cm/22”.
Cast off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Sleeve
With you 3.75mm / US 5 knitting needles, cast on 66 (66, 76, 76, 86, 86, 96, 106, 106) st.
Work in mini dots pattern until you reach 10cm/4”.
Decrease row (always on RS): Sl1k, k2tog, knit in pattern until last 3st, k2tog, k1. <64 (64, 74, 74, 84, 84, 94, 104, 104) st>
Work 2.5cm/1” in mini dots pattern followed by a decrease row 12 times. <40 (40, 50, 50, 60, 60, 70, 80, 80) st>
Keep working in pattern until your total length is 42cm/16.5”.
[k1, p1] across for 5 rows.
Cast off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Assembly
Sew the front and back panels together then attach the sleeves.
Collar and Edge
Pick up stitches evenly around the neck (approximately 110 st, the exact number doesn’t matter)
[k1, p1] across for 5 rows.
Cast off.
Pick up stitches evenly along the left side of the cardigan edge (approximately 96 st, the exact number doesn’t matter)
[k1, p1] across for 5 rows.
Cast off.
Pick up stitches evenly along the right side of the cardigan edge (approximately 96 st, the exact number doesn’t matter) (starting at the collar)
[k1, p1] across, turn.
Repeat once.
Buttonholes: k1, p1, k2tog, yo, [[k1, p1] 5 times, k2tog, yo] until less than 12 st remain, [k1, p1] until the end of row.
Next row: [k1, p1] across, turn.
Repeat once.
Cast off.
Sew buttons in front of the buttonholes.
Blocking
You’re done with the knitting part. Make sure to weave in all the ends.
To make your cardigan even prettier, help even your stitches and make the textures come out even more, block your project.
Don’t skip this step as it can make a huge difference. Read my detailed tutorial on why block, how-to, and all my tips and tricks if you need help.
