The Little Basic Cardi is a wardrobe staple you’ll want to knit time and time again. With a lovely round neck, Short Row and English-Tailored shoulder options, and plenty of customizations to fit every body and sleeve length, you’ll want to! The pattern includes instructions for three different sleeve lengths and two different body lengths. If DK weight isn’t your jam, be sure to check out the Fingering and Worsted weight versions! Personalized, versatile, and perfect for every season.

The cardigan is worked bottom up and is seamed together providing the structure needed for a wardrobe staple for decades to come. The English-tailored shoulders are shaped only on the Back shoulders, while the Front armholes are worked to a deeper measurement and wrap over the top of the shoulder with the seam lying on the back shoulder. This creates a better fit and polished look. Conventional short row shaping on both front and back shoulders creating a shoulder seam that sits on the top of the shoulder are also included.

For help with the knitting techniques along the way, check out Holli’s Fundamentals to Finishing course at School of SweetGeorgia. All three versions of the Little Basic Cardi are included at no extra cost in the course materials.

#sizeinclusive from 29.75”/75.5 cm to a 69.75”/177 cm finished chest measurement.

This knitting pattern includes written directions, 3 sleeve lengths, 2 body lengths, your choice of English-tailored or short row shoulder shaping, gender-inclusive language and your choice of button placement on right or left side, front and back images, and detailed schematic with measurements.

Skill Level
Intermediate

Finished Measurements
Chest (buttoned): 29 ¾ (32, 34 ¼, 36, 37 ¾, 40 ¾, 45, 48 ¾, 53, 56 ¾, 61 ¾, 66 ¼, 69 ¾)“ / 75.5 (81.5, 87, 91.5, 96, 103.5, 114.5, 124, 134.5, 144, 157, 168.5, 177) cm;
Regular Length: 22 (22, 22 ½, 23, 23, 23 ½, 24, 24, 24 ½, 25 ¼, 25 ¾, 26 ¼, 26 ¼)” / 56 (56, 57, 58.5, 58.5, 59.5, 61, 61, 62, 64, 65.5, 66.5, 66.5) cm;
Cropped Length: 19 (19 ¼, 19 ½, 20, 20 ¼, 20 ¾, 21 ½, 21 ¾, 22, 22 ¾, 23 ¼, 23 ¾, 24 ¼)“ / 48.5 (49, 49.5, 51, 51.5, 52.5, 54.5, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60.5, 61.5) cm;
Upper Arm Circumference: 11 (11 ¼, 11 ¾, 12 ¼, 12 ¾, 13 ½, 14 ¼, 15 ¾, 17 ¾, 19 ¾, 20 ½, 21, 21 ¾)” / 28 (28.5, 30, 31, 32.5, 34.5, 36, 40, 45, 50, 52, 53.5, 55) cm;
Intended to be worn with 1 ¾ (2, 2 ¼, 2, 1 ¾, 1 ¾, 3, 2 ¾, 3, 2 ¾, 3 ¾, 4 ¼, 3 ¾)“ / 4.5 (5, 5.5, 5, 4.5, 4.5, 7.5, 7, 7.5, 7, 9.5, 11, 9.5) cm positive ease at Chest; sample is 37 ¾” / 103.5 cm.
If you wish access to full list of schematic measurements before purchasing pattern, please email Holli (info@holliyeoh.com) with your request.

Yarn
DK weight yarn.
Add together the yardage for your chosen version and size from the Body section plus the Sleeve section.

BODY
Regular Body: 645 (690, 750, 810, 850, 930, 1040, 1115, 1230, 1335, 1475, 1600, 1695) yd / 590 (630, 685, 740, 780, 850, 950, 1020, 1125, 1220, 1350, 1465, 1550) m;
Cropped Body: 560 (605, 650, 705, 750, 820, 930, 1015, 1110, 1220, 1350, 1465, 1590) yd / 515 (550, 595, 645, 685, 750, 850, 930, 1015, 1120, 1235, 1340, 1450) m.

SLEEVES
Long Sleeve: 430 (450, 465, 495, 525, 555, 575, 635, 675, 740, 790, 840, 870) yd / 395 (415, 425, 450, 480, 505, 530, 580, 615, 675, 725, 765, 795) m;
Bracelet Length: 410 (430, 445, 475, 505, 530, 555, 605, 645, 710, 760, 805, 835) yd / 375 (395, 410, 430, 460, 485, 505, 555, 590, 650, 695, 735, 765) m;
Three-Quarter Length: 320 (315, 325, 355, 380, 405, 470, 535, 595, 670, 735, 790, 815) yd / 290 (290, 300, 325, 345, 370, 430, 490, 545, 615, 670, 720, 745) m.

Shown in SweetGeorgia Yarns BFL + Silk DK in Mulberry (247 yd / 226 m per 3.5 oz / 100 g skein; 75% Bluefaced Leicester Wool, 25% Silk): 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10) skeins. Yardage is noted for Cropped Length and Three-Quarter Sleeves. For most sizes, add a skein for Regular Length and Long Sleeves or refer to yardage above.

Substitution Notes
The original yarn is a toothy and wooly 3-ply dk-weight hand-dyed knitting yarn in a wool/silk blend. Smoother dk-weight wools and wool blends will substitute well but may not have the matte appearance of the original yarn. Swatch for both gauge and to determine if you like the look and feel of the fabric in the substituted yarn.

Needles + Notions
3.5 & 3.25 mm (US 4 & 3) Needles;
Locking Stitch Markers;
Stitch Markers;
Cable Needle;
Stitch Holders or Scrap Yarn;
Yarn Needle;
5/8” / 1.5 cm diameter buttons, 9 (9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10) buttons for Regular Length, 8 (8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9) buttons for Cropped Length.
Sewing needle and matching thread for buttons.

Gauge
22 sts and 30 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Stockinette st, using larger needles, after blocking.
Please note that changes in gauge will affect yardage used and final measurements.

Skills
Increases/decreases, cabled decreases, short rows, three-needle bind off, bias bind off (instructions included), English-tailored shoulders, seamed, bottom up constructions, worked flat, picking up stitches, buttonholes, sewing on buttons.

Helpful Links
Raised Increases video tutorial.
Raised Increases photo tutorial.
SSK & SSP Decreases video tutorial.
Cabled Decreases.

This post contains SweetGeorgia Yarns and School of SweetGeorgia affiliate links. At no cost to you, Holli receives a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking a link.