How To Knit The Fireside Cardigan: A Free Pattern

Hello hello friends!

Can you feel the crisp air? Can you see the leaves turning red/yellow?

Because I can! And I’m oh, so excited!

Today’s pattern is a FUN one, you guys know, I love a good, baggy and comfy cardigan, especially for fall/winter. So today I got that for you, another cozy knit cardigan!

Not ready to knit yet? Pin this image and get to it later!

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This cardigan isn’t just cozy, it’s also fun. I combined a few colours and stitches to create this beautiful texture.

The pattern might seem long, but trust me, it’s very beginner-friendly. We will be working mostly with stockinette, which is the knit and purl rows. And a few rows of the rib stitch, which I will explain in more detail below.

I have to mention, you don’t have to use all these colours to make your cardigan, you can make one using just one colour and it’s perfectly fine!

About the yarn I used

To make this cardigan, I used a bulky weight yarn, #5. My favourite yarn, Hue + Me by Lion Brand Yarn, which is a dream to work with, and once you wash and dry your project, it’s the softest thing you will ever touch.

You can definitely use any type of yarn that you prefer. This one is a blend of 20% wool and 80% acrylic, whatever yarn you have will work just as fine, as long as it’s a bulky weight yarn.

About the size

This pattern comes in multiple sizes, from XS to 4XL, and it has 9″ of positive ease, which makes it nice and oversized.

Because this cardigan is quite oversized, I decided to combine 2 sizes in one, so in the pattern you will find that one size will cover XS/S. This means that, if you usually wear a size XS or S, this size will fit you well.

Remember that it has 9″ of positive ease. If you like it EXTRA oversized, then I would recommend sizing it up.

Wash/block your cardigan!

Regardless of the material you are using to make your cardigan, I highly recommend washing or steam-blocking your garment.

This will allow the stitches to relax and fit better, without your cardigan looking stiff.

If you don’t like blocking, just throw it in the washing machine (check your yarn label first).

If you are using Hue + Me you MUST wash and dry, trust me, the difference this will make in your garment is out of this world.

If you would like the ad-free printable pattern PDF, you can get it from Etsy or My Shop and Ravelry. You can also get the KIT here.

Check out more fall patterns

Learn how to pick up stitches with this video tutorial on YouTube!

Stitches you should know

• Casting on
• Knit stitch
• Purl stitch
• Casting off

Yarn

You will need Bulky weight yarn, category 5, of any kind. Follow accordingly:

XS/S(M/L)XL/2XL(3XL/4XL)

Colour A: 215g/215m(242g/242m)290g/290m(320g/320m)

Colour B: 163g/163m(187g/187m)230g/230m(260g/260m)

Colour C: 204g/204m(230g/230m)286g/286m(315g/315m)

Colour D: 107g/107m(120g/120m)155g/155m(167g/167m)

I used Hue + Me by Lion Brand in the following colours:

Juniper – Colour A

Arrowwood – Colour B

Macchiato – Colour C

Desert – Colour D

Notions

• Size 8 mm knitting needles with a cord of at least 40″ or 48″. 32″ would work for the body, but you will need a longer one for the collar.
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle
• A few stitch markers

Gauge

Stockinette 4”x4”= 10 stitches x 15 rows using 8 mm knitting needles.

Abbreviations

This pattern uses US standard terms

• co – Cast On
• bo – Bind Off
• dec – Decrease: Knit 2 stitches together.
• k – Knit
• p – Purl
• [] – Repeat sequence in brackets
• St(s) – Stitch(es)

General Notes

• You will need to block/wash your cardigan to get the desired drape.

Pattern

Back Panel

Using colour A and your preferred cast-on method, co accordingly: XS/S(M/L)XL/2XL(3XL/4XL)

CO 62(72)82(92)

Ribbing

Row 1: [k1, p1] Repeat the sequence across the row. (62(72)82(92) sts in total)

Repeat row 1 for a total of 8 rows (for all sizes)

Body

Please note: There are 28(28)30(30) rows in each colour section.

** Switch to colour b **

First colour section: Stockinette

Row 9: k all the way across. (62(72)82(92) sts in total)

Row 10: p all the way across. (62(72)82(92) sts in total)

Alternate rows 9 and 10 until row 36(36)38(38).

** Switch to colour c **

Second colour section

Starting on row 37(37)40(40), we will be working on this section with the broken rib stitch. To make this section, we will work 3 rows of stockinette, and 1 row of ribbing (k1, p1).

Alternate 3 rows of stockinette and 1 row of ribbing until row 64(64)68(68).

** Switch to colour a **

Third colour section: Stockinette

Row 65(65)69(69): k all the way across. (62(72)82(92) sts in total)

Row 66(66)70(70): p all the way across. (62(72)82(92) sts in total)

Alternate rows rows 65(65)69(69) and 66(66)70(70) until row 92(92)98(98).

Your back panel is completed. Do not bind off. We will continue working on the front panels from here.

Front panels

Now, we are going to separate the work into 3 to work the right and left panels.

Right Panel (when wearing it)

** Switch to colour b **

First colour section: Stockinette

Body

Row 1: K 24(28)34(38) and place the rest of the stitches on a spare cord or strand of yarn. (PHOTO 1)

Row 2: P all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Row 3: K all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Row 4: P all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Alternate rows 3 and 4 until row 28(28)30(30).

** switch to colour c **

Second colour section

Starting on row 29(29)31(31), we will be working on this section with the broken rib stitch.

To make this section, we will work 3 rows of stockinette (1 row k, 1 row p, 1 row k), and 1 row of 1×1 ribbing (k1, p1).

Alternate 3 rows of stockinette and 1 row of ribbing until row 56(56)60(60).

** Switch to colour d **

Third colour section: Stockinette

Row 57(57)61(61): k all the way across. (24(28)34(38)) sts in total)

Row 58(58)62(62): p all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Alternate rows rows 57(57)61(61) and 58(58)62(62) until row 84(84)90(90).

Ribbing:

** switch to colour a **

Row 85(85, 91, 91): [k1, p1]. Repeat the sequence until the end of the row. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Repeat row 85(85)91(91) until row 92(92)98(98). (8 rows of ribbing in total for all sizes)

Row 93(93)99,(99): BO.

Now let’s go back to the sts that we had on hold.

In the spare cable/strand, you should have 38(44)48(54) sts. (PHOTO 2)

Lay your cardigan flat on a clean surface, and with the right side of the cardigan facing you, from right to left, leaving 14(16)14(16) sts on hold (these sts will be part of the collar). (PHOTO 3)

The remaining 24(28)34(38) sts will be for the left panel.

Left panel

** Switch to colour c **

First colour section: Stockinette

Body

Row 1: k all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Row 2: p all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Alternate rows 1 and 2 until row 28(28)30(30).

** Switch to colour d **

Second colour section

Starting on row 29(29)31(31), we will be working on this section with the broken rib stitch.

To make this section, we will work 3 rows on stockinette (1 row k, 1 row p, 1 row k), and 1 row of 1×1 ribbing (k1, p1).

Alternate 3 rows of stockinette and 1 row of ribbing until row 56(56)60(60).

** Switch to colour b **

Third colour section: Stockinette

Row 57(57)61(61): k all the way across. (24(28)34(38)) sts in total)

Row 58(58)62(62): p all the way across. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Alternate rows rows 57(57)61(61) and 58(58)62(62) until row 84(84)90(90).

Ribbing

** Switch to colour a **

Row 85(85, 91, 91): [k1, p1]. Repeat the sequence until the end of the row. (24(28)34(38) sts in total)

Repeat row 85(85)91(91) until row 92(92)98(98). (8 rows of ribbing in total for all sizes)

Row 93(93)99,(99): BO.

Sleeves

You are going to pick up stitches on the side of your cardigan to knit the sleeves.

Lay your cardigan flat on a clean surface. From the middle (where the back and front panels meet) you will count 26(28)31(33) sts down on each side and place a marker. (52(56)62(66) total sts for the sleeve) (PHOTO 4)

Right sleeve

**Join colour c**

With the right side of your cardigan facing up, start on the right marker and pick up 52(56)62(66) sts.

Row 1: p across the row. (52(56)62(66) sts in total)

Row 2: k across the row. (52(56)62(66) sts in total)

Alternate rows 1 and 2 until row 21(21)23(23).

** Switch to colour d **

Continue alternating rows 1 and 2 until row 41(41)43(43).

Row 42(42)44(44): [k2, dec]. Repeat across the row for sizes XS/S and M/L. For sizes XL/2XL and 3XL/4XL you will have 2 sts left, k2. (39(42)47(50) sts in total)

Row 43(43)45(45): p all the way across the row. (39(42)47(50) sts in total)

Row 44(44)46(46): [k2, dec]. Repeat across the row until the last 3(2)3(2) sts, k(3(2)3(2). (30(32)36(38) sts in total).

** Switch to colour a **

Ribbing

Row 45(45)47(47): [k1, p1], repeat across the row. (30(32)36(38) sts in total)

Alternate row 45(45)47(47) until row 52(52)54(54). (8 rows of ribbing in total for all sizes).

Row 53(53)55(55): BO.

Left sleeve

You are going to pick up stitches on the side of your cardigan to knit the sleeves.

Lay your cardigan flat on a clean surface. From the middle (where the back and front panels meet) you will count 26(28)31(33) sts down on each side and place a marker. (52(56)62(66) total sts for the sleeve) (PHOTO 4)

** Switch to colour a **

With the right side of your cardigan facing up, start on the right marker and pick up 52(56)62(66) sts.

Row 1: p across the row. (52(56)62(66) sts in total)

Row 2: k across the row. (52(56)62(66) sts in total)

Alternate rows 1 and 2 until row 21(21)23(23).

** Switch to colour c **

Continue alternating rows 1 and 2 until row 41(41)43(43). Row 42(42)44(44): [k2, dec]. Repeat across the row for sizes XS/S and M/L. For sizes XL/2XL and 3XL/4XL you will have 2 sts left, k2. (39(42)47(50) sts in total)

Row 43(43)45(45): p all the way across the row. (39(42)47(50) sts in total)

Row 44(44)46(46): [k2, dec]. Repeat across the row until the last 3(2)3(2) sts, k(3(2)3(2). (30(32)36(38) sts in total).

** Switch to colour a **

Ribbing

Row 45(45)47(47): [k1, p1], repeat across the row. (30(32)36(38) sts in total)

Repeat row 45(45)47(47) until row 52(52)54(54). (8 rows of ribbing in total for all sizes).

Row 53(53)55(55): BO.

Make the collar

** Using colour a **

To knit the collar, you will need to switch to the longest cable that you have.

We are going to pick up stitches from both panels and the neckline.

Starting at the bottom of your right panel, and with the right side facing up, pick up 92(92)98(98) sts evenly up the right panel (1 stitch per row), then pick up the 14(16)14(16) sts that were on hold for the neckline, and 92(92)98(98) sts down the left panel for a total of 198(200)210(212) sts.

Note: The link to the video tutorial on how to pick up stitches, will be on the last page of this pattern.

Once you have picked up all the stitches, you can now start knitting the collar.

Row 1: [k1, p1], repeat all the way across the row. (198(200)210(212) sts in total)

Repeat row 1 for a total of 7 rows (for all sizes).

Row 8: BO very tight.

Make the pockets (x2)

** Using colour b **

CO 20(22)24(26)

Ribbing

Row 1: [k1, p1], repeat across the row. (20(22)24(26) sts in total)

Repeat row 1 for a total of 6 rows (for all sizes).

Body

Row 7: k all the way across the row. (20(22)24(26) sts in total)

Row 8: p all the way across the row. (20(22)24(26) sts in total)

Alternate rows 7 and 8 until row 29 (for all sizes).

Row 30: BO.

Assembly

Using your preferred sewing method, start closing up the sides of your cardigan. Start from the sleeve, all the way up until the armpit and down the side of your cardigan. (PHOTO 5)

Now you have to seam the pockets. Using stitch markers, place both pockets evenly on each side, then sew them in place with your preferred method. The placement of the pockets will depend on how high or low you like them.

Photo tutorial

If you liked this pattern/video please give it a like on YouTube and share your pictures online using the hashtag #FiresideCardigan.

Happy Knitting ~ Dani