Say hello to the Feels Like Summer Knitting Cardigan!
Summer is here, and so there’s a need to knit light and airy pieces. I had the idea for the perfect baggy and breezy knit cardigan that we can use to layer our outfits, whether to add a nice touch to our outfit or to wear on a chilly night, this cardigan has it all!
Not ready to crochet yet? Pin this image and get to it later!
This post includes affiliate links which help support the content on CJ Design’s blog. My views are entirely my own. For detailed info, please review our Privacy & Disclosures policy here.
About the yarn I used
This cardigan was made using Lion Brand Coboo, a very nice category 3, DK-weight yarn. This is a light and airy yarn, perfect for summer garments.
About the size & construction
This cardigan is super beginner-friendly when it comes to construction—it’s worked in panels, and the only part that might need a little extra focus is picking up stitches for the collar and sleeves, but honestly, everything else is pretty simple and straightforward.
You’ll start by knitting the back panel, then split the stitches to create the two front panels and neckline. After that, you’ll pick up stitches to work the sleeves, seam everything up along the sides and sleeves, and finally, pick up stitches around the opening to knit the collar.
This design is meant to be roomy and relaxed, with 12″ of positive ease and nice puffy sleeves—definitely not a fitted cardigan, so if you’re into that oversized, cozy look, this one’s got your name on it.
Pictures in this pattern show a 5′ tall woman wearing size L.
Wash/block your cardigan!
Make sure to block or wash your cardigan to get that clean finish and perfect drape—it’s a must! The stitches will relax and fall into place beautifully after a good steam or wash (whichever blocking method you prefer).
Don’t skip this part—it’s what takes your project from handmade to wow, you made that?!
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
Stitches you should know
- Cast on
- Knit
- Purl
- Yarn Over
Yarn
DK/light weight yarn #3. Follow accordingly: [XS(S)M] [(L)XL(2XL)] [3XL(4XL)5XL]
[390g/827m(427g/905m)512g/1,085m] [(575g/1,219m)652g/1,382m(710g/1,505m)] [765g/1,622m(868g/1,840m)912g/1,933m]
I used Coboo by Lion Brand Yarn in Taupe
Notions
Gauge
Pattern stitch 4”x4”= 19 stitches x 19 rows using 5 mm knitting needles and an odd number of stitches (unblocked swatch)
Abbreviations
This pattern uses US standard terms
- CO – Cast On
- k – Knit
- p – Purl
- yo – Yarn Over
- Dec – k2tog
- K2tog – Knit 2 stitches together to create a decrease
- St(s) – Stitch(es)
- [] – Repeat the sequence in the brackets
General Notes
- You will need to block/wash your cardigan to get the desired drape.
- Always use needle stoppers so as to not drop your stitches.
- Count your stitches every few rows to make sure you are on the right track.
- Keeping a tight tension will make you have more defined stitches.
- Whenever I refer to the “right” or “left” panel, I’m talking about the sides as you’re wearing the cardigan, not how it looks when you’re viewing it from the front.
This cardigan has 12″ of positive ease, considered *Oversized*
Standard bust circumferences used to calculate sizes: XS (30″), S(34″), M(38″), L(42″), XL(46″), 2XL(50″), 3XL(54″), 4XL(58″), 5XL (62″).
Special Stitches
Back Panel
Using the long tail co method and your 4.5 mm needles, CO accordingly [XS(S)M] [(L)XL(2XL)] [3XL(4XL)5XL]:
[81(90)102] [(114)123(135)] [147(159)168]
Ribbing:
For all sizes, work a 1×1 ribbing (k,p) for a total of 9 rows. You will finish on the wrong side.
**Switch to 5 mm needles to work on the body**
Body:
Row 10: k all the way across.
Row 11: p all the way across.
Row 12: k all the way across.
Row 13: p all the way across.
Row 14: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 15: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 16: k all the way across.
Row 17: p all the way across.
Row 18: k all the way across.
Row 19: p all the way across.
Row 20: k2, [yo, k2tog, k1], repeat the sequence all the way across, you will have 1 st left, k.
Row 21: p all the way across.
Row 22: k all the way across.
Row 23: p all the way across.
Row 24: k all the way across.
Row 25: p all the way across.
You should have [81(90)102] [(114)123(135)] [147(159)168] sts at the end of each row.
**Repeat rows 14 to 25 for a total of [13(13)14] [(14)15(15)] [15(16)16] times**
Tip: Count how many “holes” or “eyelet” rows you’ve made—each one shows how many times you’ve repeated the sequence of rows. No matter which size you’re making, you’ll finish the same way: after 5 rows following your last eyelet row, ending with the wrong side facing you.
Row [170(170)182] [(182)194(194)] [194(206)206]: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
**Do not cast off**
Front panels
You will now divide your work to knit the 2 front panels. These are a continuation of the back panel.
You will work with [36(39)45] [(48)51(57)] [63(69)72] sts for the left panel, put [9(12)12] [(18)21(21)] [21(21)24] sts on hold (these will be for the neckline), then put the remaining [36(39)45] [(48)51(57)] [63(69)72] on a separate waste yarn or cable, as these will be for the right panel. (PHOTO 1)
Tip: Work the first row of the body for the left panel, place the remaining stitches on hold, and then move on to row 2. You can also work both panels simultaneously with 2 different balls of yarn if you’d like.
Left panel
Body:
Row 1: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 2: k all the way across.
Row 3: p all the way across.
Row 4: k all the way across.
Row 5: p all the way across.
Row 6: k2, [yo, k2tog, k1], repeat the sequence all the way across, you will have 1 st left, k.
Row 7: p all the way across.
Row 8: k all the way across.
Row 9: p all the way across.
Row 10: k all the way across.
Row 11: p all the way across.
Row 12: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 13: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 14: k all the way across.
Row 15: p all the way across.
Row 16: k all the way across.
Row 17: p all the way across.
You should have [36(39)45] [(48)51(57)] [63(69)72] sts at the end of each row.
**Repeat rows 6 to 17 for a total of [13(13)14] [(14)15(15)] [15(16)16] times**
Tip: This panel is worked just like the back panel, but with fewer stitches and from the top down. Make sure your front and back panels match in length and have the same number of eyelets or “holes” rows.
**Switch to a 4.5 mm needles**
Ribbing:
For all sizes, work a 1×1 ribbing (k, p) for 9 rows.
Cast off your stitches and fasten off.
Left panel
Using your 5 mm needles, pick up the stitches you had on hold for the panel (not the neckline stitches!). Start picking up from the outside edge toward the center so you continue working in the same direction as before — the wrong side should now be facing you. (PHOTO 2)
Once you have all [36(39)45] [(48)51(57)] [63(69)72] stitches on your needle, follow the same steps as you did for the right panel.
You have now completed the back and front panels.
Sleeves
You are going to pick up stitches on the side of your cardigan to knit the sleeves.
Place a stitch marker [8″(8.5″)9″] [(10″)10.5″(11″)] [11″(12″)12″] down the side of the back and front panels (measuring from the top), making sure you are not stretching your fabric. (PHOTO 3)
With the right side of your cardigan facing up, and using your 5 mm needles, pick up a total of [81(84)93] [(108)111(117)] [117(120)120] sts. (PHOTO 6)
Row 1: p all the way across. ([81(84)93] [(108)111(117)] [117(120)120] sts in total)
Row 2: k all the way across.
Row 3: p all the way across.
Row 4: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 5: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 6: k all the way across.
Row 7: p all the way across.
Row 8: k and dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([75(78)87] [(102)105(111)] [111(114)114] sts in total)
Row 9: p all the way across.
Row 10: k2, [yo, k2tog, k1], repeat the sequence all the way across, you will have 1 st left, k.
Row 11: p all the way across.
Row 12: k all the way across.
Row 13: p all the way across.
Row 14: k all the way across.
Row 15: p all the way across.
Row 16: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 17: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 18: k all the way across.
Row 19: p all the way across.
Row 20: k and dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([69(72)81] [(96)99(105)] [105(108)108] sts in total)
Row 21: p all the way across.
Row 22: k2, [yo, k2tog, k1], repeat the sequence all the way across, you will have 1 st left, k.
Row 23: p all the way across.
Row 24: k all the way across.
Row 25: p all the way across.
Row 26: k all the way across.
Row 27: p all the way across.
Row 28: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 29: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 30: k all the way across.
Row 31: p all the way across.
Row 32: k and dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([63(66)75] [(90)93(99)] [99(102)102] sts in total)
Row 33: p all the way across.
Row 34: k2, [yo, k2tog, k1], repeat the sequence all the way across, you will have 1 st left, k.
Row 35: p all the way across.
Row 36: k all the way across.
Row 37: p all the way across.
Row 38: k an dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([57(60)69] [(84)87(93)] [93(96)96] sts in total)
Row 39: p all the way across.
Row 40: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 41: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 42: k all the way across.
Row 43: p all the way across.
Row 44: k and dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([51(54)63] [(78)81(87)] [87(90)90] sts in total)
Row 45: p all the way across.
Row 46: k2, [yo, k2tog, k1], repeat the sequence all the way across, you will have 1 st left, k.
Row 47: p all the way across.
Row 48: k all the way across.
Row 49: p all the way across.
Row 50: k and dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([45(48)57] [(72)75(81)] [81(84)84] sts in total)
Row 51: p all the way across.
Row 52: [k, p], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 53: [p, k], repeat the sequence all the way across.
Row 54: k all the way across.
Row 55: p all the way across.
Row 56: k and dec 6 times evenly across the row. ([39(42)51] [(66)69(75)] [75(78)78] sts in total)
Row 57: p all the way across.
**Switch to 4.5 mm needles**
Rows 58 to 68 (11 rows): For all sizes, work a 1×1 ribbing (k, p).
Cast off your stitches and fasten off.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
Collar
Using your 4.5 mm needles, with the right side facing up, start at the bottom of the right panel, pick up stitches along the right panel. You will pick up [145(146)158] [(158)168(168)] [168(180)180] sts along the right panel. When you get to the back of your cardigan, pick up the [9(12)12] [(18)21(21)] [21(21)24] sts that were on hold and k them.
Now work down the left panel in the same way and pick up [144(146)158] [(158)167(167)] [167(179)180]. (sizes XS, XL, 2XL, 3XL and 4XL will pick up 1 less to have an even number of sts at the end).
Once you have all of your stitches on your needles, work 9 rows of 1×1 ribbing (k, p) (for all sizes) to finish the collar.
Cast off and fasten off.
Assembly
Once your cardigan is completed, it’s time to sew along the sides.
Fold your cardigan with the wrong side facing out, then use some clips or pins to hold the sides in place. Make sure the eyelet rows line up on both panels so it all looks nice and seamless (PHOTO 4). Then, using the whip stitch (or whatever joining method you love most), sew up the sides and sleeves to close it all together.
Fasten off, weave in your ends and turn your cardigan right side out.
Photo Tutorial
I hope you enjoyed this pattern!
Happy Knitting! – Dani
