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 just about every body and sleeve length, you’ll want to! The pattern includes instructions for three different sleeve lengths and three different body lengths. If Worsted weight isn’t your jam, be sure to check out the Fingering and DK 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 in the course materials.

#sizeinclusive from 30”/76 cm to a 70”/178 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): 30 (32 ¼, 33 ¾, 36, 38, 41, 44 ¾, 49, 53 ¼, 57, 62, 65 ¾, 70)“ / 76 (82, 85.5, 91.5, 96.5, 104, 113.5, 124.5, 135.5, 145, 157.5, 167, 178) cm;
Regular Length: 22 ¼ (22 ¼, 22 ¾, 23 ¼, 23 ¼, 23 ¾, 24 ¼, 24, 24 ½, 25, 25 ½, 26, 26)” / 56.5 (56.5, 58, 59, 59, 60.5, 61.5, 61, 62, 63.5, 65, 66, 66) cm;
Cropped Length: 19 ¼ (19 ½, 19 ¾, 20 ¼, 20 ½, 21, 21 ¾, 21 ¾, 22, 22 ½, 23, 23 ½, 24)“ / 49 (49.5, 50, 51.5, 52, 53.5, 55, 55, 56, 57, 58.5, 59.5, 61) cm;
Upper Arm Circumference: 11 ¼ (11 ¼, 12 ¼, 12 ¾, 13, 14, 14 ½, 16 ¼, 18, 20 ¼, 20 ¾, 21 ¾, 22)” / 28.5 (28.5, 31, 32.5, 33, 35.5, 37, 41.5, 45.5, 51.5, 52.5, 55, 56) cm;
Intended to be worn with 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4)“ / 5 (5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5, 7.5, 10, 10, 10) cm positive ease at Chest; sample is 38” / 96.5 cm on model with a 34” / 86.5 cm chest circumference.
If you wish access to full list of schematic measurements before purchasing pattern, please email Holli (info@holliyeoh.com) with your request.

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

BODY
Regular Body: 625 (675, 730, 780, 825)(890, 995, 1065, 1170)(1265, 1405, 1520, 1610) yd / 575 (620, 670, 710, 750)(815, 910, 975, 1070)(1160, 1285, 1390, 1470) m.
Cropped Body: 555 (600, 650, 690, 735)(800, 905, 975, 1065)(1150, 1275, 1385, 1495) yd / 505 (550, 590, 630, 675)(730, 825, 895, 970)(1050, 1170, 1270, 1365) m.

SLEEVES
Long Sleeve: 380 (405, 425, 440, 460)(485, 495, 535, 570)(630, 650, 685, 710) yd / 350 (370, 390, 405, 420)(445, 450, 490, 525)(575, 595, 630, 650) m.
Bracelet Length: 365 (385, 410, 425, 440)(465, 470, 510, 545)(605, 625, 660, 685) yd / 330 (355, 375, 385, 405)(430, 430, 470, 500)(555, 570, 605, 625) m.
Three-Quarter Length: 295 (290, 315, 335, 355)(375, 435, 510, 570)(645, 690, 735, 755) yd / 270 (265, 290, 310, 325)(345, 400, 465, 520)(590, 635, 670, 690) m.

Shown in SweetGeorgia Yarns Superwash Worsted in Trinket (200 yd / 182 m per 4 oz / 115 g skein; 100% Superwash Merino Wool): 6 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12) skeins, optional 1 skein Lollipop. Yarn requirement is noted for Regular Length and Long Sleeves. Refer to yardage above for other versions.

Substitution Notes
The original yarn is a workhorse of a worsted-weight hand-dyed in superwash merino. Wool and wool blends in worsted weight will substitute well but may not have the glossy appearance of the original superwash yarn. Swatch for both gauge and to determine if you like the look and feel of the fabric in the substituted yarn.

Needles + Notions
3.75 & 3.5 mm (US 5 & 4) Needles;
Locking Stitch Markers;
Stitch Markers;
Cable Needle;
Stitch Holders or Scrap Yarn;
Yarn Needle;
¾” / 2 cm diameter buttons, 8 (8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9) buttons for Regular Length, 7 (7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8) buttons for Cropped Length.
Sewing needle and matching thread for buttons.

Gauge
19 sts and 29 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.