as soon as i finished knitting my sea fret pullover, i knew i wanted a cardigan version—its light airy fit and feel just had to be translated into a garment i could open and close to suit the temperature.
sea fret cardigan has all the same characteristics as its sibling pullover—versatile, unisex, and completely easy to wear, with v-neck and crew neck options—but it also has buttons! knit flat in one piece from the bottom up, it is equally quick to knit and finishes up with just a few inches of underarm seaming and the addition of button bands.
styled with subtle knit/purl texture, raglan shaping, narrow cable details, sleek, one-by-one ribbing, and a relaxed fit, this garment is easily paired and shared with fabrics throughout your wardrobe. and of course the optional elbow patches are included in this version as well; i didn’t add them to my first sample, but i will likely add them to the one i’m knitting now.
the pattern includes nine sizes from young adult to big and tall. and the weight is just right—soft and airy in fingering or light sport yarn, it is the piece you’ll grab for again and again, making it a great choice for a natural yarn shade that will go with everything.
for my design sample, i chose our creamy-soft cooper sport, spun from springy 2-ply coopworth lambswool. this yarn explodes with life when washed, blooming to create a strong network of fibers that keep the garment from sagging—perfect for a seamless design that won’t lose its shape, even with years of wear.
i’ve a second one on the needles now in stone soup fingering (color marble) and i’m enjoying every knitting moment; as i write, i’m wearing the pullover that barb knit in this blend and i’m in love with the fabric (thank you barb!!). it’s incredibly light—about the weight of a long sleeve t-shirt, i swear—but adds just that layer of warmth i’m craving on this overcast, chilly day (i won’t scar you with a photo of my current outfit, but let’s just say it works perfectly with sweatpants and bad hair).
some other good choices for sea fret cardigan could be ghillie sock (our soft cheviot wool), patchwork fingering, festivus 4.0 sport, or elemental affects shetland fingering. it’s a great style for that single breed, heritage wool you’ve been longing to knit. it would also be luscious in chebris sport, for a cozy, retro-luxe version.
the cable detailing along the side seams and raglan lines adds definition, but it can be eliminated, as i did with david’s red pullover version by converting the raglan cable panels to stockinette and working an extra repeat of the body pattern (or garter stitch) at side seams—the stitch count is the same for an easy swap out.
want to know more about sea fret or ready to cast on NOW?
click here to purchase the pattern in our online shop and click here to to purchase the pattern on ravelry.
and don’t forget to share your sea fret progress in our bare naked wools ravelry group—bring yourself and your project for a fun, relaxing knit and chat.
7 thoughts on “sea fret cardigan”
It’s beautiful in the white cooper sport! I remember commenting on your swatch that it looked too stiff and you said it really bloomed when washed. You’re sure right! Are the vertical lines seed stitch? I like the contrast with horizontal lines – not quite the same. All the swatches look lovely – especially David’s red.
The cardigan looks lovely…maybe that’s next after I finish the Sea Fret pullover. And as always, I love the eye candy of your swatches!
Knitting away on my Sea Fret pullover in Stone Soup Marble. Of course after seeing and feeling the Cooper sport I’ll probably have to make a Cardigan in that. I was reluctant when you were knitting it but after you washed and blocked it was amazingly soft. Great comfy sweater.
Darn—I want to see the sweats and bad hair lol! Seriously the Sea Fret cardigan looks like a garment that could be worn everywhere (and would,always look,good).
I LOVE this cardigan!
Every single picture has the model holding the top in an odd way. I learned from Knitting in Plain English to distruct patterns that show the model grabbing at or holding the sweater in place….
Are you doing a kit in White Coop Sport?
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