P021 Ladies Longline Cardigan with Pockets

How to Knit a Ladies Longline Cardigan with Pockets

Knit a plush longline cardigan with a button-through front, shaped neckline, fitted sleeves and optional patch pockets. The longer silhouette creates an easy layering piece that can be worn over dresses, trousers or everyday separates.

The cardigan is knitted flat in separate back, front and sleeve pieces. A wide ribbed neckband and button placket are picked up and worked in one piece after the shoulder seams are joined.

Project Details

• Project number: P021
• Difficulty: Intermediate knit
• Sizes: S, M, L and XL
• Australian sizes: 8–10, 12–14, 16–18 and 20–22
• Construction: Knitted flat in separate pieces
• Pockets: Optional buttoned patch pockets

Finished Measurements

• Fits bust: 80 (90–100–110) cm
• Garment bust: 90 (100–110–120) cm
• Finished length: approximately 80 (81–82–83) cm
• Sleeve length: 43 cm for all sizes

What You Will Need

Yarn

• Ficio Luscious yarn: 9 (10–11–12) × 100 g balls

The original pattern lists the same yarn quantities with or without the optional pockets.

Needles and Equipment

• Pair of 4.50 mm knitting needles
• 4.00 mm circular knitting needle, 80 cm or longer
• Stitch holders
• Wool needle or crochet hook for joining and weaving in ends
• 8 buttons for the front placket
• 2 additional buttons if making the optional pockets
• Stitch markers or contrasting waste yarn

Alternative Yarns

The original cardigan uses a plush, velour-like chenille yarn. Choose a substitute that can achieve 16.5 stitches and 24 rows to 10 cm in stocking stitch using 4.50 mm needles.

• Chenille DK or light worsted yarn: The closest substitute for recreating the soft, velvety surface of the original cardigan.
• Velvet-style polyester yarn: Creates a similar plush finish, although it may be heavier and less elastic.
• Wool and acrylic blend: Provides greater stitch definition and resilience while remaining warm and easy to care for.
• Merino or merino-blend yarn: Produces a softer, more structured cardigan without the velour texture.
• Brushed acrylic or alpaca-blend yarn: Creates a soft halo and flowing drape, but may require gentle handling.

Match substitute yarn by total metreage and tension rather than ball weight. Chenille yarns can vary considerably in density, so knit and wash a tension square before beginning.

Tension

16.5 stitches and 24 rows to 10 cm over stocking stitch using 4.50 mm needles.

Knitting Abbreviations

• K: knit
• P: purl
• Ktbl: knit through the back loop
• K2tog: knit two stitches together
• P2tog: purl two stitches together
• YO: yarn over
• Sl1: slip one stitch knitwise
• Rib2tog: work two stitches together while maintaining the established rib pattern
• St or sts: stitch or stitches
• Beg: beginning
• Rem: remaining
• Alt: alternate
• RS: right side
• Stocking stitch: knit one row, purl one row

Understanding the Rib Patterns

The lower edges, cuffs and front band use ribbing to create stretch and a neat finish.

Cardigan Rib

• Row 1: K2, *P1, K1; repeat from * to the final stitch, K1.
• Row 2: K1, *P1, K1; repeat from * to the end.

These two rows form the main rib pattern used at the lower edge and front band.

Size Instructions

The first stitch count applies to size S. Figures in brackets apply to sizes M, L and XL in that order.

Knit the Back

Work the Lower Ribbing

1. Using 4.50 mm needles, cast on 75 (85–93–101) stitches.
2. Cast on slightly more loosely than usual to preserve the stretch of the lower edge.
3. Work the two-row rib pattern.
4. Work a further 10 rows in rib, giving 12 rib rows in total.

Work the Main Back

1. Continue in stocking stitch.
2. Work until the back measures 59 cm from the cast-on edge.
3. Finish after a purl row.

Shape the Armholes

1. Cast off 4 (6–7–8) stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows.
2. You should have 67 (73–79–85) stitches.
3. Work the next row without shaping.
4. Decrease one stitch at each end of the following row.
5. Continue decreasing at both ends on alternate rows until 59 (61–67–71) stitches remain.
6. Work 41 (39–41–41) rows without further shaping.

Shape the Shoulders

1. Cast off 6 (6–7–7) stitches at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
2. Cast off 4 (5–5–7) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.
3. Place the remaining 27 (27–29–29) stitches on a stitch holder for the back neck.

Knit the Left Front

Begin the Front

1. Using 4.50 mm needles, cast on 35 (39–45–49) stitches.
2. Work 12 rows in rib.
3. Continue in stocking stitch until the front measures the same as the back to the beginning of the armhole shaping.
4. Finish with a purl row ready to begin the armhole.

Shape the Armhole

1. Cast off 4 (6–7–8) stitches at the beginning of the next row at the armhole edge.
2. You should have 31 (33–38–41) stitches.
3. Decrease one stitch at the armhole edge on the next row and every alternate row until 26 (28–31–33) stitches remain.
4. Work 2 (2–1–1) rows without shaping.

Shape the Front Slope

1. Decrease one stitch at the front edge on the next row.
2. Work further front-edge decreases on the second and sixth rows as directed in the source pattern.
3. Continue decreasing at the same front edge on every fourth row until 16 (17–19–20) stitches remain.
4. Work one row without shaping.

Shape the Shoulder

1. Cast off 6 (6–7–7) stitches at the beginning of the next row and following alternate row.
2. Work one row.
3. Cast off the remaining 4 (5–5–6) stitches.

Knit the Right Front

1. Work as for the left front to the beginning of the armhole shaping.
2. Work one purl row.
3. Reverse the armhole, neckline and shoulder shaping so the right front mirrors the left.
4. Cast off and decrease at the opposite edges as directed in the project sheet.

Knit the Sleeves

Make two matching sleeves.

Work the Cuffs

1. Using 4.50 mm needles, cast on 39 (41–43–45) stitches.
2. Work 12 rows in 1 × 1 rib.

Shape the Sleeves

1. Continue in stocking stitch.
2. Increase one stitch at each end of the next row.
3. Continue increasing at the intervals stated for the chosen size until the intermediate stitch counts in the pattern are reached.
4. Continue increasing until there are 59 (63–71–77) stitches.
5. Work without shaping until the sleeve measures 43 cm, or the desired length.
6. Finish after a purl row.

Shape the Sleeve Head

1. Cast off 2 (3–4–5) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.
2. You should have 55 (57–63–67) stitches.
3. Decrease one stitch at each end of the next row and on alternate rows until 25 (29–35–41) stitches remain.
4. Decrease one stitch at each end of every row until 11 stitches remain.
5. Cast off.

Knit the Neckband and Button Placket

1. Join the shoulder seams using mattress stitch or a crochet chain join.
2. With the right side facing and using the 4.00 mm circular needle, pick up and knit 106 (107–108–109) stitches along the right front edge to the beginning of the neck slope.
3. Pick up 19 (19–20–20) stitches along the right neck slope.
4. Knit through the back loops of the stitches held for the back neck.
5. Pick up 19 (19–20–20) stitches along the left neck slope.
6. Pick up 106 (107–108–109) stitches down the left front.
7. You should have 277 (279–283–287) stitches.
8. Work 2 rows in 1 × 1 rib.

Create the Buttonholes

1. On Row 3, rib 175 (176–180–182) stitches.
2. Work [rib2tog, YO, rib 10 (10–11–11)] 8 times.
3. Work one more rib2tog and YO, then rib to the end.
4. This creates 8 buttonholes.
5. Work Rows 4 and 5 in rib.
6. Cast off loosely in rib.

The circular needle is used to hold the large number of stitches. Work backwards and forwards in rows rather than joining in the round.

Knit the Optional Patch Pockets

Make two matching pockets.

1. Cast on 26 stitches.
2. Work in stocking stitch until the pocket measures 14 cm.
3. Work 2 rows in 2 × 2 rib.
4. On the next row, work 12 rib stitches, rib2tog, YO, then rib to the end to create the buttonhole.
5. Work 2 more rows in rib.
6. Cast off loosely.
7. Block the pockets lightly before attaching them.

Assemble the Cardigan

1. Sew each sleeve head into its armhole, matching the centre of the sleeve with the shoulder seam.
2. Join the under-sleeve seams.
3. Join the side seams.
4. Lightly steam the garment on a low setting to relax the stitches.
5. Test the iron temperature on the tension square before steaming the finished cardigan.

Attach the Pockets and Buttons

1. Position the pockets approximately 54 (54–55–56) cm below the shoulder point.
2. Position them approximately 10 (10–11–11) cm from the centre-front edge.
3. Mark the pocket positions with contrasting basting thread.
4. Pin each pocket in place and overcast around its sides and lower edge.
5. Sew one button above each pocket buttonhole.
6. Sew the 8 front buttons opposite the buttonholes.
7. Weave in all remaining ends.