No Frills Cardigan

The No Frills Cardigan is a long, relaxed cardigan designed for easy layering.

It’s worked from the top down with raglan increases, so you can try it on as you knit and adjust the body or sleeve length to suit. The cardigan is worked mainly in stocking stitch, with ribbing around the neckline that continues down both front edges.

The pockets are added at the end by picking up stitches along the front of the cardigan.

Simple, wearable, and exactly the sort of cardigan you can throw over almost anything.

Yarn notes

The original version is knitted using a fine wool yarn held together with a laceweight mohair strand.

You can also knit it using a single strand of 8 ply wool for a cleaner and slightly more structured result.

Our recommended yarns

Red Hut Aella 8 Ply

A lower-cost 100% wool option that will create a warm, practical everyday cardigan.

This is a great choice if you want:

• An affordable pure wool cardigan

• A traditional wool feel

• Good structure for the long body

• A warm and hard-wearing finished garment

Woolly Yarn Co 8 Ply

A 100% wool yarn that will give the cardigan a classic, defined finish.

This is a great choice if you want:

• A pure wool garment

• A smooth, clean look without mohair

• Good stitch definition

• A fabric with enough structure to hold the cardigan’s length

Using one strand of 8 ply wool will create a firmer fabric with less drape and no fluffy halo.

The most important thing is achieving the pattern gauge of 21 stitches over 10 cm on 4 mm needles.

Sizing

The No Frills Cardigan is designed with approximately 20 cm of positive ease for a relaxed, oversized fit.

Sizes:
XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL

Suggested body measurements

The sizes are designed to fit the following bust or widest upper-body measurements:

• XS: 80–85 cm

• S: 85–90 cm

• M: 90–95 cm

• L: 95–100 cm

• XL: 100–110 cm

• 2XL: 110–120 cm

• 3XL: 120–130 cm

• 4XL: 130–140 cm

• 5XL: 140–150 cm

Measure around your bust, stomach or the widest part of your upper body and choose the size that gives you the amount of ease you prefer.

For the intended oversized fit, allow approximately 20 cm of positive ease.

Finished measurements

Bust circumference

XS: 107 cm
S: 110 cm
M: 114 cm
L: 120 cm
XL: 128 cm
2XL: 137 cm
3XL: 145 cm
4XL: 150 cm
5XL: 158 cm

Finished length

All sizes: 115 cm

The length is measured at the centre back.

The yarn requirements are based on a finished length of 115 cm, designed for someone approximately 170 cm tall.

Yarn requirements

Single strand of 8 ply wool

Approximate total metreage:

• XS: approximately 1,845 m

• S: approximately 2,050 m

• M: approximately 2,255 m

• L: approximately 2,460 m

• XL: approximately 2,665 m

• 2XL: approximately 2,870 m

• 3XL: approximately 2,870–3,075 m

• 4XL: approximately 3,075 m

• 5XL: approximately 3,280 m

These amounts are for the full 115 cm cardigan length.

You will need less yarn if you make your cardigan shorter. You will need additional yarn if you lengthen the body or sleeves.

Always calculate the number of balls using the metreage shown on the yarn label, rather than relying only on the ball weight.

Because this is a long garment, we recommend allowing extra yarn for your swatch and any personal length adjustments.

Gauge

21 stitches × 28 rows = 10 × 10 cm in stocking stitch on 4 mm needles.

Wash and dry your gauge swatch before measuring it.

This is particularly important for a long cardigan, as even a small difference in gauge can significantly change the finished size and the amount of yarn required.

Needles and notions

• 4 mm circular needles in approximately 80 and/or 100 cm lengths

• 3.5 mm circular needles in approximately 80 and/or 100 cm lengths

• 4 mm and 3.5 mm double-pointed needles, or long circular needles for Magic Loop

• Stitch markers

• Waste yarn or spare cables for holding the sleeve stitches

• Tapestry needle

Difficulty

★★★☆☆

Intermediate

A quick tip before you start

This is a genuinely long cardigan, so think about your preferred finished length before buying all your yarn.

At 115 cm, it is designed to sit well below the knee on many people. If you are shorter, or prefer a cardigan that finishes around mid-thigh or above the knee, you can reduce the body length and the yarn required.

A single strand of Red Hut Aella or Woolly Yarn Co 8 Ply will give the cardigan a more structured everyday finish than the original mohair version. Make sure your washed swatch still achieves 21 stitches over 10 cm before beginning.