As autumn unfolds and the leaves turn golden, the perfect way to embrace the season is to craft a Pumpkin Spice Latte Cardigan. This mid-length, top-down circular yoke cardigan has an easy-to-knit stranded colorwork design. The 12-stitch repeat for the colorwork section only uses two colors per row, making the knitting fun and relaxing while allowing your fall-inspired yarn colors to stand out as the star of the sweater. The cardigan includes a 2-color knitted braid on the yoke, cuffs, front edging, and hem for added detail. Once completed, the sweater is steeked at the center before the front edging stitches are picked up and knit in a 3x1 ribbing.
Embracing Stranded Knitting
Stranded knitting transforms your yarn into a colorful tapestry. Each stitch becomes a part of a collective artwork. The Pumpkin Spice Latte Cardigan shines with a two-color knitted braid that appears on the yoke, cuffs, front edging, and hem. This makes the project visually vibrant and engaging.
Choosing yarns with strong color contrast is essential to make the stranded colorwork stand out. For Pumpkin Spice, I opted for Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Sport in Oyster Heather, Pumpkin, and Ash colorways. Interestingly, while working on the design, I named the cardigan "Pumpkin Spice Latte." The name felt appropriate, given the autumn hues I had chosen.
After selecting your yarn, achieving the right tension is crucial. Too tight, and the fabric becomes stiff; too loose, and it puckers. Here's a practical tip: Always start with a swatch! Better yet, knit a hat as your swatch, as I did. Aim for 20 stitches and 25 rounds to get the perfect gauge for your cardigan.
The Art of Steeking
Steeking might seem scary; after all, cutting your knit garment that you’ve spent ages on goes against all of your knitting instincts, but with some simple steps, you can cut your garment with confidence.
Give yourself plenty of room on each side of the line of knit stitches you will be cutting. Typically, you’ll use a set of 5 stitches so you have two stable rows on either side of the stitches that will be cut. It will always be an odd number, but too few stitches in the steek section make it harder to stabilize and see which row you are working on.
Make sure to mark your steek stitches as you knit with contrasting stitch markers so you don’t accidentally start working them as part of the pattern. Once your colorwork is established, it’s easier to spot them, but it’s still helpful to have the reminder, especially if this is your first time steeking.
If you have a hard time following a line of stitches up the pattern, you can mark that center stitch by weaving a contrasting thread of yarn in and out of that stitch every few rows as you work. You can also do this with the stabilizing stitches if that will make it easier for you to find them.
Don't Panic, Trust the Process
You’ve followed all of the steps, you’ve stabilized your steek, you’ve double-checked that everything is secure, and now it’s time to cut. Take a deep breath, don’t panic, and trust the process. Make sure you are working in a well-lit area so you aren’t straining your eyes. Lay out the sweater on a flat surface and put a piece of cardboard inside the sweater so you don’t accidentally cut into the back of your sweater. Using sharp, pointy scissors, slowly start cutting a few stitches up the middle of your steek, and before you know it, you’ll have a beautiful cardigan!
Embracing the Knitting Journey
Knitting is not just about completing a project; it’s about enjoying the entire process. You might experience moments of frustration, particularly with advanced techniques like stranded knitting and steeking. But it’s essential to stay positive! Each stitch you make gets you a little closer to your cozy cardigan.
Spend time reflecting on your progress while sipping that seasonal pumpkin spice latte. Each mistake is a lesson, and your skills will improve as you knit. When the cardigan is complete, you’ll be enveloped in warmth and pride, celebrating the final product and everything that brought you to this moment.
Happy knitting!
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