Serendipity: The Cardigan

Some designs come more easily than others. This cardi and its pullover cousin, were pure Serendipity. I was inspired by the observation that an octagon would make a great sweater back. The sides, raglan sleeves, neck, and a guide for waist shaping are all right there. The garments practically designed themselves!

I chose a ribbed fabric for Serendipity and then allowed the lines of that ribbing to flow from the octagons to the waist and sleeves to make gorgeous, flattering shaping reminiscent of the sweater girls of Hollywood from the 1950’s. The cardi pictured here has bell sleeves, a feminine (but optional) touch.

Serendipity is written as a recipe which allows the knitter to customize their garment to fit any bust size and to use a wide range of yarn weights (with the caveat that bulky yarn allows for fewer bust size options). There are worksheets throughout to gently guide you through all calculations. And, for those who prefer to keep their patterns on their electro