Claire’s Modern Blue Cardigan Knitting Pattern (Seersucker Stitch)

Claire’s Blue Cardigan Made Modern

Claire’s knitted blue cardigan stood out as one of the main knitted pieces from season 5 and again in season 6.

I have a version of this cardigan made in worsted-weight yarn that resembles the original more closely here – Outlander Claire’s Blue Cardigan Knitting Pattern.

The first version I made was in Irish moss stitch, and this new, more modern version is knit in the seersucker stitch pattern.

The Seersucker Stitch

This seersucker stitch pattern is just so great to work up.

This 8-row repeat knit stitch pattern has a really noticeable texture, with rows of 3D diamond shapes.

This stitch may look complicated to master, but it is actually just a combination of knit and purl stitches.

Learn more here: Seersucker Stitch Pattern Ideal For Beginners

Is it reversible?

This is not a reversible pattern, as you will see that the right and wrong sides are different.

The diamond shapes on the cardigan pieces almost look like quilting.

This knitting pattern requires you to work in the seersucker stitch pattern as well as shape through increases and decreases while following the same 8-row repeat.

Related Post: 30 Reversible Knitting Stitch Patterns You Will Love!

Grab the ad-free PDF pattern here.

Get all of the knitting patterns from my Outlander Season 6 collection here.

Make a loose-fitting, oversized, comfortable cardigan with raglan sleeves.

The cardigan is textured using the seersucker stitch on all panels.

This cardigan pattern is great for anyone who is an intermediate knitter.

Copyright info

• Please do not copy, sell, redistribute, or republish this pattern. 
• If you wish to share this pattern, please provide a link to the pattern page only.
• You may sell items produced using this pattern, with pattern credit going to Handy Little Me (Louise Bollanos).
• Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
• Please link back to the original pattern page and credit Louise Bollanos/Handy Little Me as the designer.
• Tag @handylittleme in any Facebook or IG posts.
• For the copyright T&C, please read my Terms of Use.

Size Information

The sizes – S / M / L / (1X / 2X)

Finished Bust Circumference About – 36 (40, 42, 46) in.

Finished Length About 30 (30, 31, 31) in.

*In the photographs, the model is wearing a medium size; this is one size up from her actual size (small).

This cardigan is meant to be loose and oversized, so the fit is not fitted or tight to the body.

Gauge

4 inches/10 cm = 12 stitches / 16 rows in a seersucker stitch pattern using 6.5mm (US 10 needles).

Materials

Yarn

Lion Brand Hue and Me – Magic Hour (125g/4.4oz/137 yds/125m) 80% acrylic/ 20% Wool.

For the following sizes, you will need approx:

• Small – 8
• Medium – 8
• Large – 9
• 1X/2X – 10

Bulky/Chunky/12 Ply Yarn.

Needles

• 6 mm (US 10) knitting needles – circular with a 40″/100cm cable.
• 6.5mm (US size 10.5) knitting needles – circular with a 40″/100cm cable.
• *Interchangeable Tips can be bought here.
• Circular needles are advised because of the large number of stitches – this is worked back and forth – as you would knit with straight needles.

Notions

• Scissors
• Darning needle
• Tape measure.
• Stitch markers

Abbreviations

• Beg – begin(ning)(s)
• Cont – continue
• K – knit
• K2tog – knit 2 stitches together
• M1 – make one stitch
• P – purl
• Patt – pattern
• PM – place marker
• Rep – repeat
• Rib – 1×1 ribbing
• RS – right side
• SSK – slip, slip, knit
• SM – slip marker
• St(s) – stitch(es)
• St St – stockinette stitch
• WS – wrong side

Stitch Explanations

M1 (make 1) – An increase worked by lifting the horizontal strand lying between needles and placing it onto the left needle. Knit this new stitch through the back loop – 1 st increased.

SSK (slip, slip, knit) – Slip next 2 sts as if to knit, one at a time, to right needle; insert left needle into fronts of these 2 sts and knit them together – 1 st decreased.

1 x 1 ribbing – K1, P1 (It is obtained by alternating knit and purl stitches in one row and “knitting by pattern” in every next row. This means that we make a knit stitch when the previous row stitch looks like V and make a purl stitch when the previous looks like a bump.)

• Cast On: even number of stitches.
• Row 1 (RS): (k1, p1) till the end of the row.
• Row 2 (WS): (k1, p1) till the end of the row.
• Repeat these two rows.

Work each stitch in the manner it presents – this means to work each stitch as it faces you – you will knit the knit stitches and purl the purls.

Cardigan Knitting Pattern Instructions

Back

With 6 mm (US 10) needles, cast on 63 (71, 75, 83), sts.

Work in 1×1 ribbing until the work measures 2.5 inches from the CO edge, ending with a WS row as the last row you work.

Change to 6.5mm (US 10.5) needles – Beg with a (RS) row and work in the 8-row seersucker stitch pattern (below) until the piece measures S (18″) M (18.5″) L (19″) 1X/2X (19.5″) from the cast-on edge, ending with a WS row as the last row you work.

• K1 (edge), *K1, P1, K1, P1* – rep from * to * to last 2 sts, K1, K1 (edge).
• Work each stitch in the manner it presents.
• K1 (edge), *P1, K3* – rep from * to * to last 2 sts, P1, then K1 (edge).
• Rep row 2.
• Rep row 1.
• Rep row 2.
• K1 (edge), *K2, P1, K1* – rep from * to* to last 2sts, K1, then K1 (edge).
• Rep row 2.

Shape The Armholes

Continue to work in the 8-row seersucker stitch repeat pattern AT THE SAME TIME as you make the decreases.

• Row 1 (RS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, work in patt to end of row. 60 (66, 69, 75) sts.
• Row 2 (WS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, work in patt to end of row. 57 (61, 63, 67) sts
• Row 3 (RS) Decrease Row: K2, K2tog, work in patt to last 4 sts, SSK, K2. 55 (59, 61, 65) sts.
• Row 4 (WS): Work in patt.
• Work rows 3 and 4 – for 16 (17, 18, 19) more times. 23 (25, 25, 27) sts
• Cast off.

Left Front

With 6mm (US 10) needles – Cast on 44 (48, 52, 56) sts

• Work in 1×1 ribbing for 2.5 inches (until it measures the same length as the back rib) ending with a WS row as the last row you work.

Change to 6.5mm (US 10.5) needles.

Now start to work in the 8-row seersucker stitch pattern on page 6.

• Row 1 (RS): Work seersucker stitch patt to last 9 sts, PM work in 1×1 rib to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS): Work in 1×1 rib as established to marker, SM, work seersucker stitch patt to end of row (you may want to start with a P1, K1 instead of a K1, P1). 
• Rep last 2 rows, slipping the marker as you work until the piece measures the same length as back before shaping, end with a WS row as the last row you work.
• S (18″) M (18.5″) L (19″) 1X/2X (19.5″).

Shape Raglan Armhole and Front Edge

Video Tutorial – if you need help with decreasing and staying in the stitch pattern, please see my video tutorial here.

• Row 1 (RS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) st, work in patt to marker, SM, work in rib as established to end of row. – 41 (43, 46, 48) sts.
• Row 2 (WS): Work in rib to marker, SM, work in patt to end of row.
• Row 3 (RS): Decrease Row: K2, K2tog, work in patt to 2 sts before marker, SSK, SM, work in rib to end of row. – 39 (41, 44, 46) sts.
• Row 4 (WS): Rep row 2.
• Row 5 (RS): K2, K2tog, work in patt to marker, SM, work in rib to end of row. – 38 (40, 43, 45) sts.
• Rep rows 2-5 until you have 14 sts.

Neck Extension

• Row 1 (RS): cast off 5 sts, remove marker, work in rib to end of row. (9 sts)
• Row 2 (WS): Work in rib to end of row.
• Row 3 (RS): Work in rib to end of row.
• Rep rows 2 and 3 until neck extension measures 7 (7, 8, 8) inches.
• Cast off.

Right Front

With 6mm (US 10) needles – Cast on 44 (48, 52, 56) sts

• Work in 1×1 ribbing for 2.5 inches (until it measures the same length as the back rib), ending with a WS row as the last row you work

Change to 6.5mm (US 10.5) needles.

Now start to work in the 8-row seersucker stitch pattern on page 6.

• Row 1 (RS): Work in rib as established over the next 9 sts (you may want to start with P1, K1), PM, work in seersucker stitch patt to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS): Work in seersucker stitch patt to marker, SM, work in rib as established to end of row.
• Rep last 2 rows, slipping marker as you come to it until the piece measures the same length as back before shaping, end with a RS row as the last row you work.
• S (18″) M (18.5″) L (19″) 1X/2X (19.5″).

Shape Raglan Armhole and Front Edge

• Row 1 (WS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, work in patt to marker, SM, work in rib to end. – 41 (43, 46, 48) sts
• Row 2 (RS) Decrease Row: Work in rib to marker, SM, K2tog, work in patt to last 4 sts, SSK, K2 – 39 (41, 44, 46) sts.
• Row 3 (WS): Work in patt to marker, SM, work in rib to end.
• Row 4 (RS): Work in rib to marker, SM, work in patt to last 4 sts, SSK, K2 – 38 (40, 43, 45) sts.
• Row 5 (WS): Rep row 3.
• Rep rows 2-5 until you have 14 sts.

Neck Extension

• Row 1 (WS): Cast off 5 sts, remove marker, work in rib to end. (9 sts)
• Row 2 (RS): Work in rib to end of row.
• Row 3 (WS): Work in rib to end of row.
• Rep rows 2 and 3 until neck extension measures 7 (7, 8, 8) inches.
• Cast off.

Sleeves

 With 6mm (US 10) knitting needles – Cast on 33 (35, 37, 41) sts

• Work in 1×1 ribbing for 2.5 inches (until it measures the same length as the back rib), ending with a WS row as the last row you work.

Shape Sleeve

Change to 6.5mm (US 10.5) knitting needles.

Now start to work in the 8-row seersucker stitch pattern on page 6.

Incorporate new stitches made into the seersucker stitch pattern as you work

• Row 1 (RS) Increase Row: K1, M1, work in patt to last st, M1, K1 – 35 (37, 39, 43) sts
• Next row (WS) Start to work in patt for 5 (5, 3, 3) rows then rep row 1.
• Rep last 6 (6, 4, 4) rows for 6, (8, 10, 11) more times. 49 (55, 61, 67) sts.
• Work even in patt until the piece measures about 17 (17.5, 17.5, 18) inches from the cast-on edge.

Shape Raglans

Row 1 (RS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, work in patt to end of row. – 46 (50, 55, 59) sts

Row 2 (WS): Cast off 3 (5, 6, 8) sts, work in patt to end of row. – 43 (45, 49, 51) sts

Row 3 (RS) Decrease Row: K2, K2tog, work in patt to last 4 sts, SSK, K2. – 41 (43, 47, 49) sts

Row 4: Work in patt.

Rep rows 3 and 4 for 16 (17, 18, 19) more times.

Cast off rem 9 (9, 11, 11) sts.

Finishing / Making Up

• Sew sleeves to the back and fronts along raglans.
• Then, sew the ends of the neck extensions together, then sew (either mattress stitch or catch down) the long edge of the extension to the tops of the sleeves and the back of the neck.
• Sew sleeve and side seams.
• Weave in ends.

Seaming Tutorial

You can see a tutorial on using the mattress stitch to seam here. – The Mattress Stitch – How To Seam Knitting

View more of the Outlander Season 6 collection here…

• Triangular Shawl Knitting Pattern (Claire’s Strength)
• Long Fingerless Gloves Knitting Pattern
• Malva Christie Fingerless Gloves Pattern {Cable Knit}
• Knitted Arm Warmers – Celtic Cable Knitting Pattern
• Fringe Shawl Knitting Pattern (Snow And Ashes)

Share Your Make

I love seeing your finished projects on social media.

If you enjoyed making the cardigan, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, tag me @handylittleme or #handylittleme to be featured.

Check Facebook, and stop by the handylittleme Facebook page to share a photo. 

I’d love to see your work.

Happy Knitting!

Helpful Resources

• Knitting Lessons
• How to cast on knitting
• How to cast off knitting for total beginners (step by step)
• How to knit garter stitch
• How to knit the purl stitch (for beginners + a video tutorial)
• How to knit stockinette stitch (for beginners)
• How to read knitting patterns for beginners
• Knitting abbreviations and terms (US and UK)
• How to knit two stitches together (K2tog)
• How to seam using the mattress stitch (the mattress stitch – how to seam knitting)