Cardigan with Lace Panels – Free Knitting Pattern

There is something quietly magical about a handknitted cardigan. It carries weight in every sense — the satisfying heft of yarn in your hands, the slow accumulation of stitches that eventually becomes something you can wear, the warmth of knowing that every inch of fabric came from your own effort and intention. Add lace panels to that cardigan and you elevate a practical garment into something genuinely beautiful. The openwork sections catch the light, create elegant vertical lines, and give the finished piece an airy quality that makes it wearable across seasons.

This free pattern is designed for knitters who are comfortable with basic construction and ready to try a simple repeating lace motif. The lace panel used here is straightforward enough that even knitters who have never worked yarn-overs in a garment before will find it manageable, yet it produces a result that looks far more intricate than the effort involved. The cardigan itself has a relaxed, open-front silhouette that works well over a simple tee in summer or layered over a blouse in autumn.

Read through the entire pattern before casting on. Understanding where the lace panels sit, how the raglan shaping progresses, and how the pieces come together will make every step feel more intuitive.

Materials You Will Need

Yarn: Approximately 900–1,400 yards of DK weight yarn, depending on your size. A yarn with some natural fiber content — wool, a wool-cotton blend, or alpaca — will show the lace stitches most clearly and give the fabric the drape this pattern needs. Pure acrylic tends to be too stiff for lace openwork, though a soft acrylic-wool blend will work reasonably well.

Needles: US size 6 (4.0 mm) circular needles, 32 inches or longer, for the body and sleeves. US size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles for the ribbing at cuffs, hem, and button band. You may also want a set of double-pointed needles or a shorter circular for the sleeves if you prefer not to use the magic loop method.

Notions: Stitch markers (at least 6), a tapestry needle for seaming and weaving ends, removable stitch markers or locking markers for ease of shaping, 5–7 buttons of approximately ¾ inch diameter, and a small amount of smooth waste yarn for any provisional elements.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US size 6 needles after blocking. The lace panels will naturally be slightly more open than the stockinette sections, and blocking will open them beautifully. Gauge matters here — particularly for width — so please swatch, wash your swatch the same way you plan to wash the finished garment, and measure carefully after it dries flat.

Sizing

This pattern is written for sizes XS through 2XL, with finished bust measurements ranging from approximately 35 inches to 55 inches. Cardigans are typically knitted with 2–4 inches of positive ease, meaning you would choose the size that is 2–4 inches larger than your actual bust measurement if you want a standard fit, or go up further for a looser drape.

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)
Finished bust (closed): 35 (39, 43, 47, 51, 55) inches
Length from shoulder: 23 (23.5, 24, 24.5, 25, 25.5) inches
Sleeve length: 17.5 (18, 18, 18.5, 18.5, 19) inches

The Lace Panel

Before diving into the full pattern instructions, it is helpful to practice the lace panel on its own. This panel is 12 stitches wide and is worked over a 8-row repeat. It will be placed symmetrically on the fronts and back of the cardigan, creating four vertical lace columns in the finished garment.

Lace Panel (worked over 12 stitches, 8-row repeat)

Row 1 (RS): K2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3, yo, ssk.
Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl all stitches.
Row 3 (RS): K1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk.
Row 5 (RS): K2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk.
Row 7 (RS): K2, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo.
Row 8: Purl all stitches.

Repeat rows 1–8 for the pattern.

Take time to work this repeat a few times before you start the garment. You will see a flowing, leaf-like motif emerge. Every yarn-over paired with a decrease means your stitch count stays constant throughout — no increasing or decreasing in the lace itself, just the beautiful movement of stitches.

Pattern Notes

This cardigan is worked in pieces — a back, two fronts, and two sleeves — and then seamed. Seamed construction gives stability to the front bands and helps the lace panels lie flat. If you strongly prefer seamless construction, it is possible to adapt the pattern using a raglan yoke approach, but you will need to adjust the lace panel placement accordingly.

Selvedge stitches are included in all piece instructions. Work the first and last stitch of every row as a knit stitch regardless of the pattern to create a neat selvedge for seaming.

When working lace near shaping decreases, maintain pattern as established only when you have enough stitches to work a full yarn-over and its corresponding decrease together. If you do not have sufficient stitches on either side, work those stitches in stockinette instead.

Abbreviations used: k (knit), p (purl), k2tog (knit two together — right-leaning decrease), ssk (slip, slip, knit — left-leaning decrease), yo (yarn over), RS (right side), WS (wrong side), pm (place marker), sm (slip marker), CO (cast on), BO (bind off), rep (repeat), st(s) (stitch/es).

Back

Using larger needles, cast on 97 (109, 119, 131, 141, 153) stitches.

Hem Ribbing: Switch to smaller needles. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1.5 inches, ending after a WS row. Switch back to larger needles.

Set-Up Row (RS): K15 (21, 26, 32, 37, 43), pm, work 12 stitches in Lace Panel Row 1, pm, k43 (43, 43, 43, 43, 43), pm, work 12 stitches in Lace Panel Row 1, pm, k to end.

The lace panels are placed approximately one-third of the way in from each side seam. The center section of the back remains in stockinette. Continue as established, working the stitches between markers in the Lace Panel pattern and all other stitches in stockinette (knit on RS, purl on WS), until the back measures 14.5 (14.5, 15, 15, 15.5, 15.5) inches from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.

Armhole Shaping: Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) stitches at the beginning of the next two rows. Then decrease 1 stitch at each end of every RS row 4 (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) times. You will have 79 (87, 93, 101, 107, 115) stitches remaining.

Continue even in pattern until the armhole measures 8 (8.5, 8.5, 9, 9, 9.5) inches, ending after a WS row.

Shoulder and Neck Shaping: Bind off 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) stitches at the beginning of the next 4 rows for shoulders. At the same time, on the first of these rows, work to center 31 (33, 33, 37, 37, 39) stitches, join a second ball of yarn, bind off the center stitches, and work to end. Working both sides simultaneously, bind off 3 stitches at each neck edge once. Remaining shoulder stitches are bound off with those rows.

Left Front

Using larger needles, cast on 48 (54, 60, 66, 71, 77) stitches.

Hem Ribbing: Switch to smaller needles. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1.5 inches, ending after a WS row. Switch to larger needles.

Set-Up Row (RS): K to last 27 stitches, pm, work 12 stitches in Lace Panel Row 1, pm, k to end.

Continue as established, with the lace panel over the inner 12 stitches of the front (toward where the button band will eventually be) and stockinette elsewhere. Work until the left front measures the same length as the back to the armhole, ending after a WS row.

Armhole Shaping (work at side edge only): Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) stitches at the beginning of the next RS row. Then decrease 1 stitch at the armhole edge every RS row 4 (5, 6, 7, 7, 9) times.

Continue even until the armhole measures 5 (5.5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.5) inches, ending after an RS row.

Neck Shaping: At the beginning of the next WS row (neck edge), bind off 10 (11, 11, 12, 12, 13) stitches. Then at the neck edge, decrease 1 stitch every RS row 7 (8, 9, 10, 10, 11) times. Continue even until armhole matches back. Shape shoulder to correspond with back.

Right Front

Work as for Left Front, reversing all shaping. Place the lace panel in the corresponding position mirroring the left front, placing your set-up marker 15 stitches in from the front edge.

Sleeves (Make Two)

Using smaller needles, cast on 44 (46, 48, 50, 52, 54) stitches.

Cuff Ribbing: Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 2 inches. Switch to larger needles.

Set-Up Row (RS): K16 (17, 18, 19, 20, 21), pm, work 12 stitches in Lace Panel Row 1, pm, k to end.

The lace panel runs up the center of the sleeve. Work in pattern as established, increasing 1 stitch at each end of the needle (outside the selvedge stitches) every 8th row 10 (11, 11, 12, 12, 13) times. You will have 64 (68, 70, 74, 76, 80) stitches.

Continue even until sleeve measures 17.5 (18, 18, 18.5, 18.5, 19) inches from the cast-on edge, or desired length, ending after a WS row.

Sleeve Cap Shaping: Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. Decrease 1 stitch at each end of every RS row until 20 (20, 20, 22, 22, 22) stitches remain. Bind off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 4 rows. Bind off remaining stitches.

Finishing

Weave in all ends on the individual pieces before seaming — it is much easier to do this now than after the garment is assembled. Block all pieces generously. Wet blocking is particularly important for lace. Soak the pieces in cool water with a small amount of wool wash, gently press out excess water, and pin the pieces to your finished measurements on a blocking mat. Pay special attention to the lace panels, pinning each point of the motif to open it fully. Allow to dry completely before unpinning.

Once blocked, seam the shoulders using Kitchener stitch or a three-needle bind-off for a smooth invisible join, or use a mattress stitch seam if you prefer. Set in the sleeves and seam the sleeve and side seams using mattress stitch, matching the lace panel of the sleeve to the body where they meet at the underarm.

Button Band and Collar

Pick up stitches along the left front edge for the button band (if you are making a button-left cardigan — reverse if preferred) at a rate of approximately 3 stitches for every 4 rows. Work in k1, p1 ribbing on smaller needles for 6 rows. Bind off in pattern.

For the buttonhole band, pick up stitches along the right front edge at the same rate. Work 2 rows of k1, p1 ribbing. On the third row, place buttonholes evenly spaced: work to buttonhole position, k2tog, yo, and continue. Space 5–7 buttonholes depending on your preferred button count, with the first approximately 0.5 inch from the bottom hem and the last just below where the neck shaping begins. Work 3 more rows of ribbing and bind off.

For the collar, pick up stitches around the neck edge, beginning and ending at the front band edges. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1–1.5 inches for a neat neckband, or continue for up to 3 inches for a soft folded collar. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Sew buttons to correspond with buttonholes. Weave in any remaining ends and give the finished cardigan one final light blocking or steaming, paying attention to the seams so they lie flat.

Tips for Success with Lace in a Garment

Working lace in a flat garment piece is actually less complex than working it in the round, because you can always see which side is the right side. A few habits will help you stay on track throughout a project like this.

Use a sticky note or magnetic board to track your row in the lace repeat. Even an experienced knitter can lose their place after setting the work down. Mark off each row as you complete it. Some knitters prefer to keep a small notebook next to their project and write down which row they left off on before putting the needles away.

Read your knitting. After a few repeats you will begin to see the logic of the lace pattern — where the yarn-overs sit in relation to the previous row, where the decreases mirror each other. Once you can read the stitches, you can look at the fabric itself to confirm where you are in the repeat without relying entirely on your tracking method.

Lifelines are your safety net. Thread a smooth, contrasting yarn through all your live stitches on a needle at the end of every complete 8-row repeat. If you make an error, you can rip back only to the lifeline without losing your entire piece. This is standard practice in lace knitting and feels liberating rather than precautionary.

Count your stitches after every RS row in the lace panel section, at least until you feel very confident. The stitch count should never change within the panel — every yarn-over creates a stitch and every decrease removes one. If your count is off, catch it early.

Yarn Substitution Ideas

The versatility of this pattern makes it a wonderful opportunity to experiment with yarn choices that suit your wardrobe and lifestyle. A lightweight linen-cotton blend will produce a cardigan with beautiful drape and breathability, perfect for warm months and air-conditioned offices. A soft merino DK will give warmth and elasticity, making the ribbing springy and the lace crisp. Bamboo-blend yarns have a lovely sheen that makes lace particularly luminous.

Whatever you choose, make sure the yarn is smooth enough that the lace stitches read clearly. Highly textured, fluffy, or heavily plied yarns can obscure the openwork. If you fall in love with a yarn that is slightly heavier or lighter than DK, you can adjust your needle size accordingly, but re-gauge carefully and adjust your stitch counts as needed.

Making It Your Own

Once you are comfortable with the