Springside Lace Cardigan: Free Knitting Pattern and Video Tutorial
There is something deeply satisfying about wearing a garment you made yourself, especially when it is delicate enough to look store-bought but comfortable enough to become your daily companion. The Springside Lace Cardigan is exactly that kind of project. It combines the airy elegance of lace knitting with the practical wearability of a classic open-front cardigan, and the result is a layering piece you will reach for again and again from early spring through late autumn.
Whether you are an intermediate knitter looking to stretch your skills or a confident beginner who has already tackled basic increases and decreases, this pattern is designed to grow with you. The lace panel runs down the center back and frames each front panel, giving the cardigan a striking visual focus without requiring you to manage complicated stitch counts across every row. The rest of the body is worked in a simple stockinette that lets the lace do the talking.
This post includes the full free pattern, notes on yarn selection and sizing, tips for reading lace charts, and a guided video tutorial so you can watch every step before you pick up your needles.
About the Springside Lace Cardigan
The design was inspired by the way light filters through new leaves in spring — layered, shifting, and impossibly soft in quality. The lace motif itself is a flowing leaf-and-eyelet repeat that creates columns of negative space running vertically through the fabric. Because the pattern repeat is only eight rows tall, you will have it memorized within the first two or three repeats, making the knitting meditative rather than stressful.
The cardigan is designed to be worn open, cascading down the front with a relaxed, slightly oversized silhouette. The sleeves are set-in for a clean finish and the neckline is a simple rounded edge worked in single crochet for those who crochet, or a picked-up and bound-off i-cord edge for those who prefer to stay entirely in knit territory. Both finishing options are included in the pattern.
Yarn and Materials
Yarn: Any fingering or sport weight yarn will work beautifully with this pattern. You want something with a little drape — avoid yarns that are very stiff or tightly plied, as they will fight against the open eyelets and cause the lace to close up rather than bloom. Wool-cotton blends, bamboo-silk blends, and plant fiber yarns like linen or Tencel are wonderful choices for warmer months. If you want a cardigan that feels cozy well into winter, a fine merino single or a merino-silk blend will give you incredible stitch definition along with softness.
For the sample shown in the video tutorial, we used a fingering weight merino-bamboo blend in a soft sage green. The bamboo content gives just enough drape to let the lace breathe while the merino holds the structure of the fabric together.
Yardage:
- Size XS/S: approximately 1,200 yards
- Size M/L: approximately 1,500 yards
- Size XL/2X: approximately 1,800 yards
- Size 3X/4X: approximately 2,100 yards
Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) for the body and sleeves, US 2 (2.75 mm) for ribbing at cuffs and hem. Always use whatever needle size achieves your gauge.
Notions: Stitch markers (at least 6), tapestry needle, blocking mats and pins, one removable stitch marker or scrap yarn for the sleeve cap shaping, and a crochet hook in size D/3 (3.25 mm) if you are finishing the neckline with single crochet.
Gauge
22 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked.
Gauge in lace patterns can shift once the piece is blocked, which is why blocking is essential for this design and not optional. Wet blocking opens the eyelets fully and evens out any tension inconsistencies that accumulated during knitting. Plan for a blocking session before you seam the pieces together, and you will be rewarded with a cardigan that looks professionally finished.
If you are unsure about your gauge, knit a swatch of at least 6 inches by 6 inches in stockinette, wet block it, let it dry completely, and then measure. A swatch knitted in the round measures differently than a swatch worked flat, so since this cardigan is worked flat in pieces, swatch flat as well.
Sizing
The Springside Lace Cardigan is written in six sizes with positive ease intended:
- XS/S fits 32–36 inch bust with 36–40 inch finished measurement
- M/L fits 36–40 inch bust with 40–44 inch finished measurement
- XL/2X fits 40–44 inch bust with 44–48 inch finished measurement
- 3X/4X fits 44–52 inch bust with 48–56 inch finished measurement
Instructions for the larger sizes are written in parentheses throughout the pattern. When only one number appears, it applies to all sizes. If you are between sizes, choose the larger one for a more relaxed fit or the smaller one for something slightly more fitted — both will look intentional given the open-front construction.
Special Stitches and Abbreviations
Before diving into the pattern, let us get familiar with a few terms:
k2tog — Knit two stitches together. Insert your right needle through two stitches at once from left to right and knit them as one. This creates a right-leaning decrease.
ssk — Slip, slip, knit. Slip the first stitch as if to knit, slip the second stitch as if to knit, then insert the left needle through the front of both slipped stitches and knit them together. This creates a left-leaning decrease.
yo — Yarn over. Bring the yarn forward between the needles, then over the right needle before working the next stitch. This creates a decorative eyelet and increases your stitch count by one, which is compensated for by a paired decrease in the same row.
k1tbl — Knit one stitch through the back loop. This creates a twisted stitch with a tighter, more defined appearance and is used in the rib sections.
sl1 wyif — Slip one stitch with the yarn in front. This is used at the beginning of every right side row to create a clean, chained selvedge edge that makes seaming much easier.
The Lace Chart
The lace motif is a 12-stitch, 8-row repeat. Charts are included at the end of this post as an image, and the written instructions for each row are included below for those who prefer to read their lace rather than follow a chart.
Row 1 (RS): k2, yo, k2, ssk, k2tog, k2, yo, k2
Row 2 (WS): Purl all stitches
Row 3 (RS): k1, yo, k2, ssk, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, k1tbl
Row 4 (WS): Purl all stitches
Row 5 (RS): k2, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k2
Row 6 (WS): Purl all stitches
Row 7 (RS): k3, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k3
Row 8 (WS): Purl all stitches
Repeat these 8 rows for the lace panel. You will notice that the stitch count stays the same throughout each row — every yarn over is balanced by one decrease in the same row. This means you never need to worry about accidentally growing or shrinking the lace section.
Pattern Instructions
Back Panel
Cast on 99 (110, 121, 132) stitches using the long-tail cast on method, which gives a sturdy, slightly elastic edge that pairs nicely with lace.
Hem ribbing: Work k1, p1 ribbing for 10 rows, slipping the first stitch of each row purlwise with yarn in front for a neat edge.
Begin body: Change to larger needles. Slip 1 wyif, knit to the center of your row, place a marker, work the 12-stitch lace repeat across the center 24 stitches (or 36 stitches for the two larger sizes for added width), place another marker, knit to end.
Continue in this manner — stockinette on either side of the markers, lace panel between them — until the back measures 14 (14.5, 15, 15.5) inches from the cast-on edge, ending on a wrong side row.
Armhole shaping: Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8) stitches at the beginning of the next two rows. Then decrease one stitch at each end every right side row 4 (5, 6, 7) times total. You will have 81 (88, 95, 102) stitches remaining after all decreases are worked.
Continue straight until the armhole measures 8 (8.5, 9, 9.5) inches.
Shoulder and neck shaping: Bind off 8 (9, 10, 11) stitches at the beginning of the next four rows. Place the remaining 49 (52, 55, 58) stitches on a holder for the back neck.
Left Front Panel
Cast on 52 (58, 64, 70) stitches.
Work hem ribbing as for the back. Change to larger needles. Slip 1 wyif, work 12 stitches in lace pattern (this is your front lace panel), place a marker, knit to end. Continue in this arrangement — lace panel at the front edge, stockinette to the armhole edge — until the front matches the back at the underarm.
Armhole shaping: At the beginning of wrong side rows, bind off and decrease as for the back. Work the armhole side decreases only — leave the front edge (lace edge) straight.
When the armhole matches the back armhole depth, begin neck shaping. At the front edge, bind off 10 (12, 14, 16) stitches once, then decrease one stitch at the neck edge every right side row 7 (8, 9, 10) times. Work straight until the front matches the back shoulder length.
Bind off shoulder stitches to match the back.
Right Front Panel
Work as for the left front, reversing all shaping. The lace panel sits at the front edge on this side as well, so your slipped selvedge stitch falls at the armhole edge, and the lace begins immediately after it.
Sleeves
Cast on 48 (52, 56, 60) stitches. Work cuff ribbing for 12 rows on smaller needles.
Change to larger needles and work in stockinette, increasing one stitch at each end every 8 rows until you have 80 (86, 92, 98) stitches. Work straight until the sleeve measures 17 (17.5, 18, 18) inches from cast-on, or desired length.
Sleeve cap: Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8) stitches at the beginning of the next two rows. Decrease one stitch at each end every right side row until 20 stitches remain. Bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next four rows. Bind off remaining stitches.
Finishing
Block all pieces before seaming. This is the most important step for lace knitting. Fill a basin with cool water, submerge your pieces, gently squeeze out the water without wringing, roll in a towel to remove excess moisture, then pin to your blocking mats to the finished measurements given. The lace panels should be pinned with a little gentle stretching to open the eyelets. Allow to dry completely — this can take 12 to 24 hours depending on your fiber content and humidity.
Once everything is dry, seam the shoulders using the Kitchener stitch or a three-needle bind off for a flat, invisible join. Set in the sleeves using mattress stitch, matching the center of the sleeve cap to the shoulder seam. Seam the side and sleeve seams in one continuous line using mattress stitch.
Neckline finish: Pick up stitches around the entire neckline opening at a rate of approximately 3 stitches for every 4 rows along the vertical sections and one stitch per stitch along the bound-off sections. For an i-cord edging, work i-cord over 3 stitches, attaching one stitch per row around the entire opening. For a crochet edging, work one row of single crochet followed by one row of reverse single crochet (crab stitch).
Weave in all ends. Give the finished garment a final light steam press with a damp cloth to set the seams and smooth any remaining inconsistencies.
Video Tutorial Guide
The accompanying video tutorial for the Springside Lace Cardigan is broken into five sections so you can find exactly what you need without rewatching content you have already mastered.
Section 1: Getting Started covers yarn selection, swatching, and how to read the lace chart. This section also walks you through setting up your stitch markers and understanding the relationship between the yarn overs and decreases in the lace repeat.
Section 2: Knitting the Body follows along with the back panel from cast-on through armhole shaping, with close-up camera angles showing the transition between the stockinette sections and the lace panel. This section includes a real-time demonstration of what to do if you lose your place in the lace and how to read your knitting to find your position again.
Section 3: Front Panels and Shaping shows the front lace placement and works through neck shaping in real time, including how to handle the lace pattern when you are simultaneously working decreases at the neck edge.
Section 4: Sleeves is a shorter section covering cuff ribbing, sleeve increases, and the sleeve cap shaping, with particular attention to keeping your cap shaping symmetrical.
Section 5: Finishing and Blocking is perhaps the most valuable section for newer lace knitters. It demonstrates wet blocking step by step, shows how to pin out a lace panel to its full width, and walks through both the i-cord neckline and the crochet neckline options side by side so you can see how each looks on the finished garment.
Tips for Success
Lace knitting has a reputation for being intimidating, but most of that reputation is undeserved. The challenges are manageable once you know what to look for.
Use a lifeline every ten rows or so, especially while you are still learning the lace repeat. A lifeline is simply a length of smooth, contrasting yarn threaded through all your live stitches with a tapestry needle. It does not affect your knitting but gives you a safety net — if you make an error several rows back, you can rip back to the lifeline and restart from a stable, correct foundation instead of ripping back the entire piece.
Count your stitches after every right side row in the lace panel until you have the repeat memorized. It only takes a moment to touch each stitch and confirm you have the right number, and catching an error after one row is infinitely better than catching it after eight.
Good lighting matters with lace. The open eyelets disappear into themselves in dim light, making it hard to track where you are in the pattern. Knit near a window or under a daylight lamp whenever possible.
Finally, do not skip the blocking. It bears repeating because it makes such a dramatic difference. Unblocked lace looks lumpy and indistinct. Blocked lace transforms into something that looks almost too beautiful to have been made by a single pair of hands.
A Note on Modifications
The Springside Lace Cardigan is very forgiving of modifications. If you want a cropped version, simply stop the body 4 to 6 inches before the underarm shaping begins — no other adjustments are necessary. If you want a longer tunic-length version, add rows to the body section and add approximately 150 extra yards to your yardage estimate.
The lace panel can be widened by adding additional 12-stitch repeats as long as you have enough stitches in the cast-on to accommodate them. This makes the cardigan feel even more lacy and romantic. Alternatively, you can eliminate the back lace panel entirely and keep only the front panels for a subtler effect that knits up faster.
The Springside Lace Cardigan is the kind of project that becomes a favorite memory of a knitting season. You will
