My first third top down cardigan is finished and almost ready to wear. It's true it doesn't have its buttons yet, but it is perfectly wearable and stylish as it is. In fact, I have been wearing it for at least the past ten days, I finished it right in the middle of a cold snap and, well, it would have been silly not to.
Made from Rowan Cocoon, this top down cardigan is knitted in one piece. The only sewing is the ends - and buttons should you choose to have them.
I'm learning the basic construction of top-down cardigans after being introduced to the idea by 
The things that I love about this cardigan: it fits perfectly and is the shape and style I want. It's very cosy and, in knitting terms, was very fast to knit (between seven and ten days). That's really important when you're trying to learn something - you need to be able to complete something quickly enough to remember what you've learned and apply it to the next garment.
I wore the cardigan to a gathering yesterday and received lots of compliments and I've been planning a just above the ankle skirt to go with it (I already have the fabric).
Things I would change next time
The neckline
The neckline is fine on this - the important thing was learning that I need to cast on 72 stitches for an ordinary round neckline if I am using Aran or chunky wool - like I know I need to cast on 64 stitches when I'm knitting socks. Do you like the black and white filter? ;)
There's nothing wrong with the neckline. When buttoned, it sits snugly around the base of my neck, not too loose and not too restrictive, and lies flat. When unbuttoned, it falls open and sits about two or three inches below the neck, which is just where I like it.
However, I don't specially like ribbing as an edge, so I would like to experiment with some other finishes. In one of the other two cardigans I'm working on, I have a simple two row purl edging which I like, and I'd also like to try seed or moss stitch ... or even a garter stitch collar.
I like a very relaxed style, so this cardigan is perfect for me. If you like a sharper, more defined look, you might like to try these tips for the neckline:
- from J's Knit and Purl Jam: lose eight stitches from the ribbing and then increase eight stitches in the first knit row.
- from Fringe Association ("knit and let knit"): use a size smaller needles for the ribbing.
Fringe Association also has a detailed blog post about creating the neckline and edging as part of a series about improvising a top down sweater. This series is quite detailed - great if you are an experienced knitter or if you are ready to move on, but if you are knitting your first top-down cardigan, I would reccommend starting with J's Knit and Purl Jam. Even there, I used a different weight yarn and made up my own stitch numbers.
I love the neckline on the latest cardigan
Sleeves, sleeve increases and underarms
I love the stitch definition, even though I am the most untidy knitter!
I just went for it :) J recommends 26 raglan increases for the front and back and the sleeves and then casting on four stitches between the front and back when you start knitting the body in the round.
I just did the 26 increases :)
This did create a problem under the arms when neighbouring stitches which had been in a straight row suddenly had to go at right-angles to each other. There was a hole under each arm about four centimetres long. In this instance, I just used the end of the wool to sew up the hole (It looks okay, doesn't it? You would never know 😎).
In the next version, I have added stitches under the arms and I can already see that it is a better finish.
The other thing I would change are the sleeve increases - I wouldn't do as many on the sleeves as on the body - the sleeves are very full around the upper arm, they look fine and perfect for this style, but for a more fitted top, you would need a narrower sleeve. The Fringe Association link above explains how to do this.
I'm trying this version on my next cardigan together with a v-neck.
The Videos I Used
Youtube Channel - J's Knit and Purl Jam
A Sweet Roll Top Down Cardigan #83 - introduction
Top Down Cardigan 101 #83-1
Top Down Cardigan 101 #83-2
Top Down Cardigan 101 #83-3
Top Down Cardigan 101 #83-4
I also wrote about swatchtaping in a previous post - another idea from J.
This video compares different types of increases you can use for the raglan increases. J. uses the yarn over method - that can look pretty in a lightweight yarn, but I prefer the kf&b method. You choose :)
Finally, even though there is no sewing up (apart from the holes under the arms), here's a nice video about mattress stitch, which I found really helpful for another up and over cardigan I knitted using a pattern.
If anyone tries this method, please let me know how you get on.
I recommend starting with big yarn!