Folklore-Inspired Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Back in 2020, Taylor Swift delighted music fans and knitwear lovers alike with her album folklore, which has a song called “Cardigan,” the music video of which features that article of clothing.

She also sold cardigans like the one in the music video and sent them to friends and others around the same time the album came out.

If you are looking for the crochet version we found that one too.

The original cardigan is a cable knit and textured sweater with blue stripes on the cuffs and button bands, and appliqued silver stars on the sleeves. There have been several knit replicas of the pattern made through the years, but I recently came across the Folklore Cardigan at Lion Brand’s website, which is a nod to the original but also a great classic cardigan in its own right.

Like the original, this pattern includes bands of braided cables and textured knitting on the fronts, as well as diamond cables on the sleeves and back. Add your own star appliques if you want to complete the look.

This one is still oversized but has a bit of a sleeker fir than the one in the music video. It uses worsted weight yarn in two colors (cream and navy are classic) and comes in three sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 45 to 60 inches (114.5 to 152.5 cm).

Because the pattern includes several different cables and stitch patterns it is considered best for intermediate knitters.

You can grab the free pattern, or a full kit to make the sweater at Lion Brand.

As I mentioned there have been a few different versions of this style of sweater pattern over the years, so if you want to check out a few others, you can find the Folklore Cardigan from Sewrella, which uses some more complicated cables on the back and sleeves in addition to the diamonds.

Or try this one form Madeline Tosh, with a variety of braided cables and diamond patterns.

Have you ever knit a Folklore cardigan? I think these would be great gifts for the Swifties in your life who might be in their cardigan era!

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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