Winter Cardinal

Knitted long jumper in DROPS Nepal and DROPS Kid-Silk. Piece is knitted with cables and high collar. Size XS – XXXL.

DROPS 205-47
DROPS design: Pattern ne-314
Yarn group C + A or D
----------------------------------------------------------

SIZE:
XS - S - M - L - XL - XXL - XXXL

MATERIALS:
DROPS NEPAL from Garnstudio (belongs to yarn group C)
600-650-700-800-850-950-1050 g colour 3608, deep red
And use:
DROPS KID-SILK from Garnstudio (belongs to yarn group A)
125-125-125-150-175-175-200 g colour 32, raspberry

KNITTING TENSION:
14 stitches in width and 16 rows vertically in stocking stitch and 1 strand of each quality = 10 x 10 cm.

NEEDLES:
DROPS DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES SIZE 6 mm
DROPS CIRCULAR NEEDLE SIZE 6 mm : Length 40 and 80 cm for stocking stitch and cables.
DROPS DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLES SIZE 5 mm
DROPS CIRCULAR NEEDLE SIZE 5 mm : Length 40 and 80 cm for rib.
DROPS CABLE NEEDLE - for cables.
Needle size is only a suggestion! If you have too many stitches on 10 cm switch to larger needles. If you have too few stitches on 10 cm switch to smaller needles.

----------------------------------------------------------

EXPLANATION FOR THE PATTERN:

----------------------------------------------------------

GARTER STITCH (back and forth):
Knit all rows.
1 ridge vertically = knit 2 rows.

PATTERN: 
See diagrams A.1 to A.6. Choose diagram for your size. Diagrams show all rows in pattern seen from the right side.

DECREASE TIP-1 (evenly):
Decrease from wrong side before cables begin.
To calculate how to decrease evenly, count number of stitches to decrease over (e.g. 16 stitches) and divide by number of decreases to be done (e.g. 3) = 5.3.
In this example decrease by working approx. every 4th and 5th stitch purl together.

DECREASE TIP-2 (applies to mid under sleeves): 
Begin 3 stitches before marker thread and knit 2 together, knit 2 (marker thread is between these 2 stitches), slip 1 stitch knitwise, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over stitch worked (= 2 stitches decreased).

INCREASE TIP (evenly):
To calculate how to increase evenly, use the total number of stitches to increase over (e.g. 34 stitches) and divide stitches by number of increases to be done (e.g. 8) = 4.25. In this example increase by making 1 yarn over after approx. every 4th stitch. On next round work yarn overs twisted to avoid holes.

----------------------------------------------------------

START THE PIECE HERE:

----------------------------------------------------------

JUMPER - SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE PIECE:
Front piece and back piece are worked back and forth on circular needle, from bottom up. There are cables on both front and back piece. Sew piece together on the shoulders. Pick up stitches along the armholes and work sleeves back and forth on circular needle top down until sleeve cap is done, then work the sleeves in the round until finished measurements. Work sleeves top down to adjust sleeve length to desired measurements. Then sew sleeve and side seams before working a high collar.

FRONT PIECE:
Cast on 114-124-124-134-144-144-154 stitches (including 1 edge stitch in each side) on circular needle size 5 mm with 1 strand Nepal and 1 strand Kid- Silk (= 2 strands).
Purl 1 row. Work next row as follows from right side: 1 edge stitch in GARTER STITCH - read explanation above, knit 1, * purl 3, knit 2 *, work from *-* over the next 10-15-15-20-20-20-25 stitches, work A.1 (= 29-29-29-29-33-33-33 stitches), work A.2 (= 32-32-32-32-34-34-34 stitches), work A.3 (= 29-29-29-29-33-33-33 stitches), * knit 2, purl 3 *, work from *-* over the next 10-15-15-20-20-20-25 stitches, knit 1 and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Continue rib like this but work last row in A.3-A.1 as follows from wrong side: 1 edge stitch in garter stitch, work 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches in stocking stitch and decrease 1-3-1-3-4-1-2 stitches evenly over these 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches - read DECREASE TIP-1, work last row in A.3, A.2 and A.1, work 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches in stocking stitch and decrease 1-3-1-3-4-1-2 stitches evenly over these 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Piece now measures approx. 6 cm from cast-on edge, and there are 97-103-107-113-121-127-135 stitches on needle.
Switch to circular needle size 6 mm. Now begin cables, i.e. work next row as follows from right side:
1 edge stitch in garter stitch, work 10-13-15-18-17-20-24 stitches in stocking stitch, work A.4 (= 24-24-24-24-28-28-28 stitches), work A.5 (= 27-27-27-27-29-29-29 stitches), work A.6 (= 24-24-24-24-28-28-28 stitches), work 10-13-15-18-17-20-24 stitches in stocking stitch and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Continue pattern like this. REMEMBER THE KNITTING TENSION!
When piece measures 52-54-56-58-60-62-64 cm, cast off 5-5-5-7-8-8-9 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows for armhole = 87-93-97-99-105-111-117 stitches remain. Then work with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch in each side until piece measures 64-67-70-72-75-77-80 cm.
On next row from right side decrease 8 stitches over the 2 cables mid front (knit stitches in every cable together 2 by 2) = 79-85-89-91-97-103-109 stitches remain.
Then slip the middle 15-15-15-15-17-17-17 stitches on 1 stitch holder for neck and finish each shoulder separately.
Then cast off for neck and slip stitches on a stitch holder for diagonal shoulder as explained below.
Continue pattern and cast off for neck at the beginning of every row from neck as follows: Cast off 2 stitches 1 time and 1 stitch 2 times.
AT THE SAME TIME when piece measures 67-70-73-76-79-82-85 cm, decrease 4 stitches over cable on shoulder (knit stitches in cable together 2 by 2 from right side).
Then slip stitches on stitch holder for diagonal shoulder as follows: Begin at armhole and slip stitches on a stitch holder on every row from armhole like this (to avoid cutting the yarn work stitches before slipping them on a stitch holder): Slip 8-9-10-10-11-12-13 stitches on a stitch holder 2 times and 8-9-9-10-10-11-12 stitches on a stitch holder 1 time.
When all stitches have been slipped on a stitch holder for diagonal shoulder and cast off for neck, front piece measures approx. 71-74-77-80-83-86-89 cm from the highest point on shoulder and down.
Work the other shoulder the same way.

BACK PIECE:
Cast on 114-124-124-134-144-144-154 stitches (including 1 edge stitch in each side) on circular needle size 5 mm with 1 strand Nepal and 1 strand Kid- Silk (= 2 strands).
Purl 1 row. Work next row as follows from right side: 1 edge stitch in garter stitch, knit 1, * purl 3, knit 2 *, work from *-* over the next 10-15-15-20-20-20-25 stitches, work A.1 (= 29-29-29-29-33-33-33 stitches), work A.2 (= 32-32-32-32-34-34-34 stitches), work A.3 (= 29-29-29-29-33-33-33 stitches), * knit 2, purl 3 *, work from *-* over the next 10-15-15-20-20-20-25 stitches, knit 1 and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Continue rib like this but work last row in A.3-A.1 as follows from wrong side: 1 edge stitch in garter stitch, work 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches in stocking stitch and decrease 1-3-1-3-4-1-2 stitches evenly over these 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches - read DECREASE TIP-1, work last row in A.3, A.2 and A.1, work 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches in stocking stitch and decrease 1-3-1-3-4-1-2 stitches evenly over these 11-16-16-21-21-21-26 stitches and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch.
Piece now measures approx. 6 cm from cast-on edge, and there are 97-103-107-113-121-127-135 stitches on needle.
Switch to circular needle size 6 mm. Now begin cables, i.e. work next row as follows from right side:
1 edge stitch in garter stitch, work 10-13-15-18-17-20-24 stitches in stocking stitch, work A.4 (= 24-24-24-24-28-28-28 stitches), work A.5 (= 27-27-27-27-29-29-29 stitches), work A.6 (= 24-24-24-24-28-28-28 stitches), work 10-13-15-18-17-20-24 stitches in stocking stitch and finish with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch. Continue pattern like this.
When piece measures 52-54-56-58-60-62-64 cm, cast off 5-5-5-7-8-8-9 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows for armhole = 87-93-97-99-105-111-117 stitches remain.
Then work with 1 edge stitch in garter stitch in each side until piece measures 67-70-73-76-79-82-85 cm. On next row from right side, knit stitches in each of the 4 cables together 2 by 2 (= 16 stitches decreased) = 71-77-81-83-89-95-101 stitches.
Then cast off for neck and slip stitches on a stitch holder for diagonal shoulder as explained below.
Cast off the middle 21-21-21-21-23-23-23 stitches for neck and finish each shoulder separately.
Continue pattern without cables, cast off 1 stitch on next row from neck. AT THE SAME TIME slip stitches on stitch holder for diagonal shoulder in the same way as on front piece.
When all stitches have been slipped on a stitch holder for diagonal shoulder and cast off for neck, back piece measures approx. 71-74-77-80-83-86-89 cm from the highest point on shoulder and down.
Work the other shoulder the same way.

SHOULDER:
Slip the 24-27-29-30-32-35-38 stitches from stitch holder on one of the shoulder back on circular needle size 6 mm. Knit 1 row from wrong side over these stitches but to avoid holes in every transition where stitches were slipped on stitch holder, pick up loop between 2 stitches and slip it twisted on left needle before working it together with next stitch on left needle. Then loosely cast off all stitches by knitting from right side.
Work the same way along the 3 other shoulders.

ASSEMBLY:
Sew shoulder seams inside cast-off edge.

SLEEVE:
Pick up 42-44-48-50-54-56-58 stitches along armhole inside 1 edge stitch in garter stitch on circular needle size 6 mm with 1 strand of each quality (= 2 strands) - NOTE: Do not pick up stitches along the bottom of armhole.
Work in stocking stitch back and forth for 3-3-3-4-5-5-6 cm (= sleeve cap and as far as the bottom of armhole).
Then work sleeves in the round on double pointed needles/a short circular needle size 6 mm. Insert 1 marker thread at beginning of round (= mid under sleeve). Move the marker thread upwards when working; it should be used for decrease mid under sleeve.
Work in stocking stitch in the round. When sleeve measures 2 cm from where marker thread was inserted, decrease 2 stitches mid under sleeve - read DECREASE TIP-2. Decrease like this every 3-3-3-2½-2-2-1½ cm 5-5-6-7-8-8-9 times in total = 32-34-36-36-38-40-40 stitches.
Work until sleeve measures 43-42-42-41-39-38-36 cm from where marker thread was inserted (sleeve has been worked to finished length, try the jumper on and work to desired length).
Switch to double pointed needles size 5 mm. Knit 1 round while increasing 4-8-6-6-4-8-8 stitches evenly - read INCREASE TIP = 36-42-42-42-42-48-48 stitches.
Work rib in the round = knit 2/purl 4 for 5 cm. Knit 1 round and then loosely cast off by purling.
Work the other sleeve the same way. Fold the rib at the bottom upwards on both sleeves and fasten with a couple of stitches.

MORE ASSEMBLY:
Sew side seams inside 1 edge stitch in garter stitch. Sew bottom of armhole.

HIGH COLLAR:
Pick up approx. 66 to 84 stitches around the neck (including stitches on stitch holders at the front) on a short circular needle size 5 mm with 1 strand Nepal + 1 strand Kid-Silk (number of stitches should be divisible by 6).
Work rib in the round (knit 2/ purl 4) for approx. 11-12-12-13-13-14-14 cm, or desired length. Cast off stitches with knit over knit and purl over purl.

Diagram explanations

Have you finished this pattern?

Tag your pictures with #dropspattern #wintercardinalsweater or submit them to the #dropsfan gallery.

Do you need help with this pattern?

You'll find 31 tutorial videos, a Comments/Questions area and more by visiting the pattern on garnstudio.com.
Have you purchased DROPS yarn to make this pattern? Then you are entitled to receive help from the store that sold you the yarn.

© 1982-2026 DROPS Design A/S. We reserve all rights. This document, including all its sub-sections, has copyrights. Read more about what you can do with our patterns at the bottom of each pattern on our site.