Half-Moon Yoke Cardigan Free Knit Pattern

Half-Moon Yoke Cardigan Free Knit Pattern

Introduction

This top-down raglan cardigan is a joy for anyone who loves a little drama in their knitting without complicated colorwork. The wide, flat yoke is worked in black-and-white mosaic slip-stitch, so half-moons radiate in neat arcs across the back and sleeves while the front panels stay solid black. Below the yoke, plain stockinette in bamboo cotton keeps the body and sleeves smooth, drapey, and cool against the skin. It looks space-age and graphic, yet it feels soft, breathable, and easy to wear every day.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Sport weight (CYC 2) bamboo cotton, 50% bamboo / 50% cotton, 150 yd (137 m) per 50 g skein.
  • MC (Black): 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) skeins — 600 (750, 900, 1050, 1200) yd
  • CC (White): 2 (3, 3, 4, 4) skeins — 300 (450, 450, 600, 600) yd
• Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles in 24" and 32" lengths, plus a set of 4 double-pointed needles for the sleeves — or the size needed to obtain gauge.
• Notions: Stitch markers (4 in one color for raglans, plus a few spare), stitch holders or waste yarn, a tapestry needle, 5 buttons (about ½" / 12 mm), and a row counter.
• Finished size: Bust 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)" / 86.5 (96.5, 106.5, 117, 127) cm. Length 22 (22.5, 23, 23.5, 24)" / 56 (57, 58.5, 59.5, 61) cm. Sleeve length to underarm 18 (18, 18.5, 19, 19)" / 45.5 (45.5, 47, 48.5, 48.5) cm.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on — make the starting loops on your needle.
• K: knit stitch.
• P: purl stitch.
• RS / WS: right side (the outside of the cardigan) / wrong side (the inside).
• St(s): stitch(es).
• Pm: place marker.
• Sm: slip marker from the left needle to the right needle.
• M1R: make one right-leaning increase — lift the bar between stitches from back to front and knit it through the front loop.
• M1L: make one left-leaning increase — lift the bar between stitches from front to back and knit it through the back loop.
• Inc: increase — here, work a M1R or M1L as directed.
• Dec: decrease — here, k2tog unless otherwise stated.
• K2tog: knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease).
• Yo: yarn over — wrap the yarn to create a new stitch (and a buttonhole when paired with k2tog).
• Rnd: round — one full circle of knitting in the round.
• BO: bind off.
• 1x1 rib: alternate knit 1, purl 1 across every row or round.

Gauge

24 sts and 32 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch with US 4 (3.5 mm) needles, blocked. Knit a swatch at least 6" square, block it, and measure across the center; if you have more stitches than 24 per 4", go up a needle size, and if fewer, go down.

Tips Before You Start

• Read the mosaic rows carefully. In mosaic knitting you work only one color per row, slipping the stitches of the other color purlwise with the yarn held to the wrong side. The chart tells you which stitches to slip — never strand the second color across the back.
• Keep the fronts plain. The mosaic pattern goes only on the back and sleeves; the front panels stay in MC stockinette, so don't let the chart spill onto the front stitches.
• Track two things at once. Raglan increases and the 48-row mosaic chart run at the same time. Use a row counter for the raglan schedule and a separate marker or checklist for the chart rows.
• Try the yoke on as you go. Because this is top-down, you can slip the yoke onto a long circular cord and check the fit across the back and shoulders before you divide for the body.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Instructions are written for the smallest size with larger sizes in parentheses. Where only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Yoke (worked flat, top-down, raglan)

Set-up row (WS): With MC, CO 70 (74, 78, 82, 86) sts. P1 (front), pm, P10 (10, 11, 12, 13) (sleeve), pm, P46 (50, 52, 54, 56) (back), pm, P10 (10, 11, 12, 13) (sleeve), pm, P1 (front).

Raglan inc row (RS): [K to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L] 4 times, k to end (8 sts increased).

Next row (WS): Purl all sts, slipping markers as you come to them.

Work the raglan inc row every RS row 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) times total, then every 4th row 4 times, working the WS rows plain between increase rows. At the same time, when the yoke measures 1" from the cast-on, begin the mosaic pattern on the back and sleeve stitches only (fronts remain MC): follow the half-moon chart for 48 rows, then work even in MC until the raglan shaping is complete.

After all increases: 262 (282, 302, 322, 342) sts.

Divide for Body and Sleeves

Next RS row: K front sts, place sleeve sts on a holder, CO 4 (4, 6, 6, 8) sts for the underarm, k back sts, place sleeve sts on a holder, CO 4 (4, 6, 6, 8) sts for the underarm, k front sts.

Body stitch count: 154 (170, 186, 202, 218) sts.

Body

Rows 1–onwards: Work in stockinette with MC, joining to work flat with the fronts open, until the body measures 13 (13, 13.5, 14, 14)" from the underarm, ending with a WS row.

Next row: Change to CC. Work 1x1 rib for 1.5".

Final row: BO in rib.

Sleeves (make 2)

Set-up: Place the held sts on the double-pointed needles and pick up and knit 4 (4, 6, 6, 8) sts at the underarm. 58 (62, 68, 74, 80) sts. Join to work in the round.

Rnds 1–7: Knit in MC stockinette.

Rnd 8 (dec rnd): K1, k2tog, k to end (1 st decreased).

Rnds 9–15: Knit.

Repeat Rnds 8–15 nine more times — 10 decrease rounds total. 48 (52, 58, 64, 70) sts.

Next rnds: Work even in MC stockinette until the sleeve measures 16.5 (16.5, 17, 17.5, 17.5)" from the underarm.

Next rnd: Change to CC. Work 1x1 rib for 1.5".

Final rnd: BO in rib.

Button Band (right front edge)

With MC, pick up and knit 1 st for each row along the right front edge. Work 1x1 rib for 1", then BO in rib.

Buttonhole Band (left front edge)

With MC, pick up and knit 1 st for each row along the left front edge. Work 1x1 rib, working 5 buttonholes evenly spaced (yo, k2tog) across the band. Continue in 1x1 rib until the band measures 1", then BO in rib.

Collar

With MC, pick up and knit sts evenly around the neck edge. Work 1x1 rib for 1", then BO in rib.

Assembly and Finishing

This cardigan is almost entirely seamless: the only sewing is the buttons. Gently close any small gaps at the underarms by weaving the underarm cast-on edges to the sleeve pick-up with your tapestry needle. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, taking care not to pull the mosaic fabric tight. Sew the 5 buttons to the right button band opposite the buttonholes. Block to the finished measurements: soak in cool water, roll in a towel to remove excess water, then pin out flat to the bust, length, and sleeve measurements and let dry completely. Bamboo cotton relaxes and blooms slightly with blocking, so measure again once dry.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the palette: Try deep navy and cream, or charcoal and pale gray, for a softer take on the half-moon motif — the mosaic technique works with any high-contrast pair.
• Add pockets: Work two simple patch pockets in MC stockinette and sew them to the lower fronts, lining them up with the hem ribbing.
• Lengthen the body: Because the body is plain stockinette, you can easily add 1–2" before the ribbed hem — just buy one extra skein of MC to be safe.