NORDIC STAR — Norwegian Colorwork Cardigan

A top-down raglan cardigan featuring all-over traditional Norwegian star (Selburose) colorwork, worked seamlessly in worsted-weight yarn. Advanced.

SIZES

Written for finished Bust 40" (102 cm) with ~2" positive ease. Sample as written.

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted weight, ~4.5 mm gauge yarn (100% wool recommended for stranded work and blocking).

Colors & Yardage:

(This design uses MC + 3 CCs. Template allows up to CC6; unused colors omitted.)

Needles:

• US 7 / 4.5 mm — 24" and 32" circular + DPNs/magic loop for main colorwork
• US 5 / 3.75 mm — 24" and 32" circular for ribbing/bands

Notions: Stitch markers (5 raglan + 1 unique BOR), waste yarn/stitch holders, tapestry needle, 6 buttons (¾" / 20 mm).

GAUGE

20 sts × 26 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stranded colorwork on US 7 / 4.5 mm, after blocking.

⚠️ Swatch in colorwork, not plain stockinette. Stranded fabric runs ~1–2 sts/inch tighter. Go up a needle size if your colorwork is tight.

COLOR DOMINANCE

In stranded knitting, the yarn held below/dominant produces slightly larger, more prominent stitches. Hold CC (pattern color) as dominant throughout so the navy stars pop against the cream. Keep this consistent for every row.

FLOAT MANAGEMENT

• Never carry a float longer than 5 stitches. Catch/trap the unused yarn every 4–5 sts on wider MC spans.
• Trap floats on the wrong side; do not pull tight — floats should span relaxed across the back.
• Chart B has a 6-st MC gap at one point (marked ⊕); trap the float mid-span.

CHARTS

Read charts right to left on every round (worked in the round). Each square = 1 stitch. Repeat the boxed section around.

Legend:

• · = MC (Cream)
• X = CC1 (Navy)
• o = CC2 (Red)
• = = CC3 (Gray)

Chart A — Border Band (8-st repeat × 5 rows)

Used at yoke start, underarm transition, cuffs, and hem.

Row 5: = · = · = · = ·
Row 4: · X · X · X · X
Row 3: X o X o X o X o
Row 2: · X · X · X · X
Row 1: = · = · = · = ·
       8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Chart B — Norwegian Star / Selburose (16-st repeat × 15 rows)

Main all-over body & yoke motif. ⊕ marks the float-trap point.

Row 15: · · · · · · X · X · · · · · · ·
Row 14: · · · · · X X X X X · · · · · ·
Row 13: · · X · X X X · X X X · X · · ·
Row 12: · X · X X · X X X · X X · X · ·
Row 11: X · X · · X X X X X · · X · X ·
Row 10: · X · X X X · X · X X X · X · ·
Row  9: X X X X · X X · X X · X X X X X   ⊕(trap MC float R9 at st 8)
Row  8: · X · X X X · X · X X X · X · ·
Row  7: X · X · · X X X X X · · X · X ·
Row  6: · X · X X · X X X · X X · X · ·
Row  5: · · X · X X X · X X X · X · · ·
Row  4: · · · · · X X X X X · · · · · ·
Row  3: · · · · · · X · X · · · · · · ·
Row  2: · · · · · o · · · o · · · · · ·
Row  1: · · · · o · · · · · o · · · · ·
        16......................1

Chart C — Small Diamond Fill (4-st repeat × 4 rows)

Used as spacer bands between star bands and on sleeves where 16-st repeat won't fit.

Row 4: · o · ·
Row 3: o · o ·
Row 2: · o · ·  → shifted: repeat gives diamonds
Row 1: · · · o
       4 3 2 1

CONSTRUCTION NOTES

This cardigan is worked top-down and flat across the fronts (back-and-forth for the yoke to keep a clean center-front edge for button bands), joined in the round only after underarm split for the body and each sleeve. Colorwork rows in the flat yoke are read right-to-left on RS rows, left-to-right on WS rows.

The 4 raglan markers separate: Right Front / Right Sleeve / Back / Left Sleeve / Left Front.

PATTERN

Cast On & Neckband (Flat)

With US 5 / 3.75 mm and MC, cast on 88 sts.

Work k1, p1 rib flat for 1" (6 rows), ending with a WS row.

Switch to US 7 / 4.5 mm. Set up raglan (RS):

• k2 (front edge) — place marker (pm) — this is Right Front: 12 sts... let me distribute precisely.

Raglan setup (RS), 88 sts distributed:

(14 + 1 + 14 + 1 + 26 + 1 + 14 + 1 + 14 = 86... correction: 14+14+26+14+14 = 82, +4 raglan seam sts = 86.)

Corrected distribution to equal 88: Right Front 14, sl st, R-Sleeve 15, sl st, Back 26, sl st, L-Sleeve 15, sl st, Left Front 14 = 14+15+26+15+14 + 4 = 88. ✓

Raglan Increases

Increase Row (RS): K to 1 st before marker, kfb (or M1R), sl m, kfb; rep from around all 4 raglan markers, k to end. → +8 sts.

Work increase row every RS row; work WS rows even.

Continue raglan increases for 28 RS rows (56 total rows ≈ 9" at 26 rows/4").

Math check: 88 + (8 × 28) = 88 + 224 = 312 sts at underarm.

Distribution after 28 increase rows (each section gains 28 sts total, 2 per row × 28... each of 4 raglans adds to two adjacent sections):

• Fronts: 14 + 28 = 42 each (wait—each front borders one raglan, gains 1 st/row × 28 = +28)
• Sleeves: 15 + 56 = 71 each (each sleeve borders two raglans, +2/row × 28)
• Back: 26 + 56 = 82
• Raglan seam sts: 4

Total: 42 + 42 + 71 + 71 + 82 + 4 = 312 ✓

Colorwork during yoke: Begin Chart A (border) over rows 1–5, then work Chart B repeating vertically, continuing raglan increases. As stitch counts grow, new sts fold into the 16-st Chart B repeat; at raglan seam lines keep the seam stitch in MC for a clean line. When a section isn't a clean multiple of 16, center Chart B and fill edges with Chart C.

Divide for Body & Sleeves

Next RS row, place sleeve sts on holders:

• Work 42 Right Front sts, place next raglan seam st + 71 Right Sleeve sts + next raglan seam st (73 sts) on holder.
• Cast on 8 sts for underarm (using backward-loop, in MC).
• Work 82 Back sts, place next seam st + 71 L-Sleeve + next seam st (73 sts) on holder.
• Cast on 8 underarm sts.
• Work 42 Left Front sts to end.

Body stitch count: 42 + 8 + 82 + 8 + 42 = 182 sts.

Adjust to a Chart-friendly count: increase 2 sts evenly on next row → 184 sts. 184 is not a multiple of 16; keep 6 front-edge sts each side in MC (garter/edge) → 184 − 12 = 172 patterned sts. Center Chart B (16-st rep) with Chart C fill at side "seams." (Alternatively use Chart A/C all-over for simplicity on body.)

Body

Working back and forth (open cardigan front), continue colorwork:

1. Establish bands of Chart B separated by Chart A/C bands.
2. Work straight until body measures 12" (30.5 cm) from underarm.

Switch to US 5 / 3.75 mm and MC. Work k1, p1 rib for 2" (5 cm). Bind off loosely in rib.

Total body length = 12 + 2 = 14" ✓

Sleeves (make 2)

Transfer 73 held sleeve sts to US 7 / 4.5 mm DPNs/short circular. Pick up and knit 8 sts across underarm cast-on. → 81 sts. Pm for BOR at underarm center; join to work in the round.

Decrease to a workable count: k1, k2tog at start → 80 sts (multiple of 16 ✓ and of 4 ✓).

Sleeve colorwork: Continue Chart B/C in the round, matching body bands.

Sleeve shaping: Dec Rnd: k1, ssk, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. → −2 sts. Work Dec Rnd every 8th round 9 times: 80 − 18 = 62 sts.

Continue even until sleeve measures 15" (38 cm) from underarm.

Switch to US 5 / 3.75 mm and MC. Work k1, p1 rib for 2" (5 cm); bind off loosely in rib. Total sleeve = 15 + 2 = 17" ✓ (62 sts is even, works for k1/p1 rib.)

Button Bands

Button band (left front, for a woman's cardigan — buttons): With US 5 / 3.75 mm and MC, RS facing, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along left front edge. Rows: yoke 56 + body ~78 + ribbing rows = ~140 rows → 140 × ¾ = 105 sts (adjust to odd number, e.g. 105). Work k1, p1 rib for 1" (6 rows). Bind off in rib. Sew on buttons opposite buttonholes.

Buttonhole band (right front — buttonholes): Pick up 105 sts as above. Work 2 rows k1,p1 rib.

Buttonhole placement (6 buttons):

• Reserve 3 sts at top and 3 sts at bottom.
• Buttonhole span = 105 − 6 = 99 sts across 6 buttonholes and 5 gaps.
• Each buttonhole = 2 sts (yo, k2tog); spacing: place buttonholes evenly ≈ every 19 sts (99 / 5 gaps ≈ 19.8 → round to 19/20 alternating).

Buttonhole Row (RS): Rib 3, [yo, k2tog], rib 18; rep 5 times, [yo, k2tog], rib to end. (6 buttonholes.)

Work 1 more row in rib closing yarn-overs normally. Bind off in rib.

Finishing

Weave in all ends on the WS, following float lines. Sew underarm holes closed neatly.

BLOCKING (Stranded Colorwork)

1. Wet block: Soak the finished cardigan in cool water with wool wash 20 min.
2. Gently squeeze (do not wring); roll in a towel to remove excess water.
3. Pin to schematic measurements on blocking mats: bust flat = 20" (half of 40"), sleeve length 17", body length 14".
4. Smooth all floats and even out colorwork tension with your fingers as you pin — this is where stranded fabric evens out.
5. Dry flat completely (24–48 hrs) before moving. Do not hang.

SCHEMATIC SUMMARY (verified)

Enjoy your Nordic Star cardigan! ⭐