Of a Feather
Was inspired by the stunning colors found in Blue Jay feathers. Blue Jays covered my front porch and apple tree the morning after my grandmother Ruby passed. Since then, when I see the birds I feel like I’m getting a message from her and it brings me great joy. The feathers around the body represent the birds in flight and the small colorwork specks represent distant little birds flying on the horizon.

Of a Feather is a dropped shoulder, bottom up cardigan with a seamless construction. Steeks are cast on for the button band, armholes, and neck opening. Sleeve stitches are picked up at the armhole and knit down. Charts are included so that you can color your own feather. If desired, you can choose an inspiration piece and color the feathers with your own design!

Many optional support videos are linked throughout the pattern. These are intended to help or teach those who are new to these techniques or offer visual explanations of the directions. Experienced knitters might choose to skip over them.

This baby cardi coordinates with the Of a Feather Baby Mitts pattern.
Of a Feather Baby Mitts

Materials

Yarn: Fingering Weight
100% non-superwash wool is recommended for steeking. If superwash wool or other more slippery yarn is desired, stabilizers for the steeks will be necessary.

Main Color: 2( 2, 2, 2, 3, 3) 50 gram skeins (190 yards each)

Contrast Colors: 25 grams of each color
Or one 50 gram skein if only using one CC.

Yarn amounts are estimates and can change based on yarn weight, gauge/tension, or any other modifications made.

Sizes
0-3 (3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-18, 18-24)

Finished Chest Circumference
17( 18.5, 19.5, 20.5, 22, 23) Inches
43( 46.5, 49.75, 52.75, 55.75, 58.5) cm

Body Length
10.5( 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13.5) inches
26.5( 28, 29, 30.5, 31.75, 34.25) cm

The dropped shoulder includes plenty of ease for getting little arms in and out of the cardigan.

Notions

Stitch Markers- I recommend 10 removable ones for the button band.
Darning Needle
6 Buttons approximately ¾ inch or 19mm
You might prefer smaller buttons/buttonholes for the two smallest sizes.
Thread to match the MC
Optional: Sewing machine, thread, crochet hook

Gauge

Large Needle
26 stitches and 30 rounds over 4”(10cm) in stranded colorwork for the feathers
Medium Needle
25 stitches and 28 rounds over 4”(10cm) in stockinette/little birds stranded colorwork

Due to the nature of colorwork, there will be slightly different gauges in different areas of the garment. See notes under Needles.
For best results your gauge swatch should be knit in the round, like the garment is.

Needles

Please test your tension with a swatch to determine what needles to use. I have listed the needles I used to knit the sample for reference only. You will need circular needles or long dpns to knit in the round.

Large Needle US 5 (3.75 mm) for Main Colorwork Chart ~ The Feather

Medium Needle US 4 (3.5mm) for the Speckled “little birds” or Stockinette and the Sleeves

Small Needle US 2.5 (3 mm) for Ribbing

Blue Jay Sample Used:
MC: Rauma Finull Ebony 410
CC1: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 01 (white)
CC2: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 132 (Turquoise)
CC3: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 142 (Teal Blue)
CC4: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - FC 37 (Blue & Purple mix)

GoldFinch Sample Used:
MC: Rauma Tumi - 0052
CC: Rauma Tumi - Light grey

Rose Finch Uses:
MC: Rauma Finull 401
CC1: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 9144 (salmon)
CC2: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - FC22 Mix (pink)
CC3: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 32 (light tan brown)
CC4: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 122 Mix (medium brown)
CC5: Jamieson & Smith 2 ply Jumper Weight - 80 (dark brown) used for all contrasting bands and cuffs

You can see these mittens and the cardigan pattern on my YouTube podcast CraftyGarden.

Feel free to come join my Facebook and Ravelry groups!

https://linktr.ee/CraftyGarden

To share photos of your cardigan please use the hashtag #ofafeathermini and #ofafeatherbabymitts