Lucy Parasol Lace Cardigan in West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep Pure DK - DBP0006 - Downloadable PDF

Lucy Parasol Lace Cardigan – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Lucy Parasol Lace Cardigan is a beautifully detailed knitted cardigan pattern designed by Jenny Watson and published by West Yorkshire Spinners. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern is classified as intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with lace techniques and garment construction. The design is named for its elegant parasol lace motif, which gives the finished cardigan a delicate, feminine aesthetic that is both timeless and versatile.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a lace cardigan — a garment designed to be worn as an open-front or buttoned layer. The cardigan features a raglan sleeve construction, which means the sleeves and body are joined at a diagonal seam running from the underarm to the neckline, creating a smooth, fitted shoulder line without a traditional set-in sleeve seam. This construction method is popular in knitted garments for its comfortable fit and relatively straightforward shaping.

The pattern is sized for children, with ages provided as guidance. As noted in the pattern documentation, sizing is approximate and knitters are encouraged to check measurements carefully before beginning.

Techniques Used

• Raglan sleeve construction — the sleeves are integrated into the body using diagonal raglan shaping, requiring careful row-by-row matching when seaming
• Lace knitting — the signature parasol lace pattern forms the decorative centrepiece of the cardigan, involving yarn-over increases and corresponding decreases to create an openwork, lacy fabric
• Tension/gauge swatching — the pattern explicitly states that working to the correct tension is essential to achieve the correct fabric drape and garment size, so knitters are instructed to knit a tension square before beginning the main project
• Mattress stitch seaming — West Yorkshire Spinners recommends mattress stitch for finishing and joining the garment pieces, a technique that creates a nearly invisible seam on the right side of the fabric
• Shaping via decreases — the pattern employs standard decrease methods to shape the raglan armholes and other structural elements of the cardigan

Stitches Used

• Lace stitches — yarn-overs paired with decreases to form the parasol lace motif, creating the characteristic openwork pattern across the fabric
• Decreases — referenced explicitly in the abbreviations section, used throughout for shaping
• Standard knitting abbreviations are used throughout the pattern, including references to alternate rows, beginning, continuing, and decreasing, indicating a mix of stocking stitch or similar base fabric combined with the lace pattern sections

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is written specifically for West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep Pure DK yarn, a DK weight yarn spun from 100% Falkland Islands Wool. Falkland Islands wool is prized for its softness, lustre, and excellent stitch definition — qualities that make it particularly well-suited to lace knitting, where the clarity of each yarn-over and decrease is important to the finished appearance of the motif. The pure wool composition also gives the fabric a natural elasticity and warmth.

• Yarn: West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep Pure DK
• Fibre: 100% Falkland Islands Wool
• Weight: DK (double knitting)
• Yarn quantities: Based on average requirements and are approximate, as noted in the pattern

Knitters should select needle sizes appropriate to achieve the stated tension as specified in the pattern, since correct tension is emphasised as essential to achieving the right garment size and fabric quality. As with all lace projects, a smooth, pointed needle tip is generally recommended to assist with working yarn-overs and lace decreases accurately.

Pattern Format and Designer

The Lucy Parasol Lace Cardigan pattern is designed by Jenny Watson and is available