Amalfi in MODE at Rowan Mohair Soft - Downloadable PDF

Amalfi Top-Down Seamless Cardigan – Knitting Pattern by Quail Studio in Mode at Rowan Mohair Soft

The Amalfi is a beautifully constructed top-down seamless cardigan designed by Quail Studio and published as a downloadable PDF pattern under the Mode at Rowan collection. Worked entirely from the neck downward in one continuous construction, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a flowing, lightweight cardigan with minimal finishing and no traditional seaming through the body. The design is photographed in Mohair Soft shade Winter 10200, showcasing the soft, halo-rich quality of the yarn.

What Is Being Made

The Amalfi is a seamless, top-down cardigan — an open-front garment with long sleeves. It is available in nine sizes, fitting chest measurements from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) up to 152–157 cm (60–62 in), with actual garment chest measurements ranging from 92 cm (36¼ in) to 172 cm (67¾ in), offering generous positive ease across all sizes. This inclusive size range makes the pattern accessible to a wide range of knitters.

Construction Method

The top-down seamless construction is a hallmark of this pattern and a key reason for its appeal among intermediate knitters. Rather than knitting separate pieces and sewing them together, the Amalfi is built from the neckline downward:

• The body begins at the neck, with the back and both fronts shaped individually using stepped cast-ons to create the shoulder and front edge shaping.
• Left and right fronts are worked one at a time, each with their own cast-on sequences and shaping rows worked in alternating rows to build the front bands and neckline angle.
• Once the yoke sections are complete, the pieces are joined under the armhole and the body continues in the round or flat to the hem as a single piece.
• Sleeves are picked up directly from the body at the armhole and worked downward to the cuff, using circular or double-pointed needles, eliminating the need to set in sleeves separately.

This method means the knitter can try the garment on as they go, adjusting length easily before casting off — a significant practical advantage of top-down construction.

Techniques Used

• Top-down seamless knitting — the entire garment is constructed from neck to hem without seaming the body or sleeves.
• Stepped cast-ons — multiple cast-on sequences at the beginning of alternating rows are used to shape the fronts and back shoulders, creating a smooth, angled edge rather than a single straight cast-on.
• Stitch holder management — sections of the back neck and fronts are placed on stitch holders while other sections are worked, then rejoined later.
• Picking up stitches — sleeve stitches are picked up around the armhole opening directly from the body of the garment.
• Working in the round — the body (after joining) and sleeves are worked in the round using circular or double-pointed needles.
• Stitch marker placement — markers are placed at key points to track shaping and joins throughout construction.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern throughout the Amalfi is reverse stocking stitch (reverse stockinette stitch). This means the purl side of the fabric faces outward as the right side, giving the finished cardigan a soft, textured, matte surface that beautifully complements the fuzzy halo of mohair yarn. The pattern is explicit about stitch orientation: right side rows begin with a purl row, and wrong side rows begin with a knit row, ensuring the reverse stocking stitch is maintained correctly throughout all shaping sequences.

• Reverse stocking stitch (reverse stockinette) — the dominant stitch pattern used throughout the body and sleeves, worked both flat and in the round.

The tension (gauge) for this pattern is 16 stitches and 20 rows/rounds to 10 cm, measured over reverse stocking stitch using 5