This pattern is dedicated to my fierce, loyal, sassy, smart, powerful daughter, Mabel.

Mabel the Merciless started Kindergarten in the fall of 2021 and asked for a special sweater to wear on her first day. I’M NOT CRYING. YOU’RE CRYING. Ahem.

But not just any sweater will do! She loves all things magical and has been playing Dungeons and Dragons with us. Her character, Badger, is a fabulous cross-classing Bard-Barbarian. She asked me for a sweater that “looks like a rainbow sky, and is bumpy, and makes me look like Badger wearing armor.”

This is it. My moment has come. This is what I’ve been training for.

Designed to wrap you up in a little bit of light woolen armor, the Bardi Cardi is a relaxing knit that looks great on humans, dwarves, gnomes, elves, and orcs of all ages! Brioche panels on the front, back, and sleeves add visual interest and texture, with shapes that are not-so-subtle nods to battle wear. The garter ridge body is a relaxing knit that is both incredibly forgiving and simple to work. Seriously, if you find you’ve forgotten to increase 1 or decreased too many don’t even worry about it. The pattern won’t be bothered and you shouldn’t be either.

Much like the Revivify Socks Jac released last week, you’ll be able to download the Bardi Cardi from our website here or on Ravlery. Since this insanely versatile pattern can be knit with everything from fingering weight yarn to worsted weight yarn, we aren’t providing a “Bundle with the Recommended Yarn” option, because there are few yarns off the table with this armor cardi.

Click here to purchase Bardi Cardi knitting pattern on Ravelry now!

If you purchase this pattern via Ravelry, a link to download the PDF will be emailed to you by Ravelry. You don’t need to be a Ravelry member to purchase the pattern, but if you are, the PDF will show up in your library when you use the same email address affiliated with your Ravelry account. To view the Bardi Cardi pattern page on Ravelry, click THIS LINK.

About the Pattern

Bardi Cardi is the perfect, versatile knit that will fit and please adventurers of all ages! The pattern includes instructions for working the sweater in Fingering/Sock, Sport/DK, and Worsted/Aran weights so no matter what yarn you feel like using, this cardigan is for you.

Recommended Yarn: Fingering/Sock weight -or- Sport/DK weight -or- Worsted Aran weight yarn can be used. (See chart below.) Sample is shown in Lattes & Llamas Adventure Yarn (100 grams/ 400 yards) in “Up to Paradise Falls.” For a sport weight yarn option, check out our Geek-A-Long Yarn.

Needles: US5 / 3.75 mm circular needles or size needed to obtain gauge. You will need 2 pairs of needles.

Sizing: Sizes range from child to adult. Size ranges for each yarn weight are shown below and represent the bust in inches. Sizes reflect the actual dimensions of the sweater so if you want to include ease take that into account when choosing a size.

Sock Weight Yarn – 21”-66”
Sport Weight Yarn – 24”-77”
Worsted Weight Yarn – 29”-92”

I can’t deal with how quickly she’s grown up. I swear that 5 minutes ago she was 3. But here she is, looking like a WHOLE PERSON and asking for sweaters. I hope she never gets too cool to want my sweaters.

~ Megan-Anne

I was about 1/2 way done with the Bind Off on Bardi Cardi when she placed her next “sweater order” XD