🧶 Knitting a garter stitch cardigan for winter: complete guide & tips

(Reading time: 8 minutes – ideal with a steaming cup of tea ☕ and your favorite ball of yarn)

❄️ Introduction: Why the seed stitch cardigan is the perfect winter companion

When the days get shorter and the air gets cooler, there's nothing like wrapping yourself in a cozy handmade cardigan.
And if there's one stitch that embodies warmth and a cozy texture, it's the seed stitch . Soft, elegant, and easy to knit, it instantly gives that little "made with love" effect 💛.

We (Lenny & Louise) learned to knit it with our grandmother: she always told us that the rice stitch was “the stitch of the patient heart”, because it progresses slowly, but always rewards the eye and the touch.

👉 In this article, we share everything you need to know to knit a seed stitch cardigan for winter :

▪️ The basic technical skills you need to know

▪️ Tips for keeping up the pace without getting tired

▪️ Our favorite patterns for knitting a cardigan that will keep you warm all winter long

🔎 1. Why choose the seed stitch for your cardigan?

The rice stitch is a bit like the little black dress of knitting: timeless and always chic ✨.

✅ Its concrete advantages:

▪️ Soft texture : ideal for cozy cardigans

▪️ Reversible : no right/wrong side, practical for a vest

▪️ Accessibility : perfect for beginners and experienced users

▪️ Unique visual effect : adds depth without complication

💡 Example: The The Festi vest , knitted in the round and accessible, gains in elegance if you add a few sections in seed stitch.

Key takeaway : the rice stitch elevates simplicity, and even makes a basic cardigan worthy of a winter fashion show.

🧵 2. The technical basics for knitting the seed stitch

As a reminder, the rice stitch alternates knit and purl stitches, offsetting from one row to the next.

Quick tutorial:

1️⃣ Cast on an even number of stitches.

2️⃣ Row 1 : Knit 1, purl 1 (repeat).

3️⃣ Row 2 and following: knit the stitches in the opposite direction of their appearance (knit stitch on purl stitch, and vice versa).

👉 Result: a grainy, dense and elastic texture, perfect for a cardigan.

⚠️ Little knitting truth: the seed stitch takes longer to work than a stockinette stitch, but that's precisely what gives it that "high-end" finish.

🪄 3. Tips for successfully knitting a seed stitch cardigan without getting discouraged

Break down your project

Cut out your cardigan in stages: back → sleeves → fronts → assembly.
Each completed step = mini victory 🎉.

Choose suitable needles

We recommend size 6 or 7 needles to obtain a flexible stitch without adding weight.

Alternate the points

To avoid boredom, you can insert sections in jersey or simple cables.
👉 Inspiration: the Twist & Shout vest , which alternates texture and retro simplicity.

Take smart breaks

▪️ 20 minutes of knitting = hand/shoulders stretching break 🧘♀️

▪️ Good lighting = rested eyes 👀

Key takeaway : consistency is key in knitting marathons.

🧥 4. Our favorite styles for a winter cardigan

Even though Knit-sis doesn't yet have a 100% seed stitch cardigan in its collection, several of our designs lend themselves perfectly to it:

▪️ Cardichou – The Cabbage Vest : top-down construction, perfect for replacing stockinette stitch with rice stitch.

▪️ Vintage Fall Vest : retro look that goes super well with the texture of the rice stitch.

▪️ Marguerite Vest : a romantic mix, ideal for alternating openwork + rice stitch.

👉 Personal tip: start with a short or oversized cardigan for a rewarding project, before embarking on a long vest entirely in rice stitch.

🧶 Conclusion: your winter cardigan, a cozy and rewarding project

Knitting a cardigan in rice stitch guarantees a unique, textured and warm piece to get through winter in style ❄️.
And contrary to popular belief, this point is not reserved for experts: with patience and regularity, you will see your vest take shape row by row.

We cherish the memory of our first cardigans knitted with our grandmother… and we wish you to create yours with as much joy.

👉 And now, it's your turn:

▪️ Try on a model from our collection of modern vests

▪️ Download a free pattern to get started without stress

▪️ Join our knitting newsletter 💌 to receive our next tutorials and exclusive patterns (spoiler: a surprise cardigan is coming soon 👀).