The Nia Cardigan

**The Nia Cardigan** is a lightweight, cropped Tunisian crochet cardigan designed with a relaxed fit, deep V-neck, striped fabric, and plenty of options for customizing the finished garment. Choose between two very different yarn approaches. Alternate **fingering weight yarn with a lace-weight fluff yarn such as suri or mohair** for soft, airy stripes, or work Nia entirely in **two colors of fingering weight yarn** for a cleaner, more defined fabric. The pattern includes instructions for both **long and short sleeves**, and notes throughout help you customize the body and sleeves to get the fit you want. Add length to the cropped body, adjust the sleeve length, or modify the sleeve shaping for a closer or more relaxed fit. Nia is worked flat beginning at the bottom of the back panel. The back is worked upward and split for the neckline and shoulders, then the front panels are picked up and shaped to create the deep V-neck. Sleeves are picked up from the shoulder area and worked flat before the button band and finishing are added. The main fabric uses **Tunisian simple stitch**, making Nia a great next garment for an **adventurous beginner or intermediate Tunisian crochet maker**. A **full video tutorial** is included to support you through the construction and finishing techniques. Find the video tutorial [here!][1] *** **PATTERN INCLUDES** * Written instructions for 10 sizes * Finished measurement and yarn requirement charts * Long- and short-sleeve instructions * Two yarn options: fingering + lace-weight fluff, or two fingering-weight yarns * Guidance for adding body length * Guidance for customizing sleeve length and fit * Instructions for adjusting buttonhole placement to your buttons * Stitch dictionary * Garment schematic * Full Nia Cardigan video tutorial *** **SKILL LEVEL** **Adventurous Beginner / Intermediate** You should be comfortable with the basics of Tunisian crochet. Techniques used include Tunisian simple stitch, picking up stitches, simple increases and decreases, traditional crochet ribbing, buttonholes, blocking, and seaming. *** **SIZING** **Sizes 1–10** Finished bust circumference: **33 (37, 41, 45) (49, 53, 57) (61, 65, 69) inches** Nia is designed for approximately **1–4 inches of positive ease** and a relaxed, cropped fit. Choose the finished bust measurement closest to your actual bust plus your preferred ease. If between sizes, size down for a closer fit or size up for a more relaxed fit. The pattern includes instructions for adding length if you prefer your cardigan longer than the intended cropped silhouette. *** **YARN** Nia can be made with: **Option 1** Fingering weight yarn + lace-weight suri, mohair, or similar fluff yarn, worked separately in alternating stripes **Option 2** Two colors of fingering weight yarn **Long-sleeve sample** [Treehouse Knits][2] A Bird May Love a Fish, Spruce Sock Treehouse Knits The Bunker, Truffula Cashmere Lace **Short-sleeve sample** [Pigment and Ply][3] Sweet Nothing, 75/25 Sock Pigment and Ply All My Mornings Are Mondays, 75/25 Sock The long-sleeve sample uses the fingering and lace-weight yarns separately rather than holding them together. The short-sleeve sample is worked entirely in fingering weight yarn. *** **GAUGE** **19 stitches x 15 rows = 4 inches** in Tunisian simple stitch, blocked *** **HOOKS** * 5 mm Tunisian crochet hook with cable, or size needed to meet gauge * 4 mm traditional crochet hook, or approximately 1 mm smaller than the Tunisian hook *** **NOTIONS** * 4 buttons * 2–4 stitch markers * Blocking supplies * Tapestry needle / seaming supplies The samples use **four 3/4-inch buttons from [Tinker’s Hollow][4]**. The long-sleeve version uses hexagon-shaped buttons, while the short-sleeve version uses round walnut buttons. *** **VIDEO SUPPORT** The Nia Cardigan includes a **[full video tutorial][5]** walking through the major construction and finishing techniques used in the pattern. *** **MAKE IT YOUR OWN** Choose the soft halo of **suri or mohair** or the clean definition of **two fingering-weight yarns**. Make it long sleeved or short sleeved. Keep the intended cropped length or add extra length. Customize the sleeves for a closer or more relaxed fit. **Nia was designed to give you a lightweight Tunisian crochet cardigan that you can truly make your own.** [1]: https://youtu.be/-H0CfbavV98 [2]: https://treehouseknits.com/ [3]: https://www.pigmentandply.com/ [4]: https://www.tinkershollowrva.com/ [5]: https://youtu.be/-H0CfbavV98