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Top-Down Turtleneck Cardigan + Henley in Echo Wool
Easygoing in spirit yet thoughtful in every detail, our Top-Down Turtleneck Cardigan is an all-time classic. We’ve updated this beloved pattern for our exceptionally soft new recycled wool yarn, Echo Wool, and while we were at it, we added a charming henley option—perfect for layering!
Cardigan or henley, both start the same way, beginning with the charmingly unfussy stockinette stitch collar. From there, you continue knitting from the top down and all in one piece, shaping the saddle shoulders and set-in sleeve caps that give this relaxed sweater its structure and fit.
Once you’ve set aside stitches for the sleeves, it’s time to choose your path: continue working flat for the cardigan or join in the round for the henley. Either way, you can try your sweater on as you go and find just the right length for the body and sleeves. Finished with a split hem and rolled edges all around, this sweater has inviting details that pair beautifully with the lived-in comfort of Echo Wool.
The mill that makes Echo Wool reclaims fibers from their own production waste to create this 100% recycled wool yarn. With a woolen-spun 2-ply structure and a slightly relaxed twist, it blooms generously as you knit—wonderfully versatile on the needles for happy knitting across a range of gauges from sport to DK weight. For the Top-Down Turtleneck, the sweet spot is on the denser side, for a soft fabric with plenty of drape and a cozy feel.
Echo Wool’s palette includes 16 heathered colors, each speckled with lively nepps for a slightly nubbly tweed fabric. Some colors feature brighter, more varied speckles, while colors like this stormy Blue Brume are flecked with more understated, tone-on-tone hues. Each color carries the memory of its making—all those wool fibers in layered harmony.
Cast on for the Top-Down Turtleneck Cardigan + Henley and knit a comforting staple with a quiet sophistication—especially satisfying if you make both versions to wear together! Grounded in the integrity of a process where nothing is wasted, Echo Wool lends the perfect softness and substance to this wonderful knit.
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 55 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
Papier-mâché boxes inspired by Kate Semple‘s amazing Paper Vessel workshop.
Materials
- 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) (6, 7, 7, 8) balls of Purl Soho’s Echo Wool, 100% recycled wool yarn. Each ball of this sport- to light worsted/dk-weight yarn is 328 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1150 (1200, 1420, 1555, 1690) (1850, 2085, 2260, 2365) total yards required. We used the color Blue Brume for the Cardigan and Tilled Field for the Henley.
- US 4 (3.5 mm), 16-inch circular knitting needles
- US 4, 32-inch circular needles
- A set of size US 4 double pointed needles
- Stitch markers
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- For Cardigan Version: 9 (9, 9, 9, 10) (10, 10, 10, 10) ½-inch buttons, like Purl Soho’s Medium Corozo Buttons in Gray Denim.
- For Henley Version: 6 (6, 6, 6, 7) (7, 7, 7, 7) ½-inch buttons, like Purl Soho’s Medium Corozo Buttons in Kiln Red.
- A Top-Down Turtleneck Cardigan + Henley Pattern PDF
NOTE: If you want to use Magic Loop, you won’t need the 16-inch circular or double pointed needles… Just stick with the 32-inch ones and have a spare circular or double pointed needle handy, size US 4 or smaller!
GAUGE
25 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
NOTE: For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Your Size Tutorial!
34¼ (38, 42½, 46½, 50¼) (54, 58, 62½, 66¼)
To fit actual chest circumference 27–31 (31–35, 35–39, 39–43, 43–47) (47–51, 51–55, 55–59, 59–63) inches, with 3–7 inches of ease
- Finished Chest Circumference: 34¼ (38, 42½, 46½, 50¼) (54, 58, 62½, 66¼) inches, buttoned
- Finished Length from Shoulder to Bottom Edge: 24 (25, 25, 25¼, 25½) (25¼, 26½, 26½, 27½) inches
- Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 14¼ (15, 14¼, 14, 14) (14, 14¾, 14¾, 15½) inches
- Finished Length from Cuff to Underarm: 16¾ (17, 18, 18¼, 18¼) (18¼, 18½, 18½, 18¾) inches
Samples: The sweaters shown here both are size 42½, worn with 6½ inches of ease.
PATTERN
The Top-Down Turtleneck Cardigan + Henley Pattern is available as a PDF download.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
LEARN ABOUT ECHO WOOL + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Spun from 100% recycled wool, Echo Wool brings rich depth and lived-in softness to this knit. This lofty 2-ply yarn blooms beautifully on the needles, with the flexibility to knit up anywhere from a sport-weight to DK-weight gauge, and you’ll love the cozy, nubbly, wonderfully wearable fabric it creates. Every color is speckled with lively nepps, reflecting the varied character of reclaimed wool fibers carried forward from one creation into the next.
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of free Echo Wool knitting patterns and cast on!
More Sport-Weight Yarns + DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of sport-weight yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial, our Yarn Substitution article, and our Complete Guide To Yarn for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop wool yarn
- Shop woolen-spun yarn
- Shop recycled yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of free knitting patterns) and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Hello!
I just recently started this pattern (top down turtleneck cardigan) and have come to the first increase row, which states that by the end of the row it will be increased by 4 stitches.
However, on the pdf I’m using, there appears to only be 3 increase stitches in the instructions: one increase on the first front side, 2 increases on the back, but the increase on the second front side is not written.
It is possible that I’m not reading the pattern correctly, so I’d appreciate any clarification that can be offered.
Thanks!
Catherine
Hi Catherine!
Thank you for writing in! The increases are all there, they’re just inside the bracketed section, which is worked twice. Each repeat includes one m1R and one m1L, so when you complete the bracketed section two times, you’ll have 4 total increases: 2 on the Back and 1 on each Front. I hope that clarifies things!
Warmly,
Megan
I’ve never made a sweater before. Is this a good pattern for a first attempt? I have been knitting for several years and have mastered blankets, scarves, socks and hats. Thank you for your help!
Hi Patricia!
Thank you so much for your question! Yes, if you’ve mastered those projects, you’re absolutely ready to tackle a sweater. Those projects build many of the same skills you’ll use here, so this pattern would be a great first sweater attempt. Take it step by step, and it will come together before you know it. And of course, if any questions come up while you’re knitting, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always happy to help!
Happy knitting!
Megan
Would Plein Air work for this sweater? I have 8 skeins of it and was wondering if I could use it.
Hi Debby!
Oh that’s a lovely idea! This garment would be beautiful in Plein Air, but I’d just recommend knitting up a quick gauge swatch first to make sure you can reach gauge and that you like the way the finished fabric feels as well. Plein Air is just a bit thicker than Echo Wool as Plein Air is a classic DK weight yarn, while Echo Wool spans from a sport to DK weight gauge, so you may find that you need to go down a needle size. Swatching will also be a fantastic way to get a sense of how the final fabric will be as well! If you’re getting gauge and are a fan of the fabric, you’re all set to cast on this project.
In order to find out how many skeins you’ll need, we recommend finding your size, checking the yardage required for said size, and then dividing that number by 218 (the approximate yardage per skein of Plein Air). From there, you’ll round up the find the number of skeins you need. I hope that helps, but please let us know if you’d like any other suggestions or calculations with math!
Happy knitting!
Hills
Does the Cake Shop have a pink hue to it? Or is it more beige/cream?
Hi Heather!
Thank you for your question! Cake Shop has more of a beige base, but it does have a very subtle pink tint to it. A good way to picture it is like confetti cake batter. It’s mostly creamy beige with soft, warm undertones. I hope that helps!
Warmly,
Megan
Hi! I was wondering if this pattern could easily be adjusted to become a vest? Like, could I bind off where the sleeves start? I’m a newbie so apologies if this question isn’t quite worded right 🙂 Thanks so much for your insight!
Hi Mac,
Thank you so much for writing in with your question. I’m so glad to hear you’re interested in the Top-Down Turtleneck Cardigan + Henley.
I think making a vest would be a lovely modification to the pattern. Sadly, I don’t have detailed instructions available for this modification… but from a look at the pattern, it looks like you should be able to try this out. We would love to see the result!
I hope this helps, but please feel free to reach out with any other questions you might have.
Happy knitting!
Hills
I am knitting the top down cardigan and am at YOKE section.
I lost a couple of markers and cannot figure out the sequence.
Can you divide up the 5 sections at the beginning of Shape Neck and Shoulders please.
At this point there is not enough knit that a pattern is identifying itself.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Valerie,
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re running into trouble here! Short row shaping can be a little tricky to get the hang of, and we’re eager to help you get back on track.
I’m a little uncertain which part of the Yoke section you’d like rewritten, and which size you’re making (which would help me try to delineate a row for you). Are you preparing to start the Yoke or midway through the section?
Unfortunately, it can be tricky to pick up your work at any point during a short row section. A lot of knitters lock themselves away and don’t put their project down during the short row shaping because it can be so challenging to find their place again. If you’ve lost your markers and are having trouble identifying your double stitches, it might be helpful for us to be able to see your work to be most helpful. One tip I can offer here is that each marker is marking off a raglan increase. With the right side facing you, you’re working across the left front, across the back, and then finishing the right front (as viewed…left as worn).
I would suggest scheduling a 1-on-1 Help session, so we could work through this together. We would love to help!
You could also email us at [email protected] for more troubleshooting. A picture of your work, as well as what size you’re making, would be super helpful!
We’ll keep an eye out for your reply!
Kindly,
Hills