J&P Cardigan vs Blúirí
If you’ve been following my designs for some time, you will know that the J&P Cardigan is not my first garter stitch cardigan pattern. Two years before it came Blúirí - a cropped statement jacket inspired in equal measure by early ‘90s power dressing and …rustic rag rugs.
(I will let that juxtaposition settle, before I continue!)
Considering that both garments are cardigans, worked in garter stitch, and that both feature some sort of striped motif - it is unsurprising that I’ve received questions that involve comparing them.
For example:
If you loved Blúirí, will you also enjoy the J&P Cardigan?
If you found Blúirí difficult, will the J&P Cardigan be at a similar level?
Are the two patterns sufficiently different stylistically, to knit both?
I will address this question in two parts: first by addressing the differences in what the cardigans look like; then by addressing differences in what they are like to knit.
Visual Differences
On a visual level the two designs differ significantly in their necklines, shoulders, edgings, and fit.
. Neckline:
The J&P Cardigan has a crew-neck collar; Blúirí has a scoop neckline. If you look at the photos side by side, you can see that Blúirí’s neckline is considerably lower and more open.
. Shoulder to Sleeve Transition:
The J&P Cardigan has drop shoulder construction; Blúirí has (the seamless version of) set-in sleeves. If you look at the photos, you can see that on the J&P Cardigan, the stripes of the sleeves are perpendicular to the stripes of the shoulders, whereas on Blúirí are an the stripes of the sleeves are an extension of the shoulder stripes.
. Fit:
The J&P cardigan is designed to be relaxed or even oversized; Blúirí is designed to be fairly fitted. In addition (albeit these factors are easy to change), the J&P Cardigan is designed to be standard in bodice and sleeve length, whereas in Blúirí both are cropped.
. Edgings
The J&P Cardigan is finished with ribbed edgings; Blúirí is finished with a thin i-cord.
Construction Differences
As far as the knitting process, the two patterns have virtually no similarities aside from the fabric being worked in garter stitch.
. Knitting Direction
The J&P cardigan is worked bottom-up; Blúirí is worked top-down.
. Integrated vs Independent Upper Sleeve Construction
The J&P Cardigan features integrated sleeves. This means that the tops of the sleeves are knitted together with the yoke. Blúirí’s sleeves are knitted separately from the yoke, after stitches are picked up from the armholes.
. Shaping
The J&P Cardigan involves very little shaping. It is a blocky design, which basically means you knit in rectangles. Blúirí requires constant shaping while working on the yoke, due to the set-in sleeve look.
. Edgings
The process of working lateral i-cord around the entire outer edge of Blúirí is, erm, very different from the process of picking up stitches for the edgings and working ‘normal’ edgings in 1x1 rib!
. Yarn Selection and Tension
While technically both patterns call for a gauge of 20 stitches per 10cm, Blúirí suits a tighter tension (meaning heavier yarn for same gauge) and springier yarn, so as to make it more jacket-like. Whereas the J&P Cardigan suits a more relaxed tension and is ideal with a lighter weight yarn (see here for a more detailed explanation of this).
Having dissected all of this, let’s get back to the more general questions!
Which will suit me better/ which is more trendy at the moment?
This is completely subjective. As far as trends… At the moment, both the slouchy oversized look and the little fitted jacket look are ‘in,’ so I think both patterns are quite current. And only you can decide which style is more suitable for your body type, lifestyle and personality.
Which pattern is easier?
This one is more straightforward to answer. The J&P Cardigan is easier to knit. Most of the time, you essentially knit garter stitch rectangles without worrying about increases or decreases.
If You Liked One, Will You Also Like the Other?
Not necessarily. If you liked knitting Blúirí because you found it engaging, the J&P Cardigan may disappoint you with its comparative simplicity. Conversely, if you like how easy and ‘autopiloty’ the J&P Cardigan is to knit, Blúirí may frustrate you in comparison with the level of engagement it requires for the shaping of the yoke. There is also copious i-cord!
Bottom Line: Whether you want to knit both cardigans is entirely up to you. But if you do knit both, they will certainly not be redundant or repetitive.
Thank you for supporting me by choosing either of these patterns. And for reading this very long post!
J&P Cardigan Pattern
Blúirí Jacket Pattern
Model: Hanna V.
