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A cardigan is a type of sweater (or jumper) that ties, buttons or zips down the front; by contrast, a pullover does not open in front, but forms a solid tube around the torso. The cardigan was named after James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander, following his service in the Crimean War. It is usually machine- or hand-knitted from wool or cotton although cheaper ones may be partially acrylic. Cardigans are available for both genders.
Plain cardigans are nowadays often worn over shirts and inside suit jackets as a kind of less formal waistcoat that keeps neckties out of the way when the jacket has been removed.
Knitting and design
The torso of a cardigan is often knit as a single piece in a simple back-and-forth manner. By contrast, knitting a pullover as a single piece requires circular knitting. Alternatively, the body of the cardigan may be knit in three pieces, one for the back and two for the front.
Although all types of necklines are found in cardigans, the V-neckline is especially popular. The seam in front of a cardigan allows for many fashionable variations. For example, it need not be straight, but can cross diagonally (surplice style); it may also be lined with frills or cut away to form a bolero jacket.
A special type of cardigan is a shrug which is mostly just sleeves, with only a strip of fabric running along the back, resembling a scaled down vest.
Long heavy cardigans with zipper fronts and tall rolled-over collars, popular in Canada, are known as Siwash sweaters or Cowichan sweaters.