The Tacuinum Cardigan is named for long underwear depicted in the mediaeval Arabic medical treatise ةحصلا ميوقت, Taqwim as-Sinha, Latinised to Tacuinum Sanitatis. The drawings show agricultural workers in white cloth garments with generous gussets under the arms and splits in the sides of the hem.

The body of the cardigan is knit in an inverted rib stitch, usually used for cuffs and hems, while the cuffs and hems are knit in a plain stitch, usually used for body panels. The front hem is cut away from the button placket, and the neck closes with a high double-thickness collar.