Last updated on March 1st, 2016 at 11:51 pm
Cara’s Knitted Cardigan
My daughter Cara requested a cardigan made with “small yarn, and no lacy stuff”. This pattern is what I came up with, and she was pleased with the results.
This is a regular length, round neck cardigan with drop shoulders, full length sleeves and single band collar. It is knit in stockinette stitch, with eyelet bands on the yoke.
~ designed by Laurie Kynaston
Gauge:
I used “Opium”, a cotton/silk blend (a DK weight, I think), with a gauge of 22 sts & 26 rows=4″ in st. st. on #6 needles. I think it would have been a “crisper”sweater done in a wool yarn; Opium is a very pretty, but rather a soft yarn for a cardigan. I used approximately eleven 50 gram skeins for the cardigan.
The chest measurement is about 41”.
BACK:
Cast on 112 sts. on #4 needles. Work in k1,p1 ribbing for 2”. Change to #6 needles and
stockinette stitch. Work even until piece measures 15 1/2” from beginning, ending with a knit row.
Commence pattern stitch:
Abbreviations:
ssk: Left slanting decrease. Slip 2 sts separately to right needle as if to knit. Then knit these 2 sts together by slipping left needle into them from left to right. 2 sts become 1.
k2 tog: knit 2 sts together.
P2 tog-b: purl 2 sts together through the back loop of sts.
sl 1, k2tog, psso:a double decrease; slip 1 st, knit 2 sts together,
pass slipped st over the k2tog stitch.
yo: yarn over
GARLAND PATTERN (from Barbara Walkers A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
multiple of 7 sts
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl.
Row 2, 3, 4, and 5: Knit
Row 6: *K1, k2 tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; rep from *
Row 7: *P2 tog-b, yo, p3, yo, p2 tog; rep from *
Row 8: *K1, yo, k2 tog, yo, sl 1–k2 tog–psso, yo, k1; rep from *
Row 9: *P1, yo, p2 tog, p1, p2 tog-b, yo, p1; rep from *
Row 10: *K2, yo, sl 1–k2 tog–psso, yo, k2; rep from *
Rows 11, 12 ,13 and 14: Knit
Row 15: Purl
Row 16: Knit
Repeat rows 1-16 5 times. The yoke should measure 10 1/2”, the total length should be 26”.
Bind off 37 sts. beginning next 2 rows, place remaining 38 sts. on holder for neck.
FRONT: (right side worked first)
Cast on 56 sts. on #4 needles, work as for back until piece measures
22 1/2” from beginning, ending with a right side row.
Shape Neck: wrong side facing , work 44 sts in pattern, place last 12 sts. on holder for neck.
Decrease 1 st. at neck edge (right end of piece) every row 7 times — 37 sts. remain. Work even in pattern until piece measures 10 1/2” from beginning of pattern, total length 26”. Bind off shoulder sts.
Work left front as for right front, reversing neck shaping.
SLEEVES:
Cast on 45 sts. on #4 needles. Work K1, P1 ribbing for 2:, increasing 5 sts evenly across the last row for 50 sts. total. Change to #6 needles and stockinette stitch. Work even for 1”, then increase 1 st at each end of next row, then every following 4th row 25 times to 102 sts. Work even until sleeve measures 20” from beginning. Bind off all sts.
FINISHING:
Sew shoulder seams.
Collar: with #4 needles, pick up and knit 12 sts from right front holder, 24 sts from right front neck edge, 38 sts from back neck holder, 24 sts from left front neck edge, and 12 sts from left front holder. 110 sts total. Work K1, P1 ribbing for 1”, bind
off loosely.
Button Band: Cast on 8 sts. on #4 needles. Work in K1,P1 ribbing for 22”, or sufficient length to
go up cardigan front from bottom of front ribbing to top of collar
band, when slightly stretched. Bind off and sew to left front of cardigan.
Buttonhole band: Work as for button band, working buttonholes at 1/2”, 4”, 7 1/2”, 11”, 14 1/2”,
18”, and 21 1/2”. To make buttonholes: with right side of work facing, rib 2 sts, cast off next 2 sts, rib to end. Next row, rib 4 sts, cast on 2 sts, rib to end.
Sew buttonhole band to right front, sew sleeve and side seams. Sew on 7 buttons. Wear and enjoy!
“Cara’s Cardigan” pattern © 2000-2014 By Laurie Kynaston at VintageKnits.com. You may share this pattern on your on-line knitting pattern collections or in newsletters, providing this notice remains attached. (I would appreciate notification if you use this pattern!) This pattern is intended for personal use, or for charitable donations/sale. Please contact me at lavs@vintageknits.com for permission to include this pattern in any written collection or to use it for commercial purposes
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