Knitty: Fall 2007

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by Amy Swenson

In my designs, sometimes inspiration comes from what I want to be wearing right now. Like, a super soft pullover. Or a short-sleeved summer cardigan. Mr. Greenjeans developed from a few skeins of yarn, sitting lonely on the shelves at my store.

The yarn is Miss Priss, a sproingy and soft 2ply merino from Schaefer. The color? Greenjeans, a blend that in the ball looks like the softest sage and denim. For some reason, this color kept getting passed over in favor of the brighter shades, the more vibrant colorways. I, always loyal, continued to love the gentle and subtle variation in color. To me, it looked like memories of childhood spring; the first bloom of the apple tree, the first hesitant green of the grass.

With spring long behind us in Calgary, I decided the poor, neglected yarn had had enough of a time out. I cast on, used just 3 skeins and was finished within a week.

This slightly-cropped cardigan features a single button closure and a cable pattern that's easy enough for your first cable project, and perfectly suited to cabling without a cable needle.

model: Terra LeSack photos: Amy Swenson

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size S)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 33.5[36.5, 40, 42.5, 45.5, 49, 53] inches
Length: 19[20.75, 21.25, 22.25, 22.75, 25, 26] inches

MATERIALS

[MC] Schaefer Miss Priss [100% Merino; 280 yd/256 m per 113g/4 oz skein]; color: Greenjeans; 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins

1 set(s) US #7/4.5mm double-point needles

1 set(s) US #8/5mm double-point needles

1 US #7/4.5mm circular needle, 32 inches or longer

1 US #8/5mm circular needle, 32 inches or longer

4 stitch markers

Cable needle (optional)

Waste yarn or stitch holders

Tapestry needle

1 button, 1.25 inch/30mm diameter

GAUGE

18 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch using US #8/5mm needles
18 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in Rib and Cable Pattern using US #7/4.5mm needles, after blocking

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

Instructions for the Backward Loop Cast On can be found here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/FEATfall05TT.html

Information about blocking can be found here and here.

C4F (Cable 4 Front): Slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle.
Note: C4F may also be worked without a cable needle, as follows:
With your right needle held behind your knitting, insert from right to left through the third and fourth stitches from the end of your left needle. Slide all 4 stitches off the left needle, and, with your left needle held in front of your knitting, replace the two loose stitches onto your left needle. Next, slip the 2 stitches back from your right to the left needle. K all 4 stitches in the order in which they now appear on your needle.

Rib and Cable Pattern (Worked back and forth over a multiple of 12 sts + 8 sts):
Row 1 [RS]: K2, [k4, p2] to last 6 sts, k6.
Rows 2 and 4 [WS]: P2, [p4, k2] to last 6 sts, p6.
Row 3 [RS]: K2, [k4, p2, C4F, p2] to last 6 sts, k6.
Repeat Rows 1-4 for Rib and Cable Pattern.

Rib and Cable Pattern (Worked in the round over a multiple of 12 sts):
Rounds 1-2: [K4, p2] to end.
Round 3: [K4, p2, C4F, p2] to end.
Round 4: [K4, p2] to end.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 for Rib and Cable Pattern.

2x2 Rib (Worked back and forth over a multiple of 4 sts + 2 sts):
Row 1 [RS]: K2, [p2, k2] to end.
Row 2 [WS]: P2, [k2, p2] to end.
Repeat these 2 rows for 2x2 Rib.

PATTERN

YOKE
Using larger circular needle, CO 54[58, 64, 68, 72, 78, 84] sts.

Set-up Row [RS]:
Kfb, k0[0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2], yo, k1, place marker, k1, yo, k8[10, 10, 10, 10, 12, 12], yo, k1, place marker, k1, yo, k28[28, 32, 36, 38, 40, 44], yo, k1, place marker, k1, yo, k8[10, 10, 10, 10, 12, 12], yo, k1, place marker, k1, yo, k0[0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2], kfb. 64[68, 74, 78, 82, 88, 94] sts.

P 1 row.

Row 1 [RS]: [K to 1 st before marker, yo, k2, yo] 4 times, k to end. 8 sts increased.

Row 2 [WS]: P all sts.

Row 3 [RS]: Work as for Row 1.

Row 4 [WS]: P all sts.

Row 5 [RS]: Kfb, [k to 1 st before marker, yo, k2, yo] 4 times, k to last st, kfb. 10 sts increased.

Row 6 [WS]: P all sts .

Repeat Rows 1-6
5[6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8] times more. 220[250, 256, 286, 290, 322, 328] sts

Sizes M, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
Repeat Rows 3-6 -[-, 1, -, 1, 1, 2] times more. -[-, 274, -, 308, 340, 364] sts.

All Sizes:
In the next row, the body stitches will be divided from the sleeve stitches.

Dividing Row [RS]: K to first marker, remove marker, sl next 48[56, 60, 62, 66, 74, 78] sts (all sts to next marker) to waste yarn or st holder, remove marker, CO 8 sts using backward loop method, k to next marker, remove marker, sl next 48[56, 60, 62, 66, 74, 78] sts (all sts to next marker) to waste yarn or st holder, remove marker, CO 8 sts using backward loop method, k to end. 140[154, 170, 178, 192, 208, 224] sts.

P 1 row.
Next Row [RS]: Kfb, k to last st, kfb.
Work 3 rows in stockinette st.
Repeat these 4 rows 5[4, 4, 6, 5, 5, 7] times more. 152[164, 180, 192, 204, 220, 240] sts.

Continue in stockinette st until work measures 4[4, 4.5, 5, 5, 5.5, 6] inches from Dividing Row, ending with a WS[WS, RS, RS, RS, RS, RS] row.

At this point, slip all sts to waste yarn and try on cardigan. The Rib and Cable Pattern will begin at this point; decide whether this will be an aesthetically pleasing point for this patterning to begin. If desired, work more length in stockinette st before beginning Rib and Cable Pattern.

Sizes M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
Next Row [WS]: P-[-, 35, 38, 41, 25, 47], p2tog, [p-(-, 34, 36, 38, 22, 46), p2tog] -[-, 3, 3, 3, 7, 3] times, p-[-, 35, 38, 41, 25, 47]. -[-, 176, 188, 200, 212, 236] sts.

All Sizes:
Using smaller circular needle, work in Cable and Rib pattern until work measures 12[12.5, 12.5, 13, 13, 14, 14] inches from Dividing Row or desired length, ending with Row 1 of pattern.
Loosely BO all sts in pattern.

SLEEVES
Using a larger double-pointed needle, pick up and k 1 st in each cast-on st at one underarm, placing a marker in the center of these sts to indicate beginning of round; pick up and k 1 st in the space between the CO sts and the held sts; place all held sts of this sleeve on double-point needles, then k these sts; pick up and k 1 st in the remaining space between the sts just worked and the underarm sts. 58[66, 70, 72, 76, 84, 88] sts.

Join to work in the round.
Work in stockinette st until work measures 2 inches.

Decrease Round: K3, k2tog, k to last 5 sts, ssk, k3.
K 5[3, 5, 5, 3, 5, 3] rounds.
Repeat these 6[4, 6, 6, 4, 6, 4] rounds 4[8, 4, 5, 7, 5, 7] times more. 48[48, 60, 60, 60, 72, 72] sts

Continue in stockinette st until work measures 8.75[8.75, 8.75, 9.25, 9.25, 9.25, 9.75] inches from underarm, or 3.75 inches less than desired sleeve length.

Cuff
Using smaller double-point needles, work 25 rounds of Rib and Cable Pattern, ending with Round 1.
Loosely BO all sts in pattern.

FINISHING

Using smaller circular needle and beginning at lower right front corner, pick up and k 2 sts for every 3 rows along right front edge, 1 st in each CO st around top of neckline, and 2 sts for every 3 rows along left front edge.
Place markers at the point on each front where the Rib and Cable Pattern begins, and at the upper corners of the front edges (where you transition to picking up sts along the CO edge).

Count your sts, making sure that each front has the same number of sts. To work the rib pattern, you will need a multiple of 4 sts + 2 sts. In the next row, increase or decrease 1 or 2 sts across the back neck if needed, to give you the right number of sts.

Row 1 [WS]: P2, [k2, p2] to end, removing all markers except the marker on the right front at the top of the Rib and Cable Pattern. This marker indicates the location of the buttonhole.
Rows 2-5: Work in 2x2 Rib as set.
Row 6 [RS]: Work in 2x2 Rib to 3 sts before marker, BO 3 sts, removing marker, continue in 2x2 Rib to end.
Row 7 [WS]: Work in 2x2 Rib, casting on 3 sts over bound-off sts using backward loop method, continue in 2x2 Rib to end.
Rows 8-11: Work in 2x2 Rib as set.
Loosely BO all sts in pattern.

Weave in ends.
Steam or wet block, blocking cable/rib portions so that they lay flat.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Amy Swenson surrounds herself with yarn in Calgary, Alberta, where even her new puppy Cooper is considering taking up knitting.

She is the author of 3 books, including the forthcoming Sensual Crochet (Sterling, 2008), and blogs about it all at www.indigirl.com.