YOKE
With RS facing, using 4.5mm circular needles, 60cm long, work as folls: K7 steek sts, K30 ( 34: 37) Front sts, pm, K51 ( 59: 65) Sleeve sts, pm, K67 ( 75: 81) Back sts, pm, K51 ( 59: 65) Sleeve sts, pm, K30 ( 34: 37) Front sts. Pm to mark beg of round. 236 ( 268: 292) sts, including the steek sts.
Knit 1 round, then start raglan decreases as follows (changing to 40cm circular needles as the stitch count decreases): Dec round: *Work to 2 sts before mrk, SSK, slm, K2tog; rep from * 3 times, work to end of round. 8 sts dec’d. Work 1 round without shaping. Rep last 2 rounds 9 ( 7: 10) more times. 156 ( 204: 204) sts: 20 ( 26: 26) sts in Fronts, 47 ( 59: 59) sts in Back, 31 ( 43: 43) in Sleeves, 7 sts for steek.
Change to 5mm DPNs Begin working Chart and decreases as folls: Next round: Work steek sts, alternating the two colours from first row of chart, beg on st 1, work chart to last 2 sts before mrk, SSK, slm, *K2tog, beg with st 8 ( 2: 2) work chart to 2 sts before mrk, SSK, slm; rep from * twice more, *K2tog, beg with st 8 ( 2: 2) work chart to end, ending on a st 1. 8 sts dec’d.
Next round: Work Chart as set without shaping. Cont to work last 2 rounds, working through the remaining sts of Chart and working shaping into pattern. When all 10 rounds of Chart are complete, cut yarns B and C and cont to work in yarn A only. Work 3 ( 5: 5) more rounds, decreasing as set on all uneven rounds, ending 5 ( 6: 6) sts before steek on final round. 100 ( 140: 140) sts: 13 ( 18: 18) sts in Fronts, 33 ( 43: 43) sts in Back, 17 ( 27: 27) sts in Sleeves, 7 sts for steek.
Change 4.5mm needles. Next row: Cast off 5 ( 6: 6) sts, the 7 steek sts and the next 5 ( 6: 6) sts. The cardigan is worked back and forth in rows from now on. Knit to end of row (beginning of cast-off sts.) Continuing to work raglan decreasing as set every alt row, AT THE SAME TIME decrease 1 st at the beginning and end of every row 3 ( 4: 4) times, then on every other row until 1 st remains on each of the fronts. Break the yarn. 45 ( 63: 63) sts remain, 1 ( 1: 1) for each Front, 27 ( 33: 33) for Back, 11 ( 17: 17) for each Sleeve.
NECKBAND
Using 4mm circular needles and yarn A, with RS facing and beginning in the last steek st, pick up 14 ( 16: 16) sts around the right neck edge to raglan (to include 1 st left in front), knit across 11 ( 17: 17) Sleeve stitches, knit across 27 ( 33: 33) Back sts, knit across 11 ( 17: 17) Sleeve sts, pick up and knit 14 ( 16: 16) sts down left neck edge (including st left in front), ending with the final st in the first steek st. 77 ( 99: 99) sts. Next row: K9 ( 1: 3) [K2tog, K17 ( 2:5)] 1 ( 5: 6) times, [K2tog, K18 ( 3: 6)] 1 ( 11: 1) times, [K2tog, K17 ( 2:5) 1 ( 5: 6) times, K2tog, K8 ( 1: 2). 73 ( 77: 85) sts. Work 6 rows in 1x1 rib. Cast off in rib.
REINFORCING THE STEEK
Fasten any loose ends around the steek area. Using yarn A and anchoring the bottom stitch securely, crochet a line of double crochets (US single crochet) through the middle of the fourth and fifth steek stitches, catching one side of each, working from the bottom of the steek towards the top, and making sure you crochet into every stitch. Pull the yarn through the last stitch. Similarly, crochet another line of double crochets through the middle of the third and fourth steek stitches, working from the top of the steek towards the bottom. Carefully cut open the steek through the middle of the fourth steek stitches, a few strands at a time.
BUTTON BANDS
Using yarn A and starting from the top on the left front, pick up stitches down the edge of the neckband, then down the steek, and finally down the ribbing at the hem; pick up 3 sts for every 4 rows. Work 6 rows of 1x1 rib as before. Cast off in rib.
Making sure the stitch count is the same, work the right front similarly, but starting from the bottom, and working 5 ( 7: 7) evenly spaced buttonholes on the 4th row as folls: Buttonhole: Rib 2tog, yo.