Fair Isle fringed cardigan
Brighten up the darkest of winter days in this long, snuggly and vibrant cardigan
BACK MAIN SECTION Using 5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 141 ( 151: 163: 175: 187) sts.
Beg on stitch 24 ( 19: 13: 7: 1) of chart and ending on stitch 68 ( 73: 79: 85: 91), repeating the sts in the repeat box and using the Fair Isle technique by stranding yarn not in use loosely across the back of the work, and repeating the 100-row pattern repeat throughout, cont in patt from chart, which is worked entirely in st st beg with a K row, as folls: Cont straight until Back meas 58 ( 58 :59: 59 :60) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE ARMHOLES
Keeping patt correct, cast off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 133 ( 143: 155: 167: 179) sts. Dec 1 st at each end of next and foll 4 alt rows. 123 ( 133: 145: 157: 169) sts. Cont straight until armhole meas 21 ( 22 :24: 25 :27) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE SHOULDERS AND BACK NECK
Keeping patt correct, cast off 11 ( 12: 13: 15: 16) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 101 ( 109: 119: 127: 137) sts. Next row (RS): Cast off 11 ( 12: 13: 15: 16) sts, patt until there are 24 ( 27: 30: 32: 35) sts on right needle and turn, leaving rem sts on a holder. Work each side of neck separately. Keeping patt correct, dec 1 st at neck edge of next 3 rows and AT THE SAME TIME cast off 11 ( 12: 13: 15: 16) sts at beg of 2nd row. Cast off rem 10 ( 12: 14: 14: 16) sts. With RS facing, slip centre 31 ( 31: 33: 33: 35) sts onto a holder, rejoin appropriate yarns and patt to end. Complete to match first side, reversing shapings.
HEM BORDER
With RS facing, using 4.5mm needles and yarn A, pick up and knit 117 ( 126: 135: 147: 156) sts evenly along cast-on edge. **Work in garter st for 9 rows, ending with RS facing for next row. Using 4.5mm DPNs, now work fringe cast-off as folls: K3, *(without turning slip these 3 sts to opposite end of needle and bring yarn to opposite end of work pulling it quite tightly across WS of work, K these 3 sts again) 26 times, K3tog and fasten off, rejoin yarn and K next 3 sts, rep from * until all sts are cast off.
LEFT FRONT MAIN SECTION Using 5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 71 ( 76: 82: 88: 94) sts.
Beg on stitch 24 ( 19: 13: 7: 1) of chart and ending on stitch 46, repeating the sts in the repeat box, cont in patt from chart as folls: Cont straight until 32 rows less have been worked than on Back to beg of armhole shaping, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE FRONT SLOPE
Keeping patt correct, dec 1 st at end of next and foll 2 ( 0: 1: 0: 0) alt rows, then on 6 ( 7: 7: 7: 7) foll 4th rows. 62 ( 68: 73: 80: 86) sts. Work 3 ( 3: 1: 3: 3) rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE ARMHOLE
Keeping patt correct, cast off 4 sts at beg and dec 1 ( 1: 0: 1: 1) st at end of next row. 57 ( 63: 69: 75: 81) sts. Work 1 row. Dec 1 st at armhole edge of next and foll 4 alt rows and AT THE SAME TIME dec 1 st at front slope edge of 3rd ( 3rd: next: 3rd: 3rd) and 1 ( 1: 2: 1: 1) foll 4th rows. 50 ( 56: 61: 68: 74) sts. Dec 1 st at front slope edge only on 2nd ( 2nd: 4th: 2nd: 2nd) and 6 ( 7: 7: 7: 9) foll 4th rows, then on 0 ( 0: 0: 1: 0) foll 6th row. 43 ( 48: 53: 59: 64) sts. Cont straight until Left Front matches Back to beg of shoulder shaping, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE SHOULDER
Keeping patt correct, cast off 11 ( 12: 13: 15: 16) sts at beg of next and foll 2 alt rows. Work 1 row. Cast off rem 10 ( 12: 14: 14: 16) sts.
HEM BORDER
With RS facing, using 4.5mm needles and yarn A, pick up and knit 60 ( 63: 69: 75: 78) sts evenly along cast-on edge. Complete as given for hem border of Back from **.
RIGHT FRONT MAIN SECTION
Using 5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 71 ( 76: 82: 88: 94) sts. Beg on stitch 46 of Chart and ending on stitch 68 ( 73: 79: 85: 91), repeating the sts in the repeat box, cont straight until 32 rows less have been worked than on Back to beg of armhole shaping, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE FRONT SLOPE
Keeping patt correct, dec 1 st at beg of next and foll 2 ( 0: 1: 0: 0) alt rows, then on 6 ( 7: 7: 7: 7) foll 4th rows. 62 ( 68: 73: 80: 86) sts. Complete to match Left Front, reversing shapings. Using 4.5mm needles and yarn A, cast on 86 ( 86: 90: 90: 94) sts. Row 1 (RS): K2, *P2, K2; rep from * to end. Row 2: P2, *K2, P2; rep from * to end. These 2 rows form rib. Cont in rib until Sleeve meas 10cm, dec ( inc: inc: inc: dec) 1 st at end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 85 ( 87: 91: 91: 93) sts. Change to 5mm needles. Beg on stitch 4 ( 3: 1: 1: 48) of Chart and ending on stitch 40 ( 41: 43: 43: 44), repeating the sts in the repeat box, cont in patt from chart as folls: Inc 1 st at each end of 15th ( 9th: 5th: 3rd: 3rd) and every foll 16th ( 10th: 6th: 4th: 4th) row to 89 ( 97: 95: 99: 113) sts, then on every foll 18th (-:8th: 6th: 6th) row until there are 91 (-:105: 111: 117) sts, taking inc sts into patt. Cont straight until Sleeve meas 40 ( 40: 41: 41: 41) cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
SHAPE TOP
Keeping patt correct, cast off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 83 ( 89: 97: 103: 109) sts. Dec 1 st at each end of next and foll 3 alt rows, then on foll row, ending with RS facing for next row. Cast off rem 73 ( 79: 87: 93: 99) sts.
TO MAKE UP
Block pieces gently, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band. Join both shoulder seams using back stitch, or mattress stitch if preferred.
FRONT BANDS AND COLLAR
With RS facing, using 4.5mm circular needles and yarn A, beg and ending at end of garter st section of hem border (this is the point where the fringe begins), pick up and knit 92 ( 93: 94: 95: 96) sts up right front opening edge to beg of front slope shaping, and 80 ( 84: 86: 90: 92) sts up right front slope, pm, pick up and knit 3 sts down right side of back neck, K across 31 ( 31: 33: 33: 35) sts on back neck holder dec 0 ( 1: 0: 1: 0) st at centre, pick up and knit 3 sts up left side of back neck, pm, then pick up and knit 80 ( 84: 86: 90: 92) sts down left front slope to beg of front slope shaping, and 92 ( 93: 94: 95: 96) sts down left front opening edge. 381 ( 390: 399: 408: 417) sts. Work in garter st for 1 row, ending with RS facing for next row. Working in garter st throughout, now shape collar as folls: Row 2 (RS): K to left neck mrk, wrap next st (by slipping next st from left needle onto right needle, taking yarn to opposite side of work between needles and then slipping same st back onto left needle - when working back across wrapped sts work the wrapped st and the wrapping loop tog as one st) and turn.
Row 3: K to right neck mrk, wrap next st and turn. Row 4: K to 2 ( 3: 3: 3: 3) sts beyond left neck marker and re-position mrk after last st, wrap next st and turn. Row 5: K to 2 ( 3: 3: 3: 3) sts beyond right neck marker and re-position mrk after last st, wrap next st and turn. Rep last 2 rows 3 ( 26: 25: 21: 19) times more. Next row (RS): K to 3 ( 3: 4: 4: 4) sts beyond left neck mrk and re-position mrk after last st, wrap next st and turn. Next row: K to 3 ( 3: 4: 4: 4) sts beyond right neck mrk and re-position mrk after last st, wrap next st and turn. Rep last 2 rows 23 ( 0: 1: 5: 7) times more, ending with RS facing for next row. Next row (RS): K to end. Remove markers. Now working in garter st across all sts, cont as folls: Cont in garter st until front band section meas 3cm from pick-up row, ending with RS facing for next row. Using 4.5mm DPNs, now work fringe cast-off as folls: K3, *(without turning slip these 3 sts to opposite end of needle and bring yarn to opposite end of work pulling it quite tightly across WS of work, K these 3 sts again) 26 times, K3tog and fasten off, rejoin yarn and K next 3 sts, rep from * until all sts are cast off. Place centre of cast-off edge of sleeve to shoulder seam. Join cast-off sts at beg of armhole shaping to cast-off sts at start of sleevehead shaping. Sew sleevehead into armhole, easing in shapings. Join side and sleeve seams.