Loop stitch cardigan
This dreamy cardigan by Jacinta Bowie is knitted using super-soft alpaca-mix yarn and visually stunning loop stitch
LOOPY CARDIGAN BACK
Cast on 98 (110: 120: 132: 144: 154) sts using 3.75mm needles.
SET-UP ROWS
Row 1 (WS) Knit.
Row 2 (RS) *K1, loop st; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 3 Knit.
Row 4 K2, * loop st, K1; rep from * to end.
Row 5 Purl.
**Cont in loop pattern as folls:
LOOP STITCH PATTERN
Row 1 (RS) *K1, loop st; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 2 and all foll WS rows Purl.
Row 3 Knit.
Row 5 K2, * loop st, K1; rep from * to end.
Row 7 Knit.
Row 8 Purl.
Last 8 rows form the pattern and are repeated throughout. Cont in patt until Back measures 28 (28: 29: 29: 30: 30)cm from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.
SHAPE ARMHOLES
Note When shaping, where there are not enough sts to work a K1 and loop st pair, work in st st.
Cast off 3 (4: 5: 6: 7: 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
[92 (102: 110: 120: 130: 138) sts]
Dec 1 st at each end of next 6 (8: 9: 10: 11: 12) rows.
[80 (86: 92: 100: 108: 114) sts]
Cont on these sts until armhole measures 22 (23: 23: 24: 24: 25)cm from beg of shaping, ending after a WS row.
SHAPE BACK SHOULDERS
Cast off 6 (7: 8: 9: 10: 11) sts at beg of next 4 rows.
[56 (58: 60: 64: 68: 70) sts]
Cast off 7 (7: 7: 8: 10: 10) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
[42 (44: 46: 48: 48: 50) sts]
Leave rem 42 (44: 46: 48: 48: 50) sts on a stitch holder for back neck.
LEFT FRONT
Cast on 44 (50: 55: 62: 68: 72) sts using 3.75mm needles. Work as for Back until Left Front measures same as Back to beg of armhole shaping, ending after a WS row.
SHAPE ARMHOLE
Cast off 3 (4: 5: 6: 7: 8) sts at beg of next row.
[41 (46: 50: 56: 61: 64) sts]
Work 1 row straight.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge of next 6 (8: 9: 10: 11: 12) rows. [35 (38: 41: 46: 50: 52) sts]
SHAPE LEFT FRONT NECKLINE
Place a marker at front edge.
Dec 1 st at front edge of next row and foll 15 (16: 17: 19: 19: 19) 3rd rows. [19 (21: 23: 26: 30: 32) sts]
Cont on rem 19 (21: 23: 26: 30: 32) sts until work measures same as Back to beg of shoulder shaping, ending after a WS row.
SHAPE LEFT FRONT SHOULDER
Cast off 6 (7: 8: 9: 10: 11) sts at beg of next and foll alt row. [7 (7: 7: 8: 10: 10) sts]
Work 1 row straight.
Cast off rem 7 (7: 7: 8: 10: 10) sts.
RIGHT FRONT
Cast on 44 (50: 55: 62: 68: 72) sts using 3.75mm needles. Work as for Back until Right Front measures same as Back to beg of armhole shaping, ending after a WS row.
Work 1 row straight.
SHAPE ARMHOLE
Cast off 3 (4: 5: 6: 7: 8) sts at beg of next row.
[41 (46: 50: 56: 61: 64) sts]
Dec 1 st at armhole edge of next 6 (8: 9: 10: 11: 12) rows. [35 (38: 41: 46: 50: 52) sts]
SHAPE RIGHT FRONT NECKLINE
Place a marker at front edge.
Dec 1 st at front edge of next row and foll 15 (16: 17: 19: 19: 19) 3rd rows. [19 (21: 23: 26: 30: 32) sts]
Cont on rem 19 (21: 23: 26: 30: 32) sts until work measures same as Back to beg of shoulder shaping, ending after a WS row.
Work 1 row straight.
SHAPE RIGHT FRONT SHOULDER
Cast off 6 (7: 8: 9: 10: 11) sts at beg of next and foll alt row. [7 (7: 7: 8: 10: 10) sts]
Work 1 row straight.
Cast off rem 7 (7: 7: 8: 10: 10) sts.
SLEEVES (MAKE 2)
Cast on 72 (74: 76: 78: 80: 82) sts using 3.25mm needles. Work in 2x2 rib as foll:
Row 1 (RS) *K2, P2; rep from * to last 0 (2: 0: 2: 0: 2) sts, K0 (2: 0: 2: 0: 2).
Row 2 P0 (2: 0: 2: 0: 2), *K2, P2; rep from * to end.
Work another 10 (10: 10: 9: 9: 9) rows in rib as set.
SIZES L, 1XL AND 2XL ONLY
Next row (WS) Rib 2, M1, rib to last 2 sts, M1, rib 2. [– (-: -: 80: 82: 84) sts]
ALL SIZES
Change to 3.75mm needles and work in patt as given for Back from ** until Sleeve measures 43cm from cast-on edge, ending after a WS row.
SHAPE TOP SLEEVES
Cast off 3 (4: 5: 6: 7: 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
[66 (66: 66: 68: 68: 68) sts]
Next row (RS) K2tog, patt to last 2 sts, ssk. [2 sts dec’d]
Next row Purl.
Rep last two rows another 3 times. [58 (58: 58: 60: 60: 60) sts] Work 6 (8: 8: 10: 10: 12) rows in patt, ending after a WS row.
Next row (RS) Patt to end.
Next row P2tog, purl to last 2 sts, p2tog tbl. [2 sts dec’d] Rep last 2 rows another 20 (20: 20: 21: 21: 21) times. [16 sts]
Cast off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. [8 sts]
Cast off rem 8 sts.
BUTTON BAND
Join both shoulder seams with mattress stitch.
Starting at the bottom of the right front opening, with RS facing using 3.25mm needles pick up and knit 67 (69: 75: 77: 80: 86) sts to Right Front neck marker, pick up and knit 46 sts up Right Front neck shaping to shoulder, [loop st, K1] 21 (22: 23: 24: 24: 25) times across 42 (44: 46: 48: 48: 50) sts on a stitch holder for back neck, pick up and knit 46 sts down Left Front neck shaping to marker, pick up and knit 67 (69: 75: 77: 80: 86) sts to bottom of left front opening. [268 (274: 288: 294: 300: 314) sts]
Beg with a WS row, work in 2x2 rib as given for Sleeves for 5 rows. Buttonhole row (RS) Rib 66 (68: 74: 76: 79: 85), k2tog, yo, rib to end.
Rib 3 rows and cast off in rib.
MAKING UP
Weave in all ends. Set in Sleeves using mattress stitch. Join side and Sleeve seams with mattress stitch. Sew on button to correspond with buttonhole.