Timeless. Elegant. Classic. These are just a few words to describe the must-have Catherine Cardigan. Featuring a body-hugging fit, slightly cropped bottom and a single row of gold buttons, pair it with your favorite maxi skirt and get ready to feel like a queen. And because it features short sleeves, it’s ideal for all your spring layering needs.
Skill Level: Easy
Size: Finished Bust Size 29 (32, 35, 39, 42, 45, 48)” to fit bust 32 (35, 38, 42, 45, 48, 51)”
2-4” negative ease recommended.
Shown in size 29”
Gauge: 28 sts and 38 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking
Materials
Yarn: Knit Picks Capretta Superwash (80% Superwash Fine Merino Wool, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 230 yards [210 meters]/50 grams): 27637 Meridian Heather 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8) balls)
Needles: US size 4 (6.0 mm) 16” and 24” circular and DPNs
Notions: Markers, stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle, ten 1/2” buttons, sewing needle and thread to match buttons
Pattern Notes
This cardigan is worked from the bottom up in one piece.
The set-in sleeves are worked from stitches picked up around the armholes, so the only seams are the shoulder seams. The length is the same for all sizes, but if you would like to lengthen the cardigan, plan on both extra yarn and more buttons.
Pattern
With longer circular needles, CO 174 (194, 210, 234, 246, 270, 278) sts. Do not join.
Note: Circular needles used to accommodate large number of sts.
Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Work ribbing as set for 4”, ending after a WS row.
Next Row: *K17 (16, 15, 13, 9, 9, 8), M1; rep from * to last 4 (2, 0, 0, 12, 0, 6) sts, k to end. (184 (206, 224, 252, 272, 300, 312) sts)
Next Row: Purl.
Work in St st until piece meas 9 (9, 8.75, 8.75, 8.5, 8.5, 8)” from CO edge, ending after a RS row.
Next Row: P26 (28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 42), pm, p144 (162, 176, 198, 214, 236, 246), pm, p to end.
Bust Inc Row: K to m, sm, k1, M1L, k to 1 st before m, M1R, k1, sm, k to end. (2 sts inc’d)
Rep Bust Inc Row every 4th row 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) more times. (196 (218, 238, 266, 288, 316, 330) sts)
Next Row (WS): P, removing m as you come to them.
Next Row: K50 (55, 59, 66, 72, 79, 82) for Left Front, pm for side, k96 (108, 120, 134, 144, 158, 166), pm for side, k to end.
Work even in St st, slipping m as you come to them, until piece meas 15” from CO edge, ending after a WS row.
Next Row: *K to 7 (7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9) sts before m, BO 7 (7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9), remove m, BO 7 (7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9); rep from * once more, k to end.
Place Right Front and Back sts onto waste yarn or stitch holder.
Left Front
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: K1, ssk, k to end. (1 st dec’d)
Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (39 (44, 47, 54, 60, 66, 69) sts)
Work even in St st until front meas 4.5 (4.5, 4.75, 5, 5.25, 5.5, 5.75)” from underarm BO, ending after a RS row.
Next Row (WS): BO 9 (9, 9, 9, 11, 15, 16), p to end. (30 (35, 38, 45, 49, 51, 53) sts)
Next Row: K to last 2 sts, k2tog. (29 (34, 37, 44, 48, 50, 52) sts)
Next Row: BO 2 (2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 6), p to end. (27 (32, 35, 40, 44, 44, 46) sts)
Next Row: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (26 (31, 34, 39, 43, 43, 45) sts)
Next Row: P1, p2tog, p to end. (25 (30, 33, 38, 42, 42, 44) sts)
Rep last 2 rows once. (23 (28, 31, 36, 40, 40, 42) sts)
Next Row: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (22 (27, 30, 35, 39, 39, 41) sts)
Work 3 rows even, then rep last row. (21 (26, 29, 34, 38, 38, 40) sts)
Work even in St st until armhole meas 7.25 (7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25, 8.5)” from underarm BO, ending after a RS row.
Short Row Set 1: P15 (18, 20, 25, 26, 26, 30), W&T, k to end.
Short Row Set 2: P10 (13, 15, 19, 19, 19, 23), W&T, k to end.
Short Row Set 3: P 5 (8, 10, 12, 12, 12, 18), W&T, k to end.
Purl 1 row, picking up wraps.
BO all sts kwise.
Right Front
Place held 43 (48, 51, 58, 64, 70, 73) sts back onto needles. Join yarn to work a WS row.
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (1 st dec’d)
Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (39 (44, 47, 54, 60, 66, 69) sts)
Work even in St st until front meas 4.5 (4.5, 4.75, 5, 5.25, 5.5, 5.75)” from underarm BO, ending after a WS row.
Next Row: BO 9 (9, 9, 9, 11, 15, 16), k to end. (30 (35, 38, 45, 49, 51, 53) sts)
Next Row: P to last 2 sts, p2togtbl. (29 (34, 37, 44, 48, 50, 52) sts)
Next Row: BO 2 (2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 6), k to end. (27 (32, 35, 40, 44, 44, 46) sts)
Next Row: P to last 3 sts, p2togtbl, p1. (26 (31, 34, 39, 43, 43, 45) sts)
Next Row: K1, ssk, k to end. (25 (30, 33, 38, 42, 42, 44) sts)
Rep last 2 rows once. (23 (28, 31, 36, 40, 40, 42) sts)
Next Row: Purl.
Next Row: K1, ssk, k to end. (22 (27, 30, 35, 39, 39, 41) sts)
Work 3 rows even, then rep last row. (21 (26, 29, 34, 38, 38, 40) sts)
Work even in St st until armhole meas 7.25 (7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25, 8.5)” from underarm BO, ending after a WS row.
Short Row Set 1: K15 (18, 20, 25, 26, 26, 30), W&T, k to end.
Short Row Set 2: K10 (13, 15, 19, 19, 19, 23), W&T, k to end.
Short Row Set 3: K5 (8, 10, 12, 12, 12, 18), W&T, k to end.
Knit 1 row, picking up wraps.
BO all sts pwise.
Back
Place held 82 (94, 104, 118, 128, 140, 148) sts onto needle and join yarn to work a WS row.
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts from end, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)
Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (74 (86, 96, 110, 120, 132, 140) sts)
Work even in St st until Back meas 7.25 (7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25, 8.5)” from underarm BO, ending after a WS row.
Next Row: K28 (33, 36, 43, 47, 49, 51), BO 18 (24, 24, 24, 26, 34, 38), k to end.
Either put Right Back Shoulder sts onto holder or just leave on needle and ignore for now.
Left Back Shoulder
Next Row (WS): P to last 2 sts, p2togtbl. (1 st dec’d)
Short Row Set 1: BO 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4), k18 (21, 23, 28, 29, 29, 33), W&T, p to last 2 sts, p2togtbl.
Short Row Set 2: BO 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4), k10 (13, 15, 19, 19, 19, 23), W&T, p to last 2 sts, p2togtbl.
Short Row Set 3: K5 (8, 10, 12, 12, 12, 18), W&T, p to end.
Knit 1 row, picking up wraps.
BO all sts pwise.
Right Back Shoulder
Join yarn to work a WS row.
Short Row Set 1: BO 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4), p19 (22, 24, 29, 30, 30, 34), W&T, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Short Row Set 2: BO 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4), p10 (13, 15, 19, 19, 19, 23), W&T, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Short Row Set 3: P2tog, p4 (7, 9, 11, 11, 11, 17), W&T, k to end.
Purl 1 row, picking up wraps.
Knit 1 row.
BO pwise.
Seam shoulders.
Sleeves
Make both alike.
With shorter circular needles, begin at center of underarm BO. Pick up and knit 7 (7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9) sts in bound-off sts, then 29 (30, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40) sts up to shoulder seam (approx. 1 st for every 2 rows), pm, then 29 (30, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40) sts down to underarm BO (approx. 1 st for every 2 rows), then 7 (7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9) sts in underarm BO. PM for BOR. (72 (74, 86, 88, 92, 96, 98) sts)
Set-Up Row: K to shoulder seam m, k7, W&T, p to shoulder seam m, remove m, p7, W&T.
Short Row 1: K to wrapped st, knit it without picking up wrap, wrap next st, turn.
Short Row 2: P to wrapped st, purl it without picking up wrap, wrap next st, turn.
Rep last 2 rows until you reach the underarm sts. After the last purl short row, k all the way around to BOR m.
Work in the rnd in St st, switching to DPNs if work is too tight on circulars, until Sleeve meas 3” from underarm.
Next Rnd: K, decreasing 8 (10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 10) sts evenly. (64 (64, 76, 80, 84, 88, 88) sts
Next Rnd: *K2, p2; rep from * to end.
Work as set in ribbing for 1.5”.
BO in patt.
Finishing
Button Band
With RS facing, using longer circular needles, begin at neck edge of Left Front and pick up 2 sts for every 3 rows along entire edge, being sure to pick up a st in the very top and very bottom of cardigan. On the first row, adjust st count to be a multiple of 4 +2.
Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Rep last 2 rows twice, then rep WS row once.
BO in patt.
Buttonhole Band
With RS facing, using longer circular needles, begin at ribbing edge of Right Front and pick up 2 sts for every 3 rows along entire edge, being sure to pick up a st in the very top and very bottom of cardigan. On the first row, adjust st count to be a multiple of 4 +2.
Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Rep WS row once.
Buttonhole Row: K2, *p2tog, yo, [k2, p2] twice, k2; rep from * eight more times, p2tog, yo, k2.
Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Rep WS row once.
BO in patt.
Neckband
With RS facing, using shorter circ needle, begin at Left Neck edge and pick up 1 st in every st of the button band and front neck BO, then 2 sts for every 3 rows up to back neck BO, then 1 st in every st of back neck BO, then 2 sts for every 3 rows down to right front BO, then 1 st in every st of right front BO and buttonhole band. On the first row, adjust st count to be a multiple of 4 +2.
Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Rep last 2 rows once, then rep WS row once.
BO in patt.
Weave in all ends.
Wash and block to measurements.
Sew on buttons opposite buttonholes.
I am knitting CATHERINE CARDIGAN by EMILY RINGELMAN.
I’m wondering if the pattern has any errata?
Specifically, in the row that follows the the St st section at the beginning. It reads:
“NEXT ROW: P26 (28,31,34,37,40,42), pm, P144(162, 176, 198, 214, 236, 246), pm, P to end”.
My question is this: If I purl 34, pm, then purl 198, I end up with 20 stitches to purl to the end. Shouldn’t there be a matching 34 stitches to the beginning section?
Hello! I’ve reached out to the designer for advice and she or I will reply as soon as possible. Thanks! – Nicola, Editor
I love this classical style!
Any long sleeved patterns?
Hello! You can browse our Tops and our Sweater categories to see our long-sleeved pattern options:
https://www.ilikeknitting.com/category/knitting-sweater-patterns/
https://www.ilikeknitting.com/category/knitting-top-patterns/
Hope that helps! -Nicola