Forever & Always Cardi

Skill Level: Advanced

Size: S (M, L), Cross Shoulder measurement 12¼-13½ (13¾-15¼, 15¼-16½)”

Shown in size 13¾-15¼”.

Gauge: 27 sts and 34 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking.

Mint Lace Repeat = 1¾” / [4.5 cm] x 2” [5 cm] after wet blocking.

Materials

Yarn:

 Cascade Yarns Alpaca Lace (100% Baby Alpaca; 437 yards [400 meters]/50 grams): 1439 Granite Green, 2 (2, 3) skeins.

Needles: US size 3 (3.25 mm): 24” straight or circular and double pointed needles (DPNs).

Notions: Markers; tapestry needle.

Abbreviations

S2kp – slip 2 sts, k1, pass 2 slipped sts over

Special Stitches

Mint Leaf Lace

Row 1 (RS): K1 *k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2; rep from * to last st, k1.

Row 2 and all WS rows: K1, p to 1 st from end, k1.

Row 3: K1, *k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1; rep from * to last st, k1.

Row 5: K1, *k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice; rep from * to last st, k1.

Row 7: K1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k3, yo, ssk, yo, *s2kp, yo, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, yo; rep from * to last 2 sts, ssk.

Row 9: K1, *k1, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk; rep from * to last st, k1.

Row 11: K1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, *s2kp, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo; rep from * to last 2 sts, ssk.

Row 13: K1, *k4, yo, s2kp, yo, k3; rep from * to last st, k1.

Row 14: K1, p to 1 st from end, k1.

Rep Rows 1-14 for patt.

Pattern Notes

All measurements are given for lace after blocking.

Make the piece your own be lengthening or shortening the sleeves. If you want the front lace to be longer, add repeats before working armhole.

After working the sample, there was less than 1g of yarns left. I would highly recommend getting an extra skein for the medium size!

Pattern

Right Side

CO 102 (122, 142) sts.

Knit 1 row.

Beg Mint Leaf Lace patt, working 10 (12, 14) total repeats across row.

Cont working Mint Leaf Lace patt until piece meas 19 (22, 25)” / [48.25 (56, 63.5) cm] from CO edge, ending on WS row.

Shape Armhole

Work 21 (21, 31) sts in est patt, k2 and place these 23 (23, 33) sts on holder for Cowl, BO 17 (27, 37), k1, work in est patt to end of row – 62 (72, 72) Body sts rem.

Cont in est patt for 5 (4, 2)” / [12.75 (10.25, 5) cm] from BO row, ending on WS row.

Break yarn and place sts on holder.

Carefully transfer Cowl sts back to needles. With WS facing, rejoin yarn and work in est patt until piece measures 5 (4, 2)” / [12.75 (10.25, 5) cm] from BO row, ending on the same WS as for Body.

Next Row (RS): Work in est patt to end, using Backwards Loop Method, CO 17 (27, 37) sts, carefully transfer Body sts to left needle, work in est patt to end.

Cont working in est patt until piece meas 4 (5, 6)” / [10.25 (12.75, 15.25) cm] from armhole CO, ending on WS row.

Break yarn and place sts on holder.

Left Side

CO 102 (122, 142) sts.

Knit 1 row.

Beg Mint Leaf Lace patt, working 10 (12, 14) repeats across row.

Cont working Mint Leaf Lace patt until piece meas 19 (22, 25)” / [48.25 (56, 63.5) cm] from CO edge, ending on WS row.

Shape Armhole

Work 62 (72, 72) sts in est patt and place on holder for Body, BO 17 (27, 37), k1, work in est patt to end – 23 (23, 33) Cowl sts rem.

Work in pattern for 5 (4, 2)” / [12.75 (10.25, 5) cm] from BO row, ending on WS row.

Break yarn and place sts on holder.

Carefully transfer Body sts back to needle. With WS facing, rejoin yarn and work in est patt until piece meas 5 (4, 2)” / [12.75 (10.25, 5) cm] from BO row, ending on the same WS as for Body.

Next Row (RS): Work in est patt to end, using Backwards Loop Method, CO 17 (27, 37) sts, carefully transfer Cowl sts to left needle, work in est patt to end.

Cont working in est patt until piece meas 4 (4, 6)” / [10.25 (10.25, 15.25) cm] from armhole CO, ending on WS row.

Break yarn and place sts on holder.

Sleeves (make 2)

With RS facing, pick up and k70 (74, 82) sts.

Shape shoulders using Short-Rows as follows:

Short-Row 1 (RS): K55 (59, 63), wrap next st and turn.

Short-Row 2 (WS): Sl 1 st pwise wyif, p39 (43, 43), wrap next st and turn.

Short-Row 3: Sl 1 st pwise wyib, k to wrapped st, work wrap tog with next st, wrap next st, turn.

Short-Row 4: Sl 1 pwise wyif, p to wrapped st, work wrap tog with next st, wrap next st, turn. Rep last 2 Short-Rows 11 (11, 15) more times – 1 st rem unworked on each side of underarm.

Resume working in the rnd, working wraps tog with wrapped sts when you get to them, work even in St st until Sleeve meas 1 (1, 2)” from underarm.

Dec Rnd: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 – 2 sts dec’d; 68 (72, 80) sts.

Rep Dec Rnd every 12 rnds 7 (7, 8) more times – 54 (58, 64) sts.

Work even in St st until piece meas 11½ (12, 13)” / [29.25 (30.5, 33) cm] from underarm.

Next Rnd: Purl.

Next Rnd: Knit.

Next Rnd: Purl.

BO all sts knitwise.

Finishing

With WS facing, starting as bottom edge, graft Right and Left Sides together using Kitchener Stitch. Weave in ends. Wet block and aggressively pull out lace points.