Feminine, soft, floating – all describe the Feeling Fluttery Cardigan. Knit in a soft, lace weight yarn, this cardigan will keep summer in your mind as fall approaches. The pleats at the front shoulders allow the cardigan body to open softly to the hemline. Wear this cardigan open or closed with a belt, shawl pin or broach.
Skill Level: Intermediate (armhole shaping, pleats, picking up sts around armhole, short rows)
Size: Finished Bust Size 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56)” to fit bust 28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52)”
4” positive ease recommended
Shown in size 40”
Gauge: 28 sts and 39 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after blocking
Materials
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace (100% Baby Merino Wool; 470 yards [430 meters]/50 grams): #61 Butter (3 (3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) skeins)
Needles: US size 5 (3.75 mm) 24” and 16” circular needles; US size 6 (4.0 mm) 24” and 16” circular needles
Notions: Stitch markers (6), stitch holders (2), cable needle, tapestry needle.
Abbreviations
pm – place marker
slm – slip marker
wyif – with yarn in front
W&T – work to specified point, slip next st to right needle, take yarn between needles to the opposite side of work, slip st back to left needle, turn work and continue with the next row. Close short row gaps by working the wrap with its stitch.
Pattern Notes
This cardigan is intended to fit well across the shoulders while the body and sleeves are loose and flowing.
Slip all markers as you come to them.
When working with hand-dyed yarn, alternate yarn every couple of rows to blend differences between skeins.
While instructions are given for Wrap & Turn short rows, any short method can be used.
When picking up sleeves sts for underarms and front bound off sts, pick up 1 st for each bound off st. Pick up sts along the armhole edges at a rate of 2 sts for every 3 rows. Adjust pick up rate as needed for the total number of sleeve sts for the size you are knitting.
Cardigan body is worked flat; the circular needle is used to accommodate the number of sts. Larger sizes may choose to use a longer circular needle for the body.
Pattern
Border
With larger, longer circular needles, CO 75 (82, 89, 96, 103, 110, 117) sts, pm, CO 111 (125, 139, 153, 167, 181, 195) sts, pm, CO 75 (82, 89, 96, 103, 110, 117) sts. (261 (289, 317, 345, 373, 401, 429) sts)
Note: Slip markers as you come to them.
Row 1: K1, *k1, p1; rep from * to the last 2 sts, k1, sl 1 wyif.
Rep Row 1, 3 more times.
Body
Change to smaller, longer circular needles.
Note: Slip markers as you come to them.
Row 1 (WS): K2, p1, k1, purl to last 4 sts, k1, p1, k1, sl 1 wyif.
Row 2 (RS): K1, (K1, p1) twice, knit to last 5 sts, (p1, k1) twice, sl 1 wyif.
Rep Rows 1-2 until Body meas approx. 13 (14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 16)” from CO edge, ending after a WS row.
Divide Fronts and Back
Work as established to 4 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) sts before the first marker, BO 8 (10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16) sts (removing marker), k to 4 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) sts before the second marker, BO 8 (10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16 sts (removing marker), k to end.
Place first and last 71 (77, 83, 90, 96, 103, 109) sts for each Front on stitch holders. (103 (115, 127, 141, 153, 167, 179) sts rem on needles for Back)
Shape Back Armholes
Rejoin yarn to begin working Back on a WS.
Purl one row.
Sizes 32 (36, 40) only
Row 1 (Dec, RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)
Rows 2 and 4: Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Rep last 4 rows 5 (11, 9) more times. (91 (91, 107) sts)
Work even until Armhole meas 7.5 (8, 8)” from Fronts and Back division, ending after a RS row.
Sizes 44 (48, 52, 60) only
Row 1 (Dec, RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts dec’d)
Row 2: Purl.
Rep last 2 rows 9 (13, 15, 21) more times. (121 (125, 135, 135) sts)
Work even until Armhole meas 8.5 (8.75, 8.75, 92.5)” from Front and Back division, ending after a RS row.
All Sizes
Shape Back Neck and Shoulders
Row 1 (WS): P30 (30, 35, 40, 40, 45, 45), pm, p31 (31, 37, 41, 45, 45, 45), pm, purl to the last 10 (10, 11, 13, 13, 15, 15) sts, W&T.
Row 2: Sl 1, knit to 1 st before marker, p1, slm, (k1, p1) 15 times, k1, slm, p1, knit to the last 10 (10, 11, 13, 13, 15, 15) sts, W&T.
Row 3: Sl 1, purl to 2 sts before marker, k1, p1, slm, (k1, p1) 15 times, k1, slm, p1, k1, purl to the last 10 (10, 11, 13, 13, 15, 15) live sts, W&T. (20 (20,22, 26, 26, 30, 30) sts unworked)
Row 4: Sl 1, knit to 3 sts before marker, p1, k1, p1, slm, (k1, p1) 15 times, k1, slm, p1, k1, p1, knit to the last (10, 10, 11, 13, 13, 15, 15) live sts, W&T. (20 (20,22, 26, 26, 30, 30) sts unworked)
Row 5: Sl 1, purl to 4 sts before marker, (k1, p1) twice, slm, (k1, p1) 15 times, k1, slm, (p1, k1) 2 times, purl to end, closing short row gaps as you come to them.
Row 6: Knit 30 (30, 35, 40, 40, 45, 45), BO 31 (31, 37, 41, 45, 45, 45) sts, knit to end, closing short row gaps as you come to them.
Place rem shoulder sts on holders.
Left Front
Shape Armhole
Place 71 (77, 83, 90, 96, 103, 109) sts held for Left Front on larger needles, join yarn to beg working a WS row.
Rows 1, 3 and 5 (WS): Work first 5 sts as est, purl to end.
Rows 2 and 4: BO 2 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) sts at the beg of row, knit to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est. (67 (71, 77, 84, 88, 95, 101) sts)
Sizes 32 (36, 40) only
Maintaining the 5 sts at the neck edge in pattern as est, work the armhole shaping dec as follows:
Row 6 (RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est. (1 st dec’d)
Rows 7 and 9: Work first 5 sts as est, purl to end.
Row 8: Knit to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est.
Rep last 4 rows 12 (16, 13) times. (54 (54, 63) sts)
Work even until Armhole meas 8 (8.5, 8.5)” from Front and Back division.
Sizes 44 (48, 52, 60) only
Maintaining the 5 sts at the neck edge in pattern as est, work the armhole shaping dec as follows:
Row 6 (RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est. (1 st dec’d)
Row 7: Work first 5 sts as est, purl to end.
Rep last 2 rows 11 (15, 13, 19) times. (72 (72, 81, 81) sts)
Work even until Armhole meas 9 (9.25, 9.25, 9.75)” from Front and Back division.
All Sizes
Form Pleats
Next (RS): *K1, sl 4 sts to cn, rotate cn 180 degrees counter clockwise to back of work, holding cn even with working needle, k2tog using first st on working needle and first st on cn; rep from * 5 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8) times. (30 (30, 35, 40, 40, 45, 45) sts)
Place rem sts on holder.
Right front
Shape Armhole
Place 71 (77, 83, 90, 96, 103, 109) sts held for left front on larger size needle, join yarn to beg working a RS row.
Rows 1, 3 and 5 (RS): Work first 5 sts as est, knit to end.
Rows 2 and 4: BO 2 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) sts at the beg of row, purl to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est. (67 (71, 77, 84, 88, 95, 101) sts)
Sizes 32 (36, 40) only
Maintaining the 5 sts at the neck edge in pattern as est, work the armhole shaping dec as follows:
Row 6 (WS): P2, p2tog, purl to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est. (1 st dec’d)
Rows 7 and 9: Work first 5 sts as est, knit to end.
Row 8: Purl to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est.
Rep last 4 rows 12 (16, 13) times. (54 (54, 63) sts)
Work even until armhole measures 8 (8.5, 8.5)” from Front and Back division.
Sizes 44 (48, 52, 60) only
Maintaining the 5 sts at the neck edge in pattern as est, work the armhole shaping dec as follows:
Row 6 (WS): P2, p2tog, purl to last 5 sts, work last 5 sts as est. (1 st dec’d)
Row 7: Work first 5 sts as est, knit to end.
Rep last 2 rows 11 (15, 13, 19) times. (72 (72, 81, 81) sts)
Work even until Armhole meas 9 (9.25, 9.25, 9.75)” from Front and Back division.
All Sizes
Form pleats
Next (WS): *P1, sl 4 sts to cn, rotate cn 180 degrees clockwise to front of work, holding cn even with working needle, p2tog using first st on working needle and first st on cn; rep from * 5 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8) times. 30 (30, 35, 40, 40, 45, 45) sts
Join shoulders
Place Right Back Shoulder sts on spare needle, with RS together join Right Front and Back Shoulders using the 3-Needle Bind-off technique.
Join Left Front and Back Shoulders in the same manner.
Sleeves
Note: When picking up sleeves sts for underarms and front bound off sts, pick up 1 st for each bound off st. Pick up sts along the armhole edges at a rate of 2 sts for every 3 rows. Adjust pick up rate as needed for the total number of sleeve sts for the size you are knitting.
The top shoulder marker will be slightly forward of the shoulder seam.
The sleeve cap is worked in short rows until all picked up sts have been incorporated. The work is then joined to complete the sleeve in the round.
Increases are worked AT THE SAME TIME the sleeve cap is worked.
Shape Sleeve Cap
With smaller, shorter circular needles, beg at center underarm, pick up and knit 21 (25, 26, 30, 33, 33, 38) sts, pm, (pick up and knit 20 sts, pm) 4 times, pick up and knit 21 (25, 26, 30, 33, 33, 38) sts, pm for beg of rnd. (122 (130, 132, 140, 146, 146, 156) sts)
Row 1 (RS): Knit to 9 sts past the top shoulder marker, W&T.
Row 2: Sl 1, purl to 9 sts past the top shoulder marker, W&T.
Row 3: Sl 1, knit to 11 sts past the top shoulder marker, closing the short row gap when you come to it, W&T.
Row 4: Sl 1, purl to 11 sts past the top shoulder marker, closing the short row gap when you come to it, W&T.
Continue in this manner, working 2 additional sts each row until all picked up sts have been incorporated.
Sizes 36 (40, 52) will end with 1 st to incorporated on the last 2 rows.
AT THE SAME TIME the sleeve cap is worked, increase on the 10th and every following 10th row:
Row 10 (Inc, WS): Sl 1, purl to 1 st before the top shoulder marker, insert tip of right-hand needle into the head of the st in the row below the st on the left-hand needle lifting the st onto the left-hand needle, purl into the lifted st, p1, slm, p1, insert the tip of the left-hand needle into the head of the st below the st just worked lifting the st onto the left-hand needle, purl into the lifted st. (2 sts inc’d)
Rep Inc Row every 10th rows at each Sleeve marker as sufficient sts are incorporated into the Sleeve Cap.
Rows 20 and 30: (6 sts inc’d)
Rows 40, 50, 60 and 70: (10 sts inc’d)
54 (58, 60, 64, 64, 64, 70) total rows worked for the Sleeve Cap. (156 (164, 176, 184, 190, 190, 210) sts)
Sleeve Body
Note: Do not Inc at underarm, beg of rnd marker.
Rnd 1: Sl 1, knit all sts, join to work in the round closing last short row gaps.
Knit every rnd continuing to inc at the 5 sleeve markers every 10th rnd 3 times. (60 sts inc’d; (186 (194, 206, 212, 220, 220, 238) sts)
Work even until Sleeve meas 10.5 (11.5, 11.5, 12, 12, 12, 12)” from shoulder seam.
Border
Change to larger, shorter circular needles.
Rnd 1: *K1, p1; rep to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: *P1, k1; rep to end of rnd.
Rep Rnds 1-2 once more.
Loosely BO all sts.
Finishing
Weave end. Block to measurements.
A: Back width: 16 (18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28) inches
B: Front width (ea): 10.75 (11.75, 12.75, 13.75, 14.75, 15.75, 16.75) inches
C: Shoulder width (ea): 4.25 (4.25, 5, 5.75, 5.75, 6.5, 6.5) inches
D: Back neck width: 4.5 (4.5, 5.25, 5.75, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5) inches
E: Armhole depth: 8 (8.5, 8.5, 9, 9.25, 9.25, 9.75) inches
F: Body hem to underarm length: 13 (14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 16) inches
G: Sleeve shoulder to end length: 11 (12, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 12.5, 12.5) inches
H: Sleeve width at end: 26.5 (27.75, 29.5, 30.25, 31.5, 31.5, 34) inches