Experience the journey from filigree borders to delicate mesh lace in this cropped V-neck cardigan. The lace extends gracefully to the bodice, while the neckline and front openings are elegantly finished with an I-cord edging. Fastened with a tie at the V-neck’s outset, this cardi offers versatility with easily adjustable length by adding rows to the top lace pattern.
Time: 52 Hours pattern
Skill level: Intermediate
Size: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48)”, finished bust 41.75 (45.75, 49.75, 53.75, 57.75)”, with 9.75″ ease.
Shown in size 32″
Gauge: 24.5 sts and 28.5 rows with needles US size 4 (3.5mm) = 4″ [10 cm] in patt A & B and 22.8 sts and 28.5 rows with needles US size 4 (3.5mm) = 4″ [10 cm] in patt C, after wet blocking.
Materials
Yarn: Cascade Ultra Pima Fine (100% pima cotton, 136.7 yards [125 meters]/50 grams): #3855 Ginger Snap 9 (9, 10, 11, 12) balls.
Needles: US size 4 (3.5mm), straight or 24” circular needles. US size 4 (3.5mm), 36” circular needles. 2 dpn needles US size 4 (3.5mm).
Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch holder, 2 locking stitch markers.
Abbreviations
cdd (central double decrease): Slip two stitches to right needle as if to knit them together, knit the next stitch, then insert the left needle from left to right into the two slipped stitches and pass them over the knit stitch. – two stitches have been decreased
mk (make knot): Insert RH needle in center of next st 4 rows below (don’t throw st off needle), k1, yo, k1 in same st (3 sts), sl these 3 sts to LH needle, k4tog tbl.
Special Stitches
Edge stitch (ES): Knit (or purl) the first and last stitch of every row.
Patt 1
Filigree border (8-st rep):
Row 1 (RS): P1, ssk, (k1, yo) 2 times, k1, k2tog.
Row 2 (WS): P7, k1.
Rows 3 – 10: Repeat rows 1 – 2.
Row 11: K1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo.
Row 12: Purl.
Row 13: K2, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1.
Row 14: Purl.
Row 15: K3, yo, cdd, yo, k2.
Row 16: Purl.
Patt 2
Mesh Lace patt (4-st rep)
Row 1 (RS): Cdd, yo, k1, yo.
Row 2: Purl.
Always rep these 2 rows.
Patt 3
Lace Patt (8-st rep)
Row 1 (RS): K2, p5, k1.
Row 2 (WS): P1, k5, p2.
Row 3: K1, yo, ssk, p3, k2tog, yo.
Row 4: P2, k3, p3.
Row 5: P2, yo, ssk, p1, k2tog, yo, p1.
Row 6: (K1, p2) 2 times, k2.
Row 7: Mk, p2, k3, p2.
Row 8: K2, p3, k2, p1.
Row 9: P3, k3, p2.
Row 10: K2, p3, k3.
Row 11: P2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, p1.
Row 12: K1, p5, k2.
Row 13: P1, k2tog, yo, p3, yo, ssk.
Row 14: P2, k3, p2, k1.
Row 15: K2, p2, mk, p2, k1.
Row 16: (P1, k2) 2 times, p2.
Always rep Rows 1-16.
Sloped BO
To prevent “stair steps” from forming between subsequent BO rows, use the sloped BO method as following: On the first BO row, bind off as usual to define the initial part of the slope. Work the next row to the last st, but do not work the last st. Turn work so that the unworked st becomes the first st on the RH needle. Sl the first st on the LH needle pwise, then BO the unworked st by lifting it over the sl st and off the needle.
Pattern notes
The back, fronts and sleeves are worked flat from the bottom up and sewn together.
During shaping, if there are not enough stitches to work a decrease with its corresponding yarnover, work remaining stitches in St st or rev St st instead to keep patt correct.
Charts show only the RS row. On WS purl the yos and work sts as they present themselves.
A circular needle is used for the I-cord edging, to accommodate the large number of sts.
Pattern
Back
Using the knitted cast-on method, CO 123 (135, 147, 159, 171) sts.
Set Patt:
Starting and ending as indicated, work 16 rows in Filigree patt (Patt 1) following Chart A (B, A, B, A), 16 rows in Mesh patt (Patt 2), and continue in Lace patt (Patt 3), always rep Rows 1-16 of Patt 3, until Back measures 17.75 (17.75, 18, 18, 18.25)” from CO, finishing with a WS Row.
Shape neck & shoulders
Note: neck and shoulders shaping occur at the same time.
Divide for back neck
Next Row (RS): BO 11 (12, 12, 13, 15) sts, work 40 (44, 49, 52, 55) sts in patt, BO central 21 (23, 25, 29, 31) sts, work in patt to end.
Next Row: BO 11 (12, 12, 13, 15) sts, work 40 (44, 49, 52, 55) sts in patt, turn and place unworked sts on hold for Right Back neck.
Shape Left Back neck
** Next Row: BO 5 sts at neck edge, work in patt to end. (35 (39, 44, 47, 50) sts)
Next Row: BO 10 (12, 13, 14, 15) sts at shoulder edge, work in patt to end. (25 (27, 31, 33, 35) sts)
Next Row: BO 3 sts at neck edge, work in patt to end. (22 (24, 28, 30, 32) sts)
Next Row: BO 10 (11, 13, 14, 15) sts, work in patt to end. (12 (13, 15, 16, 17) sts)
Next Row: BO 2 sts at neck edge, work in patt to end. (10 (11, 13, 14, 15) sts)
BO.
Shape Right back neck & shoulder
With WS facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts. (40 (44, 49, 52, 55) sts)
Work as for Left back neck from ** to end.
Right Front
Using the knitted cast-on method, CO 65 (71, 77, 83, 89) sts.
Set Patt:
Starting and ending as indicated, work 16 rows in Filigree patt (Patt 1) following Chart C (B, D, A, C), 16 rows in Mesh patt (Patt 2), and continue in Lace patt (Patt 3), always rep Rows 1-16 of Patt 3, until Right Front measures 6.75″ from CO.
Shape neck & shoulder:
Note: Always work the 2nd st at right edge in St st, to have a neat neck-edge.
Neck dec Row (RS): K1, ssk, work to end. 1 st dec’d.
Rep neck dec Row every 4th row 20 (19, 19, 18, 17) more times, then every 2nd row 0 (2, 3, 6, 8) times. (44 (49, 54, 58, 63) sts)
Left Front:
Using the knitted cast-on method, CO 65 (71, 77, 83, 89) sts.
Set Patt:
Starting and ending as indicated, work 16 rows in Filigree patt (Patt A) following Chart C (B, D, A, C), 16 rows in Mesh patt (Patt B), and continue in Lace patt (Patt C), always rep Rows 1-16 of Patt C, until Left Front measures 17 cm / 6.75)” from CO.
Shape neck & shoulder:
Note: Always work the penultimate st at left edge in St st, to have a neat neck-edge.
Neck dec Row (RS): Work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 1 sts dec’d.
Rep neck dec Row every 4th row 19 (19, 19, 18, 17) more times, then every 2nd row 0 (1, 2, 5, 7) times. (45 (50, 55, 59, 64) sts)
SIZE S ONLY
Work 3 rows in patt.
Row 1 (RS): BO 11 sts, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (33 sts)
Row 2 (WS): Work in patt to end.
Row 3 (RS): BO 10 sts, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (22 sts)
Row 4 (WS): Work in patt to end.
Row 5 (RS): BO 10 sts, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (11 sts)
Row 6 (WS): Work in patt to end.
BO.
SIZES – (M, L, XL, 2XL) ONLY
Work 1 row in patt.
Row 1 (RS): BO – (12, 12, 13, 15) sts, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (– (37, 42, 45, 48) sts)
Row 2 (WS): Work in patt to end.
Row 3 (RS): BO – (12, 13, 14, 15) sts, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (– (24, 28, 30, 32) sts)
Row 4 (WS): Work in patt to end.
Row 5 (RS): BO – (11, 13, 14, 15) sts, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (– (12, 14, 15, 16) sts)
Row 6 (WS): Work in patt to end.
BO.
Sleeves
Work both the same.
Using the knitted cast-on method, CO 65 (71, 75, 79, 79) sts.
Set Patt:
Starting and ending as indicated, work 16 rows in Filigree patt (Patt 1) following Chart C (B, A, B, B), 16 rows in Mesh patt (Patt 2), and continue in Lace patt (Patt 3), always rep Rows 1-16 of Patt 3.
AT THE SAME TIME, shape sleeve as following:
Work 10 rows even.
Inc row (RS): K1, M1R or M1p to keep patt correct, work in patt to last st, M1L or M1p, k1. 2 sts inc’d.
Rep inc row every 10th row 5 (10, 9, 9, 1) more times, then every 8th Row 7 (1, 3, 3, 13) times, working new sts into patt. 91 (95, 101, 105, 109) sts.
Work straight until piece measures 17 (17.25, 17.75, 17.75, 17.75)”.
BO all sts.
Finishing
Block all pieces to finished measurements.
With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew shoulders.
I-cord edging:
With RS facing, longer circular needles and starting at bottom edge of Right Front opening, pick up and knit 111 (111, 113, 115, 115) sts along right opening, 41 (43, 45, 49, 51) sts along back neck, and 111 (111, 113, 115, 115) sts along left opening, finishing at edge of Left Front opening. (263 (265, 271, 279, 281) sts)
Purl one row. CO 3 sts at end of row.
Next Row (RS): *K2, ssk, sl 3 sts back to LH needle; rep from * to end, until there are 3 sts left on LH needle. BO 3 sts.
Ties
Work both the same.
With the 2 dpns and the knitted cast-on method, CO 3 sts. *Sl the sts back to the right end of your needle, k3; rep from * until I-cord measures 15.75″. Cut yarn leaving a long tail.
Thread tail to a tapestry needle and sew each tie at the beg of V-neck shaping, on the WS of each front. Tie a knot at each loose end (optionally).
Sew sleeves into armholes, matching the center of the sleeve top to the shoulder seam and the edges 7.75 (8, 8.50, 8.75, 9.25)” from the shoulder seam.
Sew underarm and side seams.
Weave in ends.