I remember the first time I saw my friend Bel (short for Belinda). She walked into Gina Brown's, the yarn shop I worked at in Calgary, and my eye was immediately caught by the unexpected grey streak in her wild, dark hair. Tall and willowy, she wore a loose hand-knit coat and bold, stylish glasses. I was a little intimidated by how cool she looked, but she turned out to be one of the warmest, kindest people I've ever known.

Bel has since become a dear friend. She never stops inspiring me with her exuberance, generosity, and fabulous personal style. The intense colour, the multi-directional construction, the easy-to-layer shape of this cardigan: all of these things make this a very “Bel” sweater. Unfortunately we no longer live in the same city, so I was unable to ask her to model.

Every element of this sweater, from the stitch patterns and shaping to the sleeve length and bind off method, was chosen to make the most of the play of colors in this beautiful variegated yarn. The center back panel is worked in a simple lace pattern from the lower edge to the neckline. The side panels are worked from the center out and joined at the side edges using a unique seaming technique, then short, ribbed sleeves are worked. The ribbed lower band and lace-patterned front band are worked last.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size 1X)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust: 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56] inches with front edges overlapped
Width of back at underarm: 16[18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28] inches
Length: 24[24, 25.25, 25.25, 26.25, 26.25, 26.25] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Scarlet Fleece Painted Merino [100% superwash merino wool; 230yd/210m per 3.2oz skein]; color: I See Red!; 4[5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
2 US #6/4mm circular needles, one 24 inches or longer, one 40 inches or longer (will be referred to as shorter needle and longer needle)

Tools
Waste yarn
Crochet hook, close in size to needle size
2 stitch markers
Yarn needle
Row counter (optional)

GAUGE
24 sts/30 rows = 4 inches in charted lace pattern
21 sts/34 rows = 4 inches in Body Pattern

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

sk2p: Sl 1, k2tog, pass slipped st over. 2 sts decreased.

Working wraps together with wrapped sts on RS rows:
Insert tip of right needle into front of wrap and knit it together with wrapped st.

Working wraps together with wrapped sts on WS rows:
Insert tip of left needle into back of wrap and knit or purl it together with wrapped st in pattern.

Body Pattern (Worked over an odd number of sts):
Rows 1, 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k to end.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, [k1, p1] to end.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl 1, [p1, k1] to last 2 sts, p2.

A tutorial for the crochet cast on method used in this pattern can be found here.

Working with Two Circular Needles:
Part of this project is worked in the round using 2 circular needles. If you are unfamiliar with this technique, instructions and video may help.

Directions for Elizabeth Zimmermann's Sewn Bind Off can be found here.

DIRECTIONS
BACK PANEL
Using shorter needle and crochet method described in linked article (see Pattern Notes), CO 17[17, 17, 17, 21, 21, 21] sts.

Work Rows 1-4 of Back Panel Chart, then work Rows 5-12 of chart thirteen times. A total of 108 rows have been worked.

Work Rows 13-28 of chart 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] times. 41[41, 49, 49, 53, 53 53] sts.

Sizes XS, S, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
Work Rows 13-20 of chart. 45[45, -, -, 57, 57, 57] sts.
Work Rows 9 and 10 of chart.

Sizes M, L only:
Work Rows 5 and 6 of chart.

All Sizes:
A total of 166[166, 174, 174, 182, 182, 182] rows have been worked.
Place sts on hold on waste yarn.

RIGHT SIDE PANEL
Using crochet method described in linked article, CO 115[115, 120, 120, 125, 125, 125] sts onto shorter needle. Set aside.

Using longer needle and with RS facing, pick up and k 110[110, 115, 115, 120, 120, 120] sts (approx. 2 sts for every 3 rows) along right edge of back panel, beginning at CO edge and ending at upper edge. Using same needle and continuing from picked-up sts, k all sts from shorter needle. 225[225, 235, 235, 245, 245, 245] sts on longer needle. 

Next Row [WS]: P72, place marker, p81[81, 91, 91, 101, 101, 101], place marker, p72.

Decrease Row [RS]: Sl 1, k to 3 sts before marker, sk2p, k to next marker, sk2p, k to end. 221[221, 231, 231, 241, 241, 241] sts.

Short Row Sequence:
Note: See Pattern Notes re. working wraps together with wrapped sts.
Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p1, W&T.
Rows 2, 4, 6 [RS]: K to end.
Row 3 [WS]: Sl 1, k1, [p1, k1] to wrapped st, p wrap together with wrapped st, k1, p1, k1, W&T.
Row 5 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, [k1, p1] to wrapped st, k wrap together with wrapped st, p1, k1, p1, W&T.
Repeat Rows 3-6 seven times more. In last short row, 68 sts are worked, not including the wrapped stitch.

Note: From here, you’ll resume working across the entire row in the Body Pattern, beginning at Row 2.  When working next row, work remaining wrap together with wrapped st.

**Work 9 rows in Body Pattern. Work Decrease Row as above.
Repeat these 10 rows 4[5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9] times more. 201[197, 203, 199, 209, 205, 201] sts.

Work 5[3, 3, 1, 7, 7, 5] more rows in pattern, ending with row 4[4, 2, 2, 4, 2, 2] of Body Pattern.
Next Row [RS]: Using shorter needle, sl 1, k to marker. 60[58, 56, 54, 54, 52, 50] sts on shorter needle.

Join Side Seam:
Fold work so that edges meet, with wrong sides together. Arrange needles so that shorter needle is in front of longer needle.
Insert crochet hook through first st on back needle, then first st on front needle; draw st from front needle through st on back needle. *Insert hook through next st on back needle, draw through st on hook. Insert hook through next st on front needle, draw through st on hook.
Repeat from * until all sts below marker and all sts on front needle have been worked; end by drawing last st on front needle through last st on back needle. Place this st on back needle. Sleeve:
Set-up Round: Using shorter needle, pick up and k 1 st in space between last st of seam and next st on longer needle, then k first 40[40, 45, 45, 50, 50, 50] sts from longer needle; using longer needle, k next 41[41, 46, 46, 51, 51, 51] sts, pick up and k 1 st in space between last st worked and last st of side seam; slip last st of side seam to beginning of shorter needle. 84[84, 94, 94, 104, 104, 104] sts. This point is beginning of round.

Sizes XS, S, 1X Only:
Round 1: K1, p1, ssk, [k1, p1] to last 6 sts, k1, k2tog, p1, k1, p1.
Round 2: K1, p1, ssk, [p1, k1] to last 6 sts, p1, k2tog, p1, k1, p1.
Round 3: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat these 3 rounds twice more. 72[72, -, -, 92, -, -] sts.

Sizes M, L, 2X, 3X Only:
Round 1: P1, ssk, [k1, p1] to last 5 sts, k1, k2tog, p1, k1.
Round 2: P1, ssk, [p1, k1] to last 5 sts, p1, k2tog, p1, k1.
Round 3: [P1, k1] to end.
Repeat these 3 rounds twice more. -[-, 82, 82, -, 92, 92] sts.

All Sizes:
K 1 round. BO all sts using Sewn Bind Off. LEFT SIDE PANEL
Using crochet method described in linked article, CO 115[115, 120, 120, 125, 125, 125] sts onto longer needle. K all sts.

Using same needle and continuing from these sts with RS facing, pick up and k 110[110, 115, 115, 120, 120, 120] sts (approx. 2 sts for every 3 rows) along left edge of back panel, beginning at upper edge and ending at CO edge. 225[225, 235, 235, 245, 245, 245] sts on longer needle. 

Next Row [WS]: P72, place marker, p81[81, 91, 91, 101, 101, 101], place marker, p72.

Short Row Sequence:
Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, k3, W&T.
Row 2 [WS]: P1, k1, p2.
Rows 3, 5 [RS]: Sl 1, k to wrapped st, k wrap together with wrapped st, k3, W&T.
Row 4 [WS]: [K1, p1] to end.
Row 6 [WS]: [P1, k1] to last 2 sts, p2.

Repeat Rows 3-6 seven times more. In last short row, 68 sts are worked, not including the wrapped stitch.

Work Decrease Row as for Right Front, working remaining wrap together with wrapped st. 221[221, 231, 231, 241, 241, 241] sts.

Continue as for Right Side Panel, beginning at **. Note that next row worked will be Row 2 of Body Pattern.

LOWER BAND
Note: When placing live sts on needle after removing waste yarn from a provisional CO edge, you will usually have one stitch less than the number you originally cast on. Count sts after placing them on the needle; if you find you have the same number of sts as you originally cast on, omit the increase in the first row  (for Lower Band) or the picked-up st at the neck edge (for the Front Band).

Carefully remove waste yarn from CO edge of back panel and place resulting 16[16, 16, 16, 20, 20, 20] live sts on shorter needle.

Using longer needle, with RS facing and beginning at left front corner, pick up and work sts in slipped sts along lower edge as follows:
[Pick up and k 1 st in first st, yo, pick up and k 1 st in next st, pick up and p 1 st in next st, yo, pick up and p 1 st in next st] along lower left front and back edges, ending at first st of back panel. Make a note of which type of st (k st or p st) you ended with. Continuing across sts of back panel, k8[8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10], m1, k8[8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10]. Pick up and work sts along lower right back and front edges, beginning with the same type of st you worked last for left back edge, and ending at right front corner with a k st.

Next Row [WS]: [P1, k1] to last st, p1.
Next Row [RS]: [K1, p1] to last st, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows 5 times more.

Next Row [WS]: P2tog, p to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1.
BO all sts using Sewn Bind Off.
Note: It can be awkward to work this type of BO over a long edge, as the yarn tail needed will be several yards long. If desired, work with shorter lengths of yarn, attaching new lengths as necessary. FRONT BAND
Carefully remove waste yarn from CO edges of right and left fronts and from held sts of top of back panel, placing resulting live sts on longer needle. 273[273, 287, 287, 305, 305, 305] sts: 114[114, 119, 119, 124, 124, 124] sts for each front and 45[45, 49, 49, 57, 57 57] sts for back neck.

Sizes XS, S, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
With RS facing and beginning at lower right front corner, pick up and k 1 st in edge of first row of lower band, next to first held st of right front; k all 114[114, -, -, 124, 124, 124] sts of right front, pick up and k 1 st in space between sts of right front and sts of back neck; work all sts of back neck in pattern as set (Row 11 of Back Panel Chart); pick up and k 1 st in space between sts of back neck and sts of left front; k all sts of left front, pick up and k 1 st in edge of first row of lower band. 277[277, -, -, 309, 309, 309] sts.

Sizes M, L Only:
With RS facing and beginning at lower right front corner, pick up and kfb 1 st (increased to 2 sts) in edge of first row of lower band, next to first held sts of right front; k all 119 sts of right front, pick up and k 1 st in space between sts of right front and sts of back neck; work all sts of back neck in pattern as set (Row 7 of Back Panel Chart); pick up and k 1 st in space between sts of back neck and sts of left front; k all sts of left front, pick up and kfb 1 st (increased to 2 sts) in edge of first row of lower band. 293 sts.

All Sizes:
Work 24[24, 24, 24, 28, 28, 28] rows following Front Band Chart, beginning with Row 8[8, 8, 8, 4, 4, 4] and ending with Row 7.

P 1 row (a WS row). BO all sts using Sewn Bind Off.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block to given measurements.

Mandy is the Senior Technical Editor for Knitty.com, and co-author of the newly released book Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti. Her patterns have been published in More Big Girl Knits and Not Your Mama's Crochet, on Knitty, and in her Etsy shop.

You can find her at yarnageddon.com, at yarnbombing.com, and on Ravelry as yarnageddon.