by Aileen Ryder

With its considerable negative ease, Indigo cones is designed to swing open from one large and distinctive button: the i-cord button-loop can be worked any length to fit.

It's also something of a personality test, this one: is it the fir-cones or the holes that stand out for you? Well, whichever way you tend to look at things, the rating here is definitely an easy piquant, since it's a straightforward stitch pattern that asserts its rhythm very quickly.

The front hems mirror one another in an oblique rib. During finishing, the front corners are folded back along each rib's diagonal and stitched down to give a cut-off appearance.

A lacy cardigan in a cool cotton/linen mix, which works like a shawl, giving just the little bit of warmth we need around the shoulders as summer begins to turn to fall.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size S with 4 inches of negative ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Note: Choose a size based on the back bust width and the desired amount of ease; note that the cardigan is fastened at the neck only and is free at the bust and sides.

Back Bust Width: 12[14.25, 16.75, 19, 21.5, 23.75, 26] inches
Bust Circumference: 24.25[31.25, 33.75, 36, 43, 45.5, 52.5] inches
Length: 21.5[24, 24.5, 27, 27.25, 27.25, 27.75] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Rowan Creative Linen [50% linen, 50% cotton; 219yds/200m per 100g skein] in shade 635; 3[3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #9/5.5mm circular needle, 32 inches long
US #6/4mm circular needle, 32 inches long
1 set of 5 US #9/5.5mm DPNs

Notions
Large button, at least 1 inch in diameter
Waste yarn or six stitch holders
2 stitch markers
Yarn needle

GAUGE (blocked)

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

The cardigan is worked flat on circular needles in one piece from hem to armholes, where it is divided for the Back and Fronts. Drop sleeves are picked up from the armholes and worked down.

The buttonband is knitted on to the body of the cardigan, with an i-cord buttonloop that can be adjusted to fit your button size. A selvedge, worked on the body of cardi (knitting first and last stich on every row) gives a chain between pips, every 2 rows, for attaching the garter stitch buttonband later.

Instead of sewing the corners up during finishing, you can pick up sts from the selvedge edges of the hem and work them together with the body sts during the Body Decrease Row. A tutorial can be found here.

Broken Rib Pattern (for gauge swatch; worked over a multiple of 4 sts):
Rows 1-2: *K2, p2; rep from * to end.
Rows 3-4: *P2, k2; rep from * to end.
Rep Rows 1-4 for patt.

Body Chart
(multiple of 10 sts + 11)
Rows 1, 3 & 5 [RS]: K1, *yo, k3, SK2P, k3, yo, k1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 and every foll WS row: Purl.
Rows 7, 9 & 11: K2tog, *k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, SK2P; rep from * to last 9 sts, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, ssk.
Row 12 [WS]: Purl.
Rep Rows 1-12 for patt.

Decrease Bind-Off:
RS: Sl1 k-wise, *k1, sl st back to LH ndl, k2tog; rep from *.
WS: Sl1 p-wise, *p1, sl st back to LH ndl, p2tog; rep from *.

DIRECTIONS
BODY
Hem:
Using US #6/4mm circular needle and long-tail method, cast on 140[156, 176, 204, 224, 240, 268] sts.

Set-up Row [WS]: K37[41, 45, 53, 57, 61, 69] for Left Front, pm, k66[74, 86, 98, 110, 118, 130] for Back, pm, k37[41, 45, 53, 57, 61, 69] for Right Front.

Begin rib:
Row 1 [RS]: K1, (k2, p2) to m, sl m, (k2, p2) to 2 sts before m, k2, sl m, (k2, p2) to last st, k1.

Row 2 [WS]: K2, (p2, k2) to 3 sts before m, p2, k1, sl m, p2, (k2, p2) to m, sl m, p1, (k2, p2) to last 4 sts, k2, p1, k1.

Row 3: K1, (p2, k2) to m, sl m, (p2, k2) to 2 sts before m, p2, sl m, (p2, k2) to last st, k1.

Row 4: K1, p1, (k2, p2) to 3 sts before m, k2, p1, sl m, k2, (p2, k2) to m, sl m, k1, (p2, k2) to end.

Rep last 4 rows 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] times more, removing markers during last row.

Body Decrease Row:
Size XS Only [RS]: K3, k2tog, *k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog; rep from * to end. 109 sts.
Size S Only [RS]: *K8, k2tog, (k7, k2tog) 7 times; rep from * to last 10 sts, k8, k2tog. 139 sts.
Size M Only [RS]: K5, k2tog, *k4, k2tog, k5, k2tog; rep from * to end. 149 sts.
Size L Only [RS]: (K3, k2tog) 3 times, *k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog; rep from * to end. 159 sts.
Size 1X Only [RS]: *(K4, k2tog) 3 times, (k5, k2tog) 2 times; rep from * to end. 189 sts.
Size 2X Only [RS]: (K4, k2tog) 5 times, *k3, k2tog, (k4, k2tog) 5 times; rep from * to end. 199 sts.
Size 3X Only [RS]: (K5, k2tog) 4 times, *k4, k2tog, (k5, k2tog) 6 times; rep from * to end. 229 sts.

ALL SIZES:
Change to US #9/5.5mm circular needle.

Next row [WS]: P3 then slip these 3 sts onto holder, p26[36, 36, 36, 46, 46, 56], pm, p51[61, 71, 81, 91, 101, 111], pm, p26[36, 36, 36, 46, 46, 56], slip rem 3 sts of row to holder. 103[133, 143, 153, 183, 193, 223] sts.

Begin Body Chart Pattern:
Row 1 [RS]: K5, *work Body Chart to m (beg on st 1 and ending on st 21 of chart), sl m; rep from * once more, work Body Chart to last 5 sts (beg on st 1 and ending on st 21 of chart), k5.

Row 2 [WS]: K1, p4, work chart as set to last 5 sts, p4, k1.

Cont in patt as set for 58 rows more, ending on Row 12 of chart (for a total of 5 chart repeats).

Divide for armholes:
Break yarn.

Slip first and last sets of 26[36, 36, 36, 46, 46, 56] sts to separate holders for each front.

Back:
With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem 51[61, 71, 81, 91, 101, 111] sts for Back and cont in chart patt, working Rows 1-12 of chart 3[4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5] times more.

Work 2[2, 4, 2, 4, 4, 6] rows in St st.

Next row [RS]: K15[18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33] then slip these sts to holder for right shoulder, bind off 21[25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45] sts, knit to end and place these 15[18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33] sts on holder for left shoulder.

Right Front:
With RS facing and US #9/5.5mm needle, rejoin yarn to 26[36, 36, 36, 46, 46, 56] sts held for Right Front.

Row 1 [RS]: K5, work Body Chart to end.
Row 2 [WS]: Work chart to last 5 sts, p4, k1.
Cont in patt as set for 22[34, 34, 46, 46, 46, 46] rows more, ending after Row 12 of chart (for a total of 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] chart repeats).

Work 2 rows even in patt.
Row 3: Using Decrease Bind-Off method, bind off 4[6, 5, 4, 6, 5, 8] sts, patt to end. 22[30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 48] sts.
Row 4 and every foll WS row: Work even in patt.
Row 5: K1, (ssk) 2[3, 3, 2, 4, 3, 4] times, patt to end. 20[27, 28, 30, 36, 38, 44] sts.
Row 7: K1, (ssk) 2[3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4] times, patt to end. 18[24, 25, 28, 33, 35, 40] sts.
Row 9: K1, (ssk) 2[3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4] times, patt to end. 16[21, 23, 26, 30, 32, 36] sts.
Row 11: K1, (ssk) 1[3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3] times, patt to end. 15[18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33] sts.
Row 12 [WS]: Work even in patt.

Work 2[2, 4, 2, 4, 4, 6] rows in St st.
Join rem sts to 15[18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33] sts held for back right shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.

Left Front:
With RS facing and US #9/5.5mm needle, rejoin yarn to 26[36, 36, 36, 46, 46, 56] sts held for Left Front.

Row 1 [RS]: Work Body Chart to last 5 sts, k5.
Row 2 [WS]: K1, p4, work chart to end.
Cont in patt as set for 22[34, 34, 46, 46, 46, 46] rows more, ending after Row 12 of chart (for a total of 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] chart repeats).

Shape Left Front Neck:
Work 3 rows even in patt.
Row 4 [WS]: Using Decrease Bind-Off method, bind off 4[6, 5, 4, 6, 5, 8] sts, patt to end. 22[30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 48] sts.
Row 5: Patt to last 5[7, 7, 5, 9, 7, 9] sts, (k2tog) 2[3, 3, 2, 4, 3, 4] times, k1. 20[27, 28, 30, 36, 38, 44] sts.
Row 6 and every foll WS row: Work even in patt.
Row 7: Patt to last 5[7, 7, 5, 7, 7, 9] sts, (k2tog) 2[3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4] times, k1. 18[24, 25, 28, 33, 35, 40] sts.
Row 9: Patt to last 5[7, 5, 5, 7, 7, 9] sts, (k2tog) 2[3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4] times, k1. 16[21, 23, 26, 30, 32, 36] sts.
Row 11: Patt to last 3[7, 5, 5, 7, 5, 7] sts, (k2tog) 1[3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3] times, k1. 15[18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33] sts.
Row 12 [WS]: Work even in patt.

Work 2[2, 4, 2, 4, 4, 6] rows in St st.
Join rem sts to 15[18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33] sts held for back left shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.

Knit 5[5, 4, 4, 3, 3, 1] rnds.

Begin Islet Pattern:
Round 1: Purl.
Round 2: *K2tog, yo; rep from * to end of round.
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: Purl.

These 4 rnds form the Islet Pattern.

Knit 8[8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10] rnds.

Next 2 rnds: (K2, p2) to end of round.
Next 2 rnds: (P2, k2) to end.
Next rnd: (K2, p2) to end.
Cast off in (K2, p2) rib patt.

Repeat for other sleeve.

Buttonband
With smaller circular needle, pick up (do not knit) 42[48, 48, 54, 54, 54, 54] sts (approx. 1 st for every purl bump) on Right Front from 3 held sts at top of hem to neck bind-off, pm, pick up 4[6, 5, 4, 6, 5, 8] sts across neck bind off, pick up 14[12, 12, 16, 14, 12, 12] sts to shoulder seam, pick up 21[25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45] sts across Back neck bind off, pick up 14[12, 12, 16, 14, 12, 12] sts from shoulder seam to front neck bind off, pick up 4[6, 5, 4, 6, 5, 8] sts from neck bind off, pm, pick up 42[48, 48, 54, 54, 54, 54] sts (approx. 1 st for every purl bump) to 3 sts held for Left Front. 141[157, 159, 181, 185, 183, 193] sts.

Using two US #9/5.5mm DPNs and with RS facing, place 3 sts held for Right Front band on one DPN and work these sts as follows:
Row 1 [RS]: K3.
Row 2 [WS]: K3.

Row 3 [RS]: K2, sl1 k-wise, k1 from circular needle, psso. 3 sts.
Row 4 [WS]: K3.
Rep Rows 3-4 until 4 sts rem on circular needle before first marker.

Make Buttonhole I-cord:
I-cord row [RS]: K3. Do not turn, but slide sts back to other end of DPN, bringing yarn firmly across WS of work.
Rep last row 8 times more.

Neck Edging:
I-cord joining row [RS]: K2, sl1 k-wise, k1 from circular needle, psso. Do not turn, but slide sts back to other end of DPN, bringing yarn firmly across WS of work.
Next row [RS]: K3. Do not turn, but slide sts back to other end of DPN, bringing yarn firmly across WS of work.
Rep last 2 rows to 4 sts past second marker on circular needle (removing both markers).

Continue Garter Band:
Next row [RS]: K2, sl1 k-wise, k1 from circular needle, psso. 3 sts.
Next row [WS]: K3.
Rep these 2 rows until all sts on circular needle have been worked (removing marker).

Join to 3 sts held for Left Front using Three-Needle Bind Off.

FINISHING
Fold up each corner of the hem to the WS so the selvedge edge lies parallel to the top edge of the hem. Pin and sew in place.

Weave in loose ends. Block to measurements. Attach button at neck edge opposite buttonhole.

Aileen lives and works in south-east England.

Aileen's immersed in her favourite fibre, venturing out to explore its possibilities from a fledgling website designed and built by her daughter.