INTRODUCTION

Colorado

by Benjamin Krudwig

The Colorado Cardigan is a cozy oversized and textural knit perfect for Fall knitting and Winter wearing. The positive ease of this sweater and the relaxed drape makes it perfect for lounging.

The disappearing ridge pattern on the front of the cardigan creates a subtle visual shaping that flatters both men and women, without any complicated shaping. The garter texture is mirrored on the back of the sweater, adding loft and squish to the fabric, which makes it even warmer on those bitter cold days.

The garter texture is echoed on the sleeves, traveling all the way up until the collar is knit. The sleeves are knit in a contrasting color, which gives off an academic vibe. Are you the professor or the sports star? You decide when you don the Colorado Cardigan.

model: Adam Ewing

photos: Benjamin Krudwig

SIZE

Men's S[M, L, 1X, 2X]
shown in Size L with 4 inches/10 cm of positive ease.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 33.75[37.5, 41.75, 46, 49.75] inches/ 85.5[95.5, 106, 117, 126.5] cm
Length: 25.5[27, 27.75, 29, 29.75] inches / 65[68.5, 70.5, 73.5, 75.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok [100% Fine Highland Wool; 123 yd/112 m per 50 g skein]
[MC] October Sky; 6[7, 8, 10, 11] skeins
[CC1] Gravel Road; 6[6, 6, 7, 8]  skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #6/4mm circular needle, 32 inches/80 cm long
US #6/4mm preferred needles for working small circumference in the round

Notions
11 stitch markers: 4 in one color for raglan markers, 4 in a second color for arm ridge markers, and 3 in a third color for ridge markers
waste yarn or stitch holders
five 1-inch/25mm buttons
yarn needle

GAUGE

23 sts/32 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch and Disappearing Ridge Pattern.

PATTERN NOTES

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

The Colorado Cardigan is worked from the bottom up, then the sleeves and body are joined to finish the raglan-style yoke decreases. This pattern is seamless, and the body is worked flat while the sleeves are worked in the round until joined to the body. When attaching the sleeves, keep in place the stitch markers that indicate where to work the ridge pattern.

Disappearing Ridge Pattern:
Row 1 [RS]: Knit.
Row 2 [WS]: Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: P1, place ridge marker, knit to last st of rnd, place ridge marker, p1.

Row 5 [RS]: Knit.
Row 6 [WS]: Purl.
Row 7: Knit.
Row 8 [WS]: Purl to m, remove ridge marker, p1, place ridge marker, knit to 1 st before last m, place ridge marker, p1, remove old ridge marker, purl to end.
Rep Rows 5-8 for patt.

Arm Ridge Pattern:
Note: Work increases as noted in sleeve instructions, working sts into St st at each end.
Rnds 1-3: Knit.
Rnd 4: Knit to m, sl m, p12, sl m, knit to end of rnd.
Rep Rnds 1-4 for patt.

Yoke Pattern:
Working decreases as designated by yoke instructions, work yoke patt as foll:
Row 1 [RS]: Knit.
Row 2 [WS]: Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4 [WS]: Purl to ridge m, remove ridge m, p1, place ridge m, knit to m, sl m, purl to m, sl m, k12, sl m, purl to m, sl m, knit to m, sl m, purl to m, sl m, k12, sl m, purl to m, sl m, knit to 1 st before ridge m, place ridge m, p1, remove old ridge m, purl to end.
Rep Rows 1-4 for patt.

Kbf: Knit into back and front of same stitch. 1 st increased.

DIRECTIONS

With 32-inch circ and CC, CO 184[206, 230, 254, 276] sts. Do not join.

Knit every row for 16 rows, or until hem measures approx. 2 inches/5 cm.

Change to MC and work in Disappearing Ridge Pattern for 104[108, 112, 116, 120] rows, ending after Row 8 of patt; piece measures approx. 15[15.5, 16, 16.5, 17] inches / 38[39.5, 40.5, 42, 43] cm from hem.
Set aside.

Sleeves
With MC and needles for working small circumference in the rnd, CO 56[64, 64, 72, 72] sts. Join to work in the rnd and pm for beg of rnd.

Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd 2: Purl.
Rep last 2 rnds 6 times more, or until cuff measures 2 rnds shorter than garter hem of Body. Knit 1 rnd more.

Next rnd: P 22[26, 26, 30, 30] , place arm ridge m, p12, place arm ridge m, purl to end of rnd.

Change to CC.

Next rnd: K1, kbf, knit to m, sl m, p12, sl m, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. 2 sts increased.

Work even in Arm Ridge Patt for 5[5, 5, 6, 6] rnds.
Inc rnd: K1, kbf, work next rnd of Arm Ridge Patt to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. 2 sts increased.
Rep last 6[6, 6, 7, 7] rnds 23[23, 23, 21, 21] times more. 104[112, 112, 116, 116] sts.

Work even in patt for 0[4, 4, 2, 2] rnds more, ending after Rnd 4 of patt.

Next rnd: K2. Place first and last 2 sts of rnd (4 sts in total) on holder for underarm. 100[108, 108, 112, 112] sts rem for sleeve.

Break yarn and set sts aside on holder. Repeat for second sleeve.

Yoke
Return to held Body sts and MC with RS facing.

Row 1 (Row 1 of Yoke Pattern) [RS]: K 44[50, 55, 62, 67] , place next 4 sts on holder, place raglan m, knit across 100[108, 108, 112, 112] held sts of first Sleeve, place raglan m, k 88[98, 112, 122, 134] from Body, place raglan m, knit across 100[108, 108, 112, 112] held sts of second Sleeve, place raglan m, place next 4 sts of Body on holder, knit 44[50, 55, 62, 67] Body sts to end. 10 markers in place: 4 raglan markers, 4 arm ridge markers (2 on each sleeve), and 2 ridge markers (1 on each front). 376[414, 438, 470, 492] sts.

Row 2 [WS]: Purl.

Note: Cont in Yoke Pattern (next row is Row 3 of Yoke Pattern), working neck and raglan shaping as foll:

Neck and Raglan Dec Row [RS]: SSK, *knit to 3 sts before raglan m, k2tog, k1, sl m, k1, ssk; rep from * 3 times more, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. 10 sts decreased.
Work 1 row even in Yoke Patt.

Raglan Dec Row: *Knit to 3 sts before raglan m, k2tog, k1, sl m, k1, ssk; rep from * 3 times more, knit to end. 8 sts decreased.
Work 1 row even in Yoke Patt.
Rep Neck and Raglan Dec Row.
Work 1 row even in Yoke Patt.
Rep last 4 rows 11[13, 15, 17, 19] times more, removing ridge markers from fronts when no sts remain between ridge markers and raglan markers; from this point, continue to work Fronts in St st only. 150[152, 140, 136, 122] sts rem.

Rep Raglan Dec row. 142[144, 132, 128, 114] sts.
Work 1 row even in patt.
Next row: Ssk, k 1[1, 0, 1, 0] , k2tog, sl m, k1, ssk, *patt to 3 sts before raglan m, k2tog, k1, sl m, k1, ssk; rep from * once more, patt to 3 sts before raglan m, k2tog, k1, sl m, ssk, k 1[1, 0, 1, 0] , k2tog. 132[134, 122, 118, 104] sts.
Work 1 row even in patt.

Break yarn and place sts on holder.

Button Band
With circ and CC, pick up and knit 126[136, 144, 152, 162] sts up right front, pm, knit across 132[134, 122, 118, 104] held yoke sts, pm, pick up and knit 126[136, 144, 152, 162] sts down left front. 384[406, 410, 422, 428] sts.
Knit 6 rows.

Row 1 [WS]: K6, BO 4 sts, *knit until there are 15[16, 16, 17, 18] sts on ndl after last BO, BO 4 sts; rep from * 3 times more, knit to end.
Row 2 [RS]: Knit to first BO gap, *CO 4 sts, k 15[16, 16, 17, 18] ; rep from * 3 times more, CO 4 sts, k6.

Knit 6 rows.
BO all sts.

FINISHING

Wash and block to measurements. Weave in ends. Sew buttons on buttonband opposite buttonholes.

A: Chest circumference (including buttonband): 33.75[37.5, 41.75, 46, 49.75] inches/ 85.5[95.5, 106, 117, 126.5] cm
B: Body length to underarm: 15[15.5, 16, 16.5, 17] inches/ 38[39.5, 40.5, 42, 43] cm
C: Yoke length: 10.5[11.5, 11.75, 12.5, 12.75] inches / 26.5[29, 30, 32, 32.5] cm
D: Neck width: 6.5[7, 8, 8.25, 9] inches / 16.5[18, 20.5, 21, 23] cm
E: Upper Arm Circumference: 18[19.5, 19.5, 20.25, 20.25] inches / 45.5[49.5, 49.5, 51.5, 51.5] cm
F: Sleeve length to underarm: 20[20.5, 20.5, 21.5, 21.5] inches/ 51[52, 52, 54.5, 54.5] cm
G: Cuff Circumference: 9.75[11.25, 11.25, 12.5, 12.5] inches/ 25[28.5, 28.5, 32, 32] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Benjamin Krudwig is a designer living in Colorado with his wife and two cats.

He enjoys textural knits, and can be found at his loom or spinning wheel when he isn’t knitting or crocheting. You can see his other work on his website.

Pattern & images © 2016 Benjamin Krudwig. Contact Benjamin