by Mary Scott Huff

In 2010, an Italian-led consortium announced they had decoded the complete genome of the Golden Delicious apple. It had the highest number of genes (57,000) of any plant genome studied to date.

Some things seem more complicated than they are.

Here's a sweater that adds up to more than the sum of its parts: delicate lace, stately cables, elegant waist and neckline shaping. An allover stitch pattern keeps things interesting in between. Each simple little element builds upon the others. Full-bodied, tart and sweet with a crisp finish.

Delicious.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size L with approx 1 inch positive ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 30[34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches
Length: approx 22.25[23, 24.25, 25, 25.75, 26.5, 27.25] inches to lowest point of lace edging

MATERIALS
Yarn
Jill Draper Makes Stuff Windham [100% American grown and spun Merino Wool, 220 yds/201m per 4oz/113g skein] Golden Delicious, 5[5, 6, 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]
16-inch and 24-inch US #6/4mm circular needles
24-inch US #6/3.5mm circular needles

Notions
yarn needle
stitch markers
waste yarn
7 9/16 inch buttons or size to fit your buttonholes (buy buttons after holes are complete, to ensure a good fit)

GAUGE
22 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in Allover Stitch pattern, on larger needles.

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

Cardigan is worked back and forth in rows. Lower borders on body and sleeves are worked first, then pieces are picked up and worked from upper edges of borders. Collar and edging are worked flat, then sewn together. Except for collar, all pieces are worked in Allover Stitch Pattern (see chart). Collar pieces are sewn using whipstitch (butted), rather than mattress st (overlapping), see diagram.

DIRECTIONS
Lower Edge
With larger needle, CO 14 sts.
Work Lower Border Chart until piece measures about 31[35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55] inches, ending with Row 12.

BO all sts.

Body
With RS facing, along top (i.e., not peaked) edge of border, evenly pick up and knit 172[192, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300] sts.

Next Row [WS]: P 43[48, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75], PM, p 86[96, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150], PM, p 43[48, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75] to end.

Work even in Allover Stitch Body Chart until piece measures 1.5 inches from pick-up row, ending with a WS row.

Waist Shaping
Decrease Row [RS]: [Work in patt to last 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1, sl marker, k1, ssk] twice, work in patt to end of row. 4 sts dec’d

Note: where decreases happen in the middle of a crossed stitch, work in St st instead.

Repeat Decrease Row every 4th row 7 more times. 140[160, 188, 208, 228, 248, 268] sts.

Work even in patt until piece measures 7 inches from pick-up row, ending with a WS row.

Increase Row [RS]: [Work in patt to last 2 sts before marker, M1R, k2, sl marker, k2, M1L] twice, work in patt to end of row. 4 sts inc’d

Repeat Increase Row every 8th row 3 more times, incorporating new sts into Allover Stitch pattern. 156[176, 204, 224, 244, 264, 284] sts.

Work even in patt until piece measures 11[11.5, 12.5, 13, 13.5, 14, 14.5] inches, ending with a WS row.

Separation Row [RS]: Work to last 3[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts before marker and place on hold for Right Front, BO 6[10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14] removing marker. Work to last 3[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts before next marker and place on hold for Back, BO 6[10, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14] removing marker, work rem 36[39, 46, 51, 55, 60, 64] sts (Left Front) in patt to end.

Make a note of the last chart row worked to ensure all pieces follow correctly.

Next Row [RS]: BO 0[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts, work in patt to end.

NOTE: READ AHEAD - Armhole and Neck Shaping are worked at the same time.

Armhole Shaping Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in patt to end. 1 st dec’d
Rep Armhole Shaping Row every RS row 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7] more times.

Neck Shaping Row [RS]: Work in patt to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 1 st dec’d
Rep Neck Shaping Row every RS row 19[18, 23, 26, 26, 28, 29] more times.

When all shaping is complete, 13[14, 15, 15, 18, 18, 20] sts rem

Work even in patt until armhole measures 6.75[7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25] inches

BO 5[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts at beg of next RS row, BO 4[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts at beg of next RS row, BO 4[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6] rem sts on next RS row.

Right Front
With WS facing, rejoin working yarn to held Right Front sts.

Next Row [WS]: BO 0[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts, work in patt to end.

NOTE: READ AHEAD: Armhole and Neck Shaping is worked at the same time.

Armhole Shaping Row [RS]: Work in patt to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 1 st dec’d
Rep Armhole Shaping Row every RS row 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7] more times.

Neck Shaping Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in patt to end. 1 st dec’d
Rep Neck Shaping Row every RS row 19[18, 23, 26, 26, 28, 29] more times.

When all shaping is complete, 13[14, 15, 15, 18, 18, 20] sts rem

Work even in patt until armhole measures 6.75[7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25] inches

BO 5[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts at beg of next WS row, BO 4[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts at beg of next WS row, BO 4[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6] rem sts on next WS row.

BO 0[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts at beg of next 2 rows.

Armhole Shaping Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in patt to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec’d
Rep Armhole Shaping Row every RS row, 3[4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8] times.

Work even in patt until armhole measures 6.75[7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25] inches, ending with a WS Row.

BO 5[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts at beg of next 2 rows, BO 4[5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] sts at beg of next 2 rows, BO 4[4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6] sts on next 2 rows.

BO rem 40[38, 48, 54, 54, 58, 60] sts.

Sleeve
With larger needle, CO 4 sts.
Work Edging Chart in full 9[9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 11] times.
BO.

With RS facing, along top (i.e., not peaked) edge, evenly pick up and knit 46[46, 46, 50, 50, 50, 56] sts.

Work even in Allover Stitch Sleeve Chart, and shape as follows:

Increase Row [RS]: K1, M1, work in patt to last st, M1, k1. 2 sts inc’d

Rep Increase Row every 4th row 10[13, 15, 18, 18, 25, 24] more times, then every 6th row 6[6, 6, 6, 6, 1, 0] times. 80[86, 90, 100, 100, 104, 106] sts.

Work even until sleeve measures 15[15.5, 16, 16.5, 17, 17.5, 18] inches from pick-up row.

Sleeve Cap
BO 5[5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8] sts at beg of next 2 rows.
BO 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 62[68, 70, 80, 80, 82, 82] sts

Decrease Row [RS]: K1, ssk, work in patt to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec’d
Rep Decrease Row every RS row 10[10, 12, 12, 12, 6, 10] times then every 4th row 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 5, 4] times. 40[46, 44, 54, 54, 58, 52] sts

BO 2 sts at beg of next 4[8, 10, 10, 10, 7, 2] rows.
BO 3 sts at beg of next 4[4, 2, 4, 4, 4, 12] rows.
BO 4 sts at beg of next 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 3] rows.

BO rem 20[18, 18, 22, 22, 24, 20] sts.

COLLAR
With larger needle, CO 73[73, 83, 83, 83, 93, 93] sts. PM on the central stitch and follow Collar Chart as follows:

ALL RS rows: Work Repeat A to central st, work central st, work Repeat B to end.
ALL WS rows: Work Repeat B to central st, work central st, work Repeat A to end.

Work 6[6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8] repeats in full, then rep Rows 1-2 once.

Separate as follows, keeping patt correct:
Next Row [RS]: Work 17 sts (Row 1 Dec Chart A, Right Collar) and place on hold for Right Collar, BO until 17 sts rem including the one on RH needle, work 17 sts (Row 1 Dec Chart A, Left Collar) to end. 17 sts on each side of collar.

Left Collar
Working Decrease Chart A (Left Collar). 12 sts rem
Work Decrease Chart B (Left Collar) according to the correct size. 1 st rem

[^]With larger needle, CO 3 sts. Work 45[45, 55, 55, 55, 59, 59] repeats of Edging chart. BO rem 4 sts.[^^]

Right Collar
With WS facing, rejoin yarn to held sts for Right Collar.

Begin working Decrease Chart A (Right Collar). 12 sts rem
Work Decrease Chart B (Right Collar) according to the correct size. 1 st rem.

Work from [^] to [^^].

FINISHING
Block all pieces according to schematic measurements. Sew shoulder and sleeve seams with mattress st. Sew sleeves into armholes with mattress st. Pin edging to collar, butting edges together. Sew in place with whipstitch. Pin collar to neckline edge, butting edges together, and easing any extra fullness as needed (note: RS of collar should butt to WS of sweater). Sew in place with whipstitch.

Front Bands
With smaller needle and Right Front RS facing, evenly pick up and knit 77[79, 85, 89, 91, 95, 97] sts from bottom of Edging to beginning of Neckline shaping.

RS rows: [K1, p1] to last st, k1.
WS Rows: [P1, k1] to last st, p1.

Place 7 open markers evenly for 7 buttonholes.

Next RS row: [Work in patt to 1 st before marker, k2tog, yo] 7 times, work in patt to end.
Repeat from * to *.

Work 3 more rows in rib and BO.

With smaller needle and Left Front RS facing, evenly pick up and knit 77[79, 85, 89, 91, 95, 97] sts from beginning of Neckline shaping to top of Edging.

RS rows: [K1, p1] to last st, k1.
WS Rows: [P1, k1] to last st, p1.

Work 6 rows in this manner. BO.

Sew buttons under buttonholes.

Mary Scott Huff is a recovering Information Technologist, and the author of five books about knitting. She plays with string in Fairview, Oregon, and everyplace else where knitters can be found.

Join Mary on her adventures at maryscotthuff.com.