INTRODUCTION

Laurel

by Amy Christoffers

The Laurel Cardigan is all the things I love to knit: Big squishy cables, lots of simple stitch texture, some simple shaping to keep things interesting and easy construction. Combined with the things I love to wear: easy-fit oversized cardigans that double as jackets, extra-long sleeves that cuff nicely as needed, and a generous shawl collar that doubles as an overlapping front.

This piece is knit from side to side with a sloping cabled waist band. The sleeves and upper section of this garment are worked sideways, starting at the cuffs and joining at the center back with a 3-needle bind off. After sewing the side and sleeve seams, the lower body is picked up around entire piece and worked down. The collar is then picked up around the entire front and neck edge and finished with an I-Cord bind off. The narrow drop shoulder sleeve is flattering on most figures.

My advice it to choose your sized based on how you like your sleeves to fit. Then body can be easily customized to be a little wider or narrower if you prefer. This was intended to have anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of positive ease. The length is customizable too. Try it on as you go, since the seams are sewn before you pick up and work down for the peplum.

model: Amy Christoffers

photos: Amy Palmer

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size S with 4 inches / 10 cm of positive ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Bust (based on back width): 36[40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60] inches / 91.5[101.5, 112, 122, 132, 142, 152.5] cm
Length at center back: 26[26.25, 27, 27.25, 27.5, 28.25, 28.75] inches / 66[66.5, 68.5, 69, 70, 72, 73] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Berroco Tuscan Tweed [65% wool, 25% viscose, 10% mohair; 120yd/109m per 50g skein]; color: #1042 Laurel: 10[11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
28-inch/70 cm or longer US 8/5mm circular needle

Notions
one US 7/4.5mm needle, or 1 size smaller than needle needed for gauge (for i-cord bind-off and 3-needle bind-off)
cable needle
waste yarn or stitch holders
stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

19 sts and 26 rows = 4 inches/10cm in moss stitch
C20 panel (see Pattern Notes) plus 2 sts in rev st st either side measures 4"/10cm across, stretched widthwise

PATTERN NOTES

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

When increasing, pick up loop as for M1L or M1R and knit or purl depending on stitch needed to keep increases in patt.

When decreasing, work k2tog or p2tog to keep sts in Moss st pattern.

Moss Stitch (Multiple of 2 sts + 1)
Row 1 [WS]: K1, *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 [RS]: P1, *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 3: P1, *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 4: K1, *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
Repeat Rows 1-4 for patt.

C20 (20-st cable panel)
Rows 1, 3, 5, 9 & 11 [RS]: K20.
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 [WS]: P20.
Row 7 [RS]: Slip 5 sts onto a cable needle and hold in back, k5, then k5 from cable needle; slip next 5 sts onto a cable needle and hold in front, k5, then k5 from cable needle.
Repeat Rows 1-12 for pattern.

DIRECTIONS

Right Sleeve and Body

Right Sleeve:
CO 41[41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 53] sts using long-tail cast-on.
Work even in Moss st for 3 inches/7.5 cm, ending after Row 1 (WS) of patt.

Note: See pattern notes on increasing in Moss st.
Inc Row [RS]: K1, M1L, patt to last st, M1R, k1. 2 sts inc’d.
Work 9[9, 7, 7, 7, 5, 5] rows even in patt.
Rep last 10[10, 8, 8, 8, 6, 6] rows 6[7, 9, 10, 10, 12, 13] times more, then rep Inc row once more, working incs into patt. 57[59, 65, 69, 71, 77, 83] sts.

Work even in Moss st until sleeve measures 18 inches/45.5 cm from CO, ending after Row 1 (WS) of patt.

Right Front and Back:
Keeping in Moss st patt and using cable cast-on method, CO 12 sts at beg of next 4 rows. 105[107, 113, 117, 119, 125, 131] sts.
Next row [RS]: CO 25 sts, k1, p2, k20, p2, pm, work Moss st to end. 130[132, 138, 142, 144, 150, 156] sts.
Next row [WS]: CO 25 sts, p1, k2, p20, k2, pm, work Moss st to next m, sl m, k2, p20, k2, p1. 155[157, 163, 167, 169, 175, 181] sts.

Next row [RS]: K1, p2, work Row 1 of C20, p2, sl m, work Moss st to next m, sl m, p2, work Row 1 of C20, p2, k1.
Next row [WS]: P1, k2, work Row 2 of C20, k2, sl m, work Moss st to next m, sl m, p2, work Row 2 of C20, k2, p1.***

Dec/Inc row [RS]: Patt to m, sl m, dec 1, patt to m, M1, sl m, patt to end.
Work 3[3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 7] rows even in patt.
Rep last 4[4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8] rows 6[7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 7] times more, then rep Dec/Inc row once more, keeping sts in Moss st patt. No change in stitch count.

Sizes XS[2X] Only:
Work 1[3] row(s) even in patt.
Rep Dec/Inc row once more. No change in stitch count.

All Sizes:
Work even in patt until piece measures approx. 5[6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] inches/ 12.5[15, 18, 20.5, 23, 25.5, 28] cm, measured along the C20 panel and ending after Row 3 (WS) of Moss st patt.

Next Row [RS]: BO 1 st, patt until there are 68[69, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81] sts on RH ndl, then place these sts on holder for Front; patt to end. 86[87, 90, 92, 93, 96, 99] sts remain for Back.

Right back:
Work even in patt until piece measures 4 inches/10 cm from Front stitches on holder, ending after a WS row. Break off yarn and leave sts on holder.

Left Sleeve and Body
Work as for Right Sleeve and Body to ***. 155[157, 163, 167, 169, 175, 181] sts.

Dec/Inc Row [RS]: Patt to m, sl m, M1, patt to 2 sts before last m, dec 1, sl m, patt to end.
Work 3[3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 7] rows even in patt.
Rep last 4[4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8] rows 6[7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 7] times more, then rep Dec/Inc row once more, keeping sts in Moss st patt. No change in stitch count.

Sizes XS[2X] Only:
Work 1[3] row(s) even in patt.
Rep Dec/Inc row once more. No change in stitch count.

All Sizes:
Work even in patt if necessary until piece measures approx. 5[6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] inches/ 12.5[15, 18, 20.5, 23, 25.5, 28] cm, measured along the C20 panel and ending after Row 2 (RS) of Moss st patt.

Next Row [WS]: BO 1 st, patt to end. 154[156, 162, 166, 168, 174, 180] sts.

Divide front and back [RS]: Patt 86[87, 90, 92, 93, 96, 99] , slip remaining 68[69, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81] sts of row to holder for Front. 86[87, 90, 92, 93, 96, 99] sts.

Left Back:
Work even in patt on rem sts for Left Back until work meas 4 inches/10 cm from Front sts on holder, ending after same row of Moss st and C20 panel as Right Back.

With WS facing, join held sts of Left Back and Right Back using 3-needle bind-off.

Lower Body
Sew side and sleeve seams.

With RS facing, beginning at lower left front edge, pick up and knit 24[28, 33, 38, 42, 47, 52] sts along hem of Left Front, 85[95, 105, 115, 123, 133, 143] sts along hem of Back, then 24[28, 33, 38, 42, 47, 52] sts along hem of Right Front (approx. 3 sts for every 4 rows). 133[151, 171, 191, 207, 227, 247] sts.

Beg with Row 1 (WS), work even in Moss st for 9 inches/23 cm, ending after a RS row.
Bind off knitwise on WS.

FINISHING

Collar:
With RS facing, beg at the bound off right front edge, pick up and knit approx. 43 sts along the right front edge of lower body, break yarn, place held 68[69, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81] right front sts on RH ndl, rejoin yarn, pick up and knit 37 sts across back neck edge, work 68[69, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81] sts from left front in patt, pick up and knit approximately 43 sts to bottom of left front of lower body. 259[261, 267, 271, 273, 279, 285] sts.

Next row [WS]: Beg with Row 1 of patt, work in Moss st across 43 sts, pm, k2, C20, k2, patt 44[45, 48, 50, 51, 54, 57] sts; keeping the pattern correct, work Moss st over next 37 sts, patt 44[45, 48, 50, 51, 54, 57] sts, pm, k2, C20, k2, pm, work Moss st to end.

Work in patterns as established until collar measures 6 inches/15 cm from pick-up, ending after a RS row. Break yarn.
With RS facing, CO 4 sts onto circular ndl at beg of row. With smaller ndl, *k3, ssk, slip 4 sts from RH ndl back to LH ndl; rep from * until no sts remain except for 4 sts on RH ndl. BO rem sts.

Weave in ends and block to measurements.

A: sleeve length: 18 in / 45.5 cm
B: wrist circumference: 8.75[8.75, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.25, 11.25] in / 22[22, 23, 24, 25.5, 26, 28.5] cm
C: upper arm circumference: 12[12.5, 13.75, 14.5, 15, 16.25, 17.5] in / 30.5[32, 35, 37, 38, 41.5, 44.5] cm
D: shoulder width: 5[6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] in / 12.5[15, 18, 20.5, 23, 25.5, 28] cm
E: back neck width (per half): 4 in / 10 cm
F: underarm to lower body length: 9 in / 23 cm
G: lower body length: 9 in/23 cm
H: lower body circumference (not including collar): 28[31.75, 36, 40.25, 43.5, 47.75, 52] in / 71[80.5, 91.5, 102, 110.5, 121.5, 132] cm
I: total length (at center back): 26[26.25, 27, 27.25, 27.5, 28.25, 28.75] in / 66[66.5, 68.5, 69, 70, 72, 73] cm
*Collar not shown on schematic.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Amy Christoffers is the design director at Berroco Inc, the author of New American Knits and the designer of Savory Knitting Patterns.

Pattern & images © 2016 Amy Christoffers. Contact Amy