INTRODUCTION

Ausable

by Amy Christoffers

There is a kind of sweater that I am always going to want to knit: a lacy thing that is fun and engaging, or some cables because their pattern repeats are like potato chips (I always want one more).

And then there is the sweater that I am always going to reach for when I feel a chill... something unfussy, a raglan which will sit comfortably over anything I happen to be wearing, a shawl collar to ward off drafts and extra long sleeves that will keep my wrists warm or fold back when I find myself up to my elbows in dinner. A uniform sweater but with a little something special to keep it fun.

The Ausable Cardigan is named for the Ausable River that runs from the Adirondack mountains in upstate New York to Lake Champlain. There is a fantastic gorge there that is so magical it has been attracting tourists since the 1870s.

This cardigan for some reason reminded me of class trips there in elementary school (an exciting journey because we got take the ferry across the lake from Vermont!) Or maybe it reminds me of myself as I was then: little bit of girly-girl, and a whole lot of tomboy.

model: Amy Christoffers

photos: Amy Palmer

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size S with 6 inches/15 cm of ease


FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest/Bust: 40.75[45, 49.25, 53.5, 57.75, 62.25, 66.5] inches/ 103.5[114, 125, 136, 146.5, 158, 167] cm
Length: 22.5[23.25, 24.75, 24.75, 25.75, 26.75, 27.25] inches/ 57[59, 63, 63, 65.5, 68, 69] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Berroco Catena [94% Extra fine Merino Wool 6% nylon; 120 yd/110m per 1.75z/50 g skein]; color: Cats Eye; 9[10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18] 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, 29 inch/74cm
US #10.5/6.5mm circular needle, 29 inch/74cm
1 set US #9/5.5mm DPNs
1 set US #10.5/6.5mm DPNs

Notions
4 stitch markers
five 1" buttons
yarn needle
waste yarn to hold sts

GAUGE

15 sts/22 rows = 4”/10 cm in Moss stitch on larger needles.

PATTERN NOTES

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

The body of the garment is worked in one piece to the underarms.
Sleeves are worked in the round, then body and sleeves are joined at underarm to work the yoke in one piece.

Rt Dec [Right Decrease] Work decrease in pattern: if the 2nd stitch on the needle will be a k, then k2tog, if it will be a purl, p2tog.
Lt Dec [Left Decrease] Work decrease in pattern: if the 1st stitch on the needle will be a k, then ssk, if will be a purl then p2tog tbl.
M1R: make 1 in pattern (knit or purl), twisting the stitch to the right.
M1L make 1 in pattern (knit or purl), twisting the stitch to the left.

Moss Stitch (worked flat)
Row 1:*K1, p1; repeat from * to end. If there are an odd number of sts, k the last st.
Row 2: *P1, k1; repeat from * to end. If there are an odd number of sts, p the last st.
Row 3: *P1, k1; repeat from to end. If there are an odd number of sts, p the last st.
Row 4: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end. If there are an odd number of sts, k the last st.

Moss Stitch (worked in the round)
Rounds 1–2: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end. If there are an odd number of sts, k the last st.
Rounds 3–4: *P1, k1; repeat from * to end. If there are an odd number of sts, p the last st.

CHARTS

Body + sleeve charts

DIRECTIONS

BODY
With smaller circular needle, cast on 153[169, 185, 201, 217, 233, 249] sts. Do not join.

Set up ribbing:
Row 1 [WS]: P1, *p1, k1; repeat from * to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, *k1, p1; repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Repeat these 2 rows until piece measures 2 inches/5 cm from cast on edge, ending with a WS row.
Change to larger circular needle.

Work body:
Next row [WS]: K1, work Moss Stitch over 37[41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 61] sts, pm for side, work Moss Stitch over 15[19, 23, 27, 31, 35, 39] sts, work Back Chart over next 47 sts, work Moss Stitch over 15[19, 23, 27, 31, 35, 39] sts, pm for side, work Moss stitch to end.

Work even in patterns as established, keeping the first and last st in stockinette for selvage, until body measures 15 inches/38 cm from beg, ending with a WS row. Do not break yarn, leave sts on needle and set aside.

SLEEVES
With smaller dpns, cast on 42[46, 50, 50, 54, 54, 54] sts. Divide sts onto 3 needles, place marker and join for working in the round.

Set up ribbing:
Next round: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end of round.
Rep this round until sleeve measures 2 inches/5 cm from beg. Change to larger dpns.

Set up round: Work Moss Stitch over 13[15, 17, 17, 19, 19, 19] sts, work sleeve chart over the next 17 sts, work Moss stitch to end.

Work sleeve increases:
Increase round: K1, M1L, work as established to end, M1R. 2 sts inc'd.
Rep Increase round every 36[18, 11, 8, 8, 5, 4] rnds 2[3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 15] more times. 48[54, 64, 68, 74, 80, 86] sts.

Work even, continuing patterns as established, until sleeve measures 18 inches/45.5 cm from beg or to desired length to underarm. On the last round, stop 2[3, 3, 6, 5, 6, 9] sts before end of rnd. Sl the next 4[6, 6, 12, 10, 12, 18] sts onto waste yarn for underarm and the remaining 44[48, 58, 56, 64, 68, 68] sts onto waste yarn for yoke.

YOKE
Join the body and sleeves together as follows:
Joining Row [RS]: Work across 36[39, 43, 44, 49, 52, 53] body sts on circular needle for right front; sl the next 4[6, 6, 12, 10, 12, 18] sts to waste yarn for underarm, pm, k 44[48, 58, 56, 64, 68, 68] sts of right sleeve, pm; k 73[79, 87, 89, 99, 105, 107] sts on circular needle for back, pm, sl the next 4[6, 6, 12, 10, 12, 18] sts to waste yarn for underarm, work across 44[48, 58, 56, 64, 68, 68] sts of left sleeve, pm, work 36[39, 43, 44, 49, 52, 53] sts on circular needle for left front. 233[253, 289, 289, 325, 345, 349] sts. Work 1 WS row in pattern as established.

Decrease Row 1 [RS]: K1, Rt Dec (neck decrease), *work to 3 sts before next marker, Lt Dec, k1, sm, Rt Dec, work to 2 sts before next marker, Lt Dec, sm, k1, Rt Dec; rep from * once more, work to 3 sts before end, Lt Dec, (neck decrease), k1. 10 sts dec'd.
Work 1 WS row in pattern as established.
Rep the last 2 rounds 14[15, 15, 16, 18, 18, 18] more times, end with a WS row. 83[93, 129, 119, 135, 155, 159] sts; 6[7, 11, 10, 11, 14, 15] sts for each front, 14[16, 26, 22, 26, 30, 30] sts for each sleeve, and 43[47, 55, 55, 61, 67, 69] sts for the back.

Decrease Row 2 [RS]: K1, *work to 3 sts before next marker, Lt Dec, k1, sm, Rt Dec, work to 2 sts before next marker, Lt Dec, sm, k1, Rt Dec; rep from * once more, work to the last stitch, k1. 8 sts dec'd.
Work 1 WS row in pattern as established.
Rep the last 2 rows 2[3, 7, 6, 7, 10, 11] times more, ending with a RS row. 59[61, 65, 63, 71, 67, 63] sts; 3 sts for each front, 8[8, 10, 8, 10, 8, 6] sts for each sleeeve, and 37[39, 39, 41, 45, 45, 45] sts for back.

Next row [WS]: BO 3 sts, work in pattern as established to end of row.
Next row [RS]: BO 3 sts, work decreases as established.

BO remaining sts.

FINISHING

Graft live underarm sts together using Kitchener St.

NECKBAND
With RS facing, using smaller circular needle and beg at lower right front edge, pick up and knit 64 sts up the straight side, pick up and knit 36[38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48] sts along the shaped neck edge and sleeve top, pm, pick up and knit 27[29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39] sts across the neck back, pm, pick up and knit 36[38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48] sts for the shaped neck edge and sleeve top, and 64 sts for the left front. 227[233, 239, 245, 251, 257, 263] sts.

Work Short Rows:
Row 1 [WS]: P1, *k1, p1; repeat from * to the 2nd marker, discard the m, w&t.
Next row [RS]: K1 *p1, k1 to the marker, discard the m, w&t.
Next row: Work in rib pattern as established to the w&t, pick up the wrap and knit it together with its stitch with the wrap on the WS, p1, w&t.
Next row: Work in rib pattern as established to the w&t, pick up the wrap and purl it together with its stitch with the wrap on the WS, k1, w&t.
Repeat the last 2 rows 16[17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22] more times.

Next row [WS]: Work in rib pattern as established to the w&t, pick up the wrap and knit it together with its stitch with the wrap on the WS, p1, *k1, p1; repeat from * to the end of the row.
Next row [RS]: Work in rib pattern as established to the w&t, pick up the wrap and purl it together with its stitch with the wrap on the WS, k1, *p1, k1; repeat from * to the end of the row.

Work in rib as established for 3 rows.

Buttonhole row [RS]: Work 5 sts in rib pattern as established, yo, ssk, *work in rib pattern for 12 sts, yo, ssk; repeat from * 4 more times, work in rib pattern to end.

Work 5 more rows in rib. Bind off in rib, taking care to keep the stitches a little more relaxed around the short-rowed section of the collar.

Weave in ends. Block as desired.

,

A: body circumference: 40.75[45, 49.25, 53.5, 57.75, 62.25, 66.5] inches/ 103.5[114, 125, 136, 146.5, 158, 167] cm
B: length to underarm: 15 inches/38 cm
C: yoke depth: 7.5[8.25, 9.75, 9.75, 10.75, 11.75, 12.25] inches/ 19[21, 25, 25, 27.5, 30, 31] cm
D: back neck width: 7.25[7.75, 8.25, 8.75, 9.25, 9.75, 10.5] inches/ 18.5[19.5, 21, 22, 23.5, 25, 26.5] cm
E: sleeve length: 18 inches/45.5 cm
F: wrist circumference: 11.25[12.25, 13.25, 13.25, 14.5, 14.5, 14.5] inches/ 28.25[31, 33.5, 33.25, 37, 37, 37] cm
G: upper arm circumference: 12.75[14.5, 17, 18.25, 19.75, 21.5, 23] inches/ 32.5[37, 43, 46.5, 50, 54.5, 58.5] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Amy Christoffers is the design director at Berroco yarns and the designer behind the Savory Knitting patterns.

Pattern & images © 2018 Amy Christoffers.