Like many knitters I find it hard to resist sock yarn. Beautiful handpainted skeins of mostly superwash merino but also blends of bamboo, seacell, silk or cashmere have been collecting in my stash, waiting for the right pattern.

But many times I want to transform the yarn into a different project than socks so I can wear the beautiful  colors where everybody can see them. Ruby Red was designed with sock yarn on my mind.

The cardigan, while taking advantage of soft hand dyed merino yarn, is knit on larger needles than are usually used for socks, which results in fabric with beautiful drape.

Most of the body is in stockinette stitch with simple lattice stitch pattern to accentuate the waist and form sleeve cuffs and neckline. Both these patterns show variegated or semi solid colors really well. And because it is made out of sock yarn, Ruby Red is superwash, which makes it a truly versatile every day cardigan for many different seasons.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
Shown in size S, worn with 0 inches of ease.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 31[33, 37, 41, 45, 49, 53] inches
Length: 21.75[22, 22.25, 23.25, 23.5, 24.25, 24.75] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Madelinetosh Tosh Sock [100% superwash merino wool; 395yd/361m per 100g skein]; color: Oxblood; 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US 3/3.25mm circular needle, 32 inches or longer
1 US 4/3.75mm circular needle, 32 inches or longer
1 set US 3/3.25mm double-point needles
1 set US 4/3.75mm double-point needles
Note: Double-point needles are used for working sleeves. If preferred, use two circular needles or one long circular needle (using Magic Loop method).

Notions
10 stitch markers
Waste yarn
Cable needle
Yarn needle
Four buttons of desired size (button loops are made to fit buttons)

GAUGE
24 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch using larger needles

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

This pattern uses a provisional cast on. Any provisional cast on method may be used. Directions for one method can be found here.

LT (Left Twist): Bring right needle behind left needle and knit into back of second stitch on left needle without dropping st from needle; knit into front of first stitch on left needle, drop both stitches from left needle.

RT (Right Twist): K2tog but do not drop sts from left needle, knit again into first st on left needle, drop both stitches from left needle.

LPT (Left Purl Twist): Slip next st to cable needle and hold to front of work; p1 from left needle, k1 from cable needle.

RPT (Right Purl Twist): Slip next st to cable needle and hold to back of work; k1 from left needle, p1 from cable needle.

m1p (Make 1 purl stitch): Insert left needle, from back to front, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on left needle and first stitch on right needle; purl this stitch. 1 st increased (stitch will be twisted).

Directions for making sewn button loops
are here.

DIRECTIONS

Hem Facing:
Set-up Row [RS]: K46[49, 56, 61, 67, 74, 79], place marker, p1, place marker, k92[98, 110, 122, 134, 146, 160], place marker, p1, place marker, k46[49, 56, 61, 67, 74, 79].

Single sts between each pair of markers will be referred to as seam sts. Work these sts in reverse stockinette st throughout; they will form a faux seam at each side of cardigan.

Work 10 rows in stockinette st, ending with a RS row.

K 1 WS row, forming turning ridge for hem.

Hem:
Using larger circular needle, work 10 rows in stockinette st, ending with a WS row. From this point, lower body is worked using larger needle.

Carefully remove waste yarn from CO edge, placing resulting live sts on smaller needle.

Fold work along turning ridge, so that WS of hem facing meets WS of hem, and sts of CO edge sit directly behind sts on working needle.

Joining Row [RS]: Working in stockinette st with seam sts in reverse stockinette st as set, [work next st on left needle together with next st of CO edge] until all sts have been worked.

Next Row [WS]: P1, k1, work in pattern as set to last 2 sts, p1, k1. This row sets pattern for lower body: first and last 2 sts of row are worked in 1x1 Rib as set.
Work 20 more rows in pattern as set.

Lattice Band:
Set-up Row [RS]: K1, p1, k6[7, 7, 5, 8, 8, 6], place marker, work Row 1 of Lattice Pattern A over next 32[32, 40, 48, 48, 56, 64] sts, place marker, k6[8, 7, 6, 9, 8, 7] (to next marker), p1, k6[9, 7, 5, 7, 5, 8], place marker, work Row 1 of Lattice Pattern A over next 80[80, 96, 112, 120, 136, 144] sts, place marker, k6[9, 7, 5, 7, 5, 8] (to next marker), p1, k6[8, 7, 6, 9, 8, 7], place marker, work Row 1 of Lattice Pattern A over next 32[32, 40, 48, 48, 56, 64] sts, place marker, k6[7, 7, 5, 8, 8, 6], p1, k1.

This row sets pattern for lattice band. Working Lattice Pattern A over sts between newly placed markers as set, work 38 more rows in pattern: you will have worked Rows 1-16 of chart twice, then Rows 1-7 once more.

On next row, remove lattice band markers, leaving seam markers in place.

Continue in stockinette st, working front edge sts and seam sts as set, until work measures 15 inches or desired length to underarm, ending with a RS row.

Remove markers when working next row.
Next Row [WS]: [Work in pattern to 3[4, 6, 6, 8, 10, 12] sts before seam st, BO 7[9, 13, 13, 17, 21, 25] sts] twice, continue in pattern to end. 172[180, 198, 220, 236, 254, 270] sts: 43[45, 50, 55, 59, 64, 67] sts for each front, 86[90, 98, 110, 118, 126, 136] sts for back.

Do not break yarn. Set aside and work sleeves.

SLEEVES
Using smaller double-point needles, CO 64[64, 72, 80, 80, 88, 88] sts.

Divide sts evenly between needles and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work Rounds 1-15 of Lattice Pattern B.

Increase Round: K1, [p1, m1p] twice, p2, [m1p, p1] twice, k1, [k1, p1, (m1p, p2) twice, m1p, p1, k1] to end. 89[89, 100, 111, 111, 122, 122] sts.

Work in stockinette st until sleeve measures 2[2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2] inches from top of cuff.

Decrease Round: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.

K 6[6, 5, 4, 4, 4, 5] rounds.

Repeat these 7[7, 6, 5, 5, 5, 6] rounds 9[8, 12, 15, 13, 13, 9] times more, then work Decrease Round once more. 67[69, 72, 77, 81, 92, 100] sts.

Continue in stockinette st until sleeve measures 14 inches or desired length to underarm.

Next Round: K to last 4[5, 7, 7, 9, 11, 13] sts, BO 7[9, 13, 13, 17, 21, 25] sts. Place remaining 60[60, 59, 64, 64, 71, 75] sts on hold on smaller circular needle (or spare set of double-point needles).

Make second sleeve in the same way. When sleeve is complete, do not remove from working needles.

YOKE
Joining Row [RS]: Using circular needle and yarn attached to lower body, work 43[45, 50, 55, 59, 64, 67] sts of right front, place marker, work 60[60, 59, 64, 64, 71, 75] sts of one sleeve, place marker, work 86[90, 98, 110, 118, 126, 136] sts of back, place marker, work 60[60, 59, 64, 64, 71, 75] sts of remaining sleeve, place marker, work 43[45, 50, 55, 59, 64, 67] sts of left front. 292[300, 316, 348, 364, 396, 420] sts.

Next Row [WS]: P1, k1, p to last 2 sts, k1, p1.

Next Row [RS]: K1, p1, [k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, ssk] four times, k to last 2 sts, p1, k1.

Repeat these 2 rows 18[19, 20, 24, 25, 28, 30] times more. 140[140, 148, 148, 156, 164, 172] sts.

Note: In Lattice Pattern A, odd-numbered rows were RS rows; for Lattice Pattern B, odd-numbered rows are WS rows.

Next Row [WS]: P1, k1, work Row 1 of Lattice Pattern B to last 2 sts, k1, p1.

Working 2 sts at each edge as set, Work Rows 2-16 of Lattice Pattern B.

BO all sts in pattern.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block to measurements shown in schematic.
Try sweater on to determine best placement for buttons along left front edge of cardigan; use photo as guide for suggested placement. Sew buttons in place.

Work sewn button loops along right front edge of cardigan, opposite buttons (see linked articles in Pattern notes).

Anna learned to knit at age seven and has not stopped ever since. She grew up in the Czech Republic in a family of lifelong knitters and now lives in Maine where she enjoys a proximity of many great yarn stores and sweater weather all year round.

She blogs about her knitting adventures here.