by Miranda Davies

This simple but striking little cardigan echoes the fashion of the mid-Victorian lady, with its short, slightly puffed sleeve, nipped-in waist and column of little buttons.

Named for George Eliot’s great Victorian novel, this sweater marries Rosamond’s longing for novelty and fashion with Dorothea’s practical and egalitarian edge. Structural and feminine, it features an avant garde approach to lace.

The waist detail uses my ‘unvention’ of integrated lace: here fingering-weight yarn is knitted into lace and cables and anchored seamlessly into the fabric of a worsted-weight layer beneath.

This quick knit is entirely seam free and the short sleeves and scoop neck are designed to show off a long-sleeved shirt beneath - perfect for layering on cool fall days.

It’s an easily adaptable knit. Keep working the rib on the sleeves to end up with a cosier cardigan for winter. Knit the lace and cable waist detail in sport or DK to achieve a different look. Take the opportunity to play with color.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
(Red shown in size S worn with 2 inches positive ease at chest and 0 inches of ease at waist. Blue shown in size M worn with 0 inches ease at chest and waist)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust Circumference: 32[35.5, 39.5, 43.75, 47.25, 51.5, 55.25] inches
Waist: 24.5[28.5, 32.5, 37.25, 39.5, 43.5, 49.25] inches
Length: 19.5[20, 20.5, 21, 21.5, 22, 22.5] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Red version:
[MC] Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/200m per 100g skein]; color: 9404 Ruby; 3[3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9] skeins
[CC] Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock [80% wool, 20% nylon; 435yd/398m per 100g skein]; color: Monkeyshines; 1 skein – all sizes

Blue version:
[MC] Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/200m per 100g skein]; color: 9404 Azure; 3[3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9] skeins
[CC] Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock [80% wool, 20% nylon; 435yd/398m per 100g skein]; color: Hullabaloo; 1 skein – all sizes

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
24 [24, 24, 24, 32, 32, 32]-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle or size needed to achieve gauge
1 set US #7/4.5mm double-point needles (or preferred needles for working small circumferences like sleeves)
24-inch US #13/9mm circular needle or size needed to achieve gauge

Notions
yarn needle
stitch markers
crochet hook (for picking up stitches - optional)
cable needle
pins
17[17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 20] buttons, .6in/15mm wide

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

Plain Rib (worked flat over multiple of 5 sts + 3)
Row 1 [RS]: *K3, p2; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 2 [WS]: *P3, k2; rep from * to last 3 sts, p3.

Plain Rib (worked in the round over multiple of 5 sts)
Every Round: *K3, p2; rep from * around.

Notes on gauge and fit:
Gauge swatches are not optional for this project! This technique will not work unless you get a suitable gauge with your MC and CC layer. Don't break your own heart: suck it up and swatch.

How to swatch for your CC: Cast on 18 sts with larger needles. Work as follows:
Row 1 [WS]: P1, k1, work Row 1 of Chart A, work Row 1 of Chart B, k1, p1.

Keeping the edge stitches in 1x1 rib, cont to work through Row 17 of Charts A and B. BO extremely loosely. Wash and pin out so that the swatch is a square measuring 6.75 inches across and 6 inches high. Dry and contemplate. The yarn should not be tortured. It should block easily to that size while still opening out. If necessary, go up or down a needle size. Effect too delicate? As long as you hit gauge you can knit this layer in sport or DK.

You want the underbust/waist decreases to hit below your bust. If you have a very large or low bust you may need to work more than the 3 inches suggested before working the decreases. I suggest slipping the body stitches onto waste yarn before working the dec row, trying it on and checking that your bust is fully covered. The waist detailing does not start until you have worked 5 inches below the armhole – so you can easily move the shaping down by 1 or 2 inches without otherwise changing the pattern.

DIRECTIONS

Inc Row 1 [RS]: [K2, m1] to last st, k1. 139[169, 199, 199, 199, 199, 199] sts.

Sizes XS, S, M, L only:
Cont in St st until work measures 2.5 inches from cast on edge, finishing with RS facing for next row.

Inc Row 2 [RS]: K1, (m1, k2[2, 3, 2]) 29[11, 20, 31] times, (m1, k3[3, 4, 3]) 7[41, 19, 25] times, (m1, k2[2, 3, 2]) 29[11, 20, 30] times, m1, k1[1, 2, 1]. 205[233, 259, 286] sts.

Sizes 1X, 2X, 3X only:
Cont in St st until work measures 3 inches from CO edge, finishing with RS facing for next row.

Inc row 2 [RS]: K1, [m1, k2] 38 times, [m1, k3] 15 times, [m1, k2] 38 times, m1, k1. 291[291, 291] sts.

Cont in St st until work measures 5 inches from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Inc Row 3 [RS]: K5[2, 1], (m1, k11[4, 3]) 10[1, 6] times, (m1, k12[5, 4]) 5[55, 63] times, (m1, k11[4, 3]) 10[2, 6] times, m1, k6[2, 2]. 317[350, 367] sts.

All sizes:
Work in St st until piece measures approx 6.5[7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5] inches from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Now divide for sleeves and body as follows:

Dividing Row [RS]: K33[37, 43, 48, 53, 59, 62] sts; place next 40[45, 50, 54, 61, 67, 70] sts on waste yarn; CO 14[14, 16, 17, 17, 17, 21] sts for underarm using the backwards loop cast on; k 59[69, 73, 82, 89, 98, 103] sts; put next 40[45, 50, 54, 61, 67, 70] sts on waste yarn; CO 14[14, 16, 17, 17, 17, 21] sts for underarm using the backwards loop cast on; k to end.

You will now have your body sts on your needles and your sleeves on waste yarn. 153[171, 191, 212, 229, 250, 269] body sts on needles.

Body
Cont in St st on body sts until piece measures 3 inches from underarm, ending with RS facing for next row.
           
Dec row [RS]: K0[5, 5, 5, 10, 10, 15], [k2, k2tog] 10 times, k0[0, 10, 15, 10, 18, 19], *k2[3, 3, 5, 4, 4, 10], k2tog, rep from * 17[15, 15, 12, 17, 18, 9] times more, k1[1, 11, 16, 11, 18, 20], [ssk, k2] 10 times, k0[5, 5, 5, 10, 10, 15].

115[135, 155, 179, 191, 211, 239] body sts rem.

Work in St st for a further 2 inches, ending with RS facing for next row.

Marked Row (RS): Work in St st. Thread waste yarn on a tapestry needle and draw yarn through this row; alternatively, mark this row with a locking stitch marker.

Now cont to work in St st until Body measures 11 inches from underarm (and approx. 6 inches from marked row), ending after a WS row.

Leave MC body sts on needle or slip to waste yarn (do not break yarn).

Pick up 1 st in each of the first 2 sts of the marked row, then [skip 1 st, pick up in 1 st] 55[65, 75, 87, 93, 103, 117] times, skip the next st and then pick up the last 2 sts of the row. 59[69, 79, 91, 97, 107, 121] sts picked up in CC.

Sizes XS and L only:
Next Row [WS]: P2, [work Chart C, work Chart A] 3[5] times, work Chart C, p2.

Next Row [RS]: K2, [work Chart C, work Chart A] 3[5] times, work Chart C, k2.

Rep these 2 rows until Row 17 [WS] of Chart A is completed.

Sizes S and XL only:
Next Row [WS]: P1, k1, [work Chart A, work Chart B] 4[6] times, work Chart A, k1, p1.

Next Row [RS]: K1, p1, [work Chart A, work Chart B] 4[6] times, work Chart A, p1, k1.

Rep these 2 rows until Row 17 [WS] of Chart A is completed.

Sizes M, 2X and 3X only:
Next Row [WS]: P2, [work Chart B, work Chart A] 5[7, 8] times, work Chart B, p2.

Next Row [RS]: K2, [work Chart B, work Chart A] 5[7, 8] times, work Chart B, k2.
Rep these 2 rows until Row 17 [WS] of Chart A is completed.

When you have completed Chart A, rejoin your lace sts to the main layer as follows:

With RS facing, hold your larger and smaller needles parallel with the larger needle in front. With smaller needles and MC, work sts tog as follows:

[K 1 st from back and 1 st from front ndl tog] twice, then [k1 from back ndl only, k 1 st from back and 1 st from front ndl tog] 55[65, 75, 87, 93, 103, 117] times, k1 from back ndl only, [k 1 st from back and 1 st from front ndl tog] twice. 115[135, 155, 179, 191, 211, 239] body sts rem.

Work 1 WS row, inc 3[3, 3, 4, 2, 2, 4] sts evenly across row. 118[138, 158, 183, 193, 213, 243] body sts.

Work in Plain Rib for 2 inches.

BO loosely in rib or using your favorite stretchy bind off.

SLEEVE
With dpns or circular needle, rejoin MC and knit across one held set of sleeve sts, then pick up and knit 7[7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 11] sts to center of underarm, pm for beg of round, then pick up and knit final 7[7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10] sts of underarm.

54[59, 66, 71, 78, 84, 91] sts.

Join in the round and work in St st for 6 rounds.

Dec round: K3[5, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0], *k3[3, 4, 4, 7, 7, 6], k2tog, rep from * 8[8, 10, 10, 7, 8, 10] times more, k6[9, 0, 4, 5, 3, 3].

45[50, 55, 60, 70, 75, 80] sts.

Now work Plain Rib over all sts until sleeve measures 2.5 inches from underarm or desired length.

BO loosely in rib. Repeat for other sleeve.

Starting with the buttonband on the left front of the cardigan, pick up 93[93, 98, 98, 103, 103, 108] sts evenly from neck to hem (if you've worked to the gauge and length given for your size, you'll be picking up roughly 3 sts for every 4 rows). When you get to the lace overlayer you'll be picking up through both layers. Concentrate on picking up as instructed from the base layer and work through whichever is the most convenient space in the edge column of stitches of the lace overlayer.

Starting with a WS row, work in Plain Rib for 9 rows. BO loosely.

Now pick up the same number of sts for the buttonhole band on the right front of the cardigan, using the same technique. Starting with a WS row, work in Plain Rib for 3 rows.

Row 4 [RS]: K3, p2, [k1, BO 1 (leaving 1 new knit st on needle after BO), p2] 17[17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 20] times, k3.

Row 5 [WS]: P3, k2, [p1, CO 1 st using backward loop cast on, p1, k2] 17[17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 20] times, p3.

Cont to work in Plain Rib for 4 more rows, then BO loosely.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends. Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes. Block to measurements, concentrating on opening up the waist detail.

Miranda Davies is a writer by trade. When she isn't writing drama for radio she knits... and reads about knitting... and thinks about knitting... to the point of obsession.

She lives in South Wales with her husband and their two daughters. You'll find her here on Ravelry.