INTRODUCTION

Wisteria

by Jessika Lane

I’m addicted to finishing cardigans, meaning I’m too impatient to spend too much time on one pattern! Out of this impatient addiction came Wisteria, a simple and quick autumn cardigan that offers enough enticing cable and new techniques to keep it interesting, yet nothing too time consuming!

Wisteria is lovely worn with an opened front or buttoned, ready to be dressed up for a special day out or dressed down for a cozy night in. Wisteria is knitted seamless and top down featuring an easily memorized cable pattern. It uses the seamless set-in sleeve technique, making for an entirely seamless sweater! The collar is picked up and uses short rows and the invisible ribbed bind off technique, leaving the garment with a very elastic yet neat finish.

model: Aisling D.

photos: Jessika L.

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size L with 3 inches/7.5 cm ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Bust: 31.75[35.75, 39, 43.75, 47.25, 51.75, 55.75] inches/ 80.5[91, 99, 111, 120, 131.5, 141.5] cm
Body length to underarm: 19[19, 19.25, 19.5, 19.75, 20, 20] inches/ 48.5[48.5, 49, 49.5, 50, 51, 51] cm, or your desired length

MATERIALS

[MC] Miss Babs Heartland [100% merino wool; 250 yd/228m per 115g]; Violaceous; 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]
US #8/5mm circular needle, 24 inches/60cm or longer
1 set US #8/5mm needles for working small circumferences in the round

Notions
cable needle
1-5 1 inch/2.5 cm buttons
stitch holder
yarn needle

GAUGE

20 sts/24 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

Construction Notes:
Wisteria is knitted seamlessly and from the top down, using the seamless set in sleeve technique. After the body is finished, the collar is picked up and worked using short rows and the invisible ribbed bind off technique. The front panels feature a cable pattern, while the back is worked in reverse stockinette stitch. The seamless set-in sleeves are worked in stockinette stitch, knitted top down. If you are new to this method, By Gum By Golly offers an excellent photo tutorial.

Short rows are used during collar construction. A short row photo tutorial can be found here.

Invisible Ribbed Bind Off:
1) Measure out a tail of yarn 3 times the width of the knitting to be bound off, cut yarn and thread through a yarn needle. Work with the RS facing you.
2) Insert yarn needle purlwise through the first knit st on the left hand needle and pull through.
3) Insert the yarn needle knitwise through the next st (a purl st), and pull yarn through.
4) Insert the yarn needle knitwise through the first st on the left hand needle, and pull the yarn through, letting the st fall off the left hand needle.
5) Insert the yarn needle purlwise through the second st on the left hand needle (knit st), and pull the yarn through.
6) Insert the yarn needle purlwise through the first st (purl st), and pull the yarn through, letting the st fall off the left hand needle.
7) Bring the yarn needle behind the first st and insert it knitwise into the next purl st, pulling the yarn through.
8) Rep Steps 4-7 until 1 st remains, pull tail through and weave in the end.

An Invisible Ribbed Bind Off tutorial can be found here.

C1/3L: Slip next st to cable needle and hold to front of work; k3, then k1 from cable needle.
C1/3R: Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work; k1, then k3 from cable needle.

Cable Pattern (panel of 17 sts):
Row 1 [WS]: P1, k3, p9, k3, p1.
Row 2 [RS]: K1tbl, p3, C1/3L, k1tbl, C1/3R, p3, k1tbl.
Row 3: Rep Row 1
Row 4: K1tbl, p3, k9, p3, k1tbl

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

FRONT LEFT PANEL
CO 19[24, 27, 32, 36, 41, 46] sts. Starting with Row 1 of the Cable Panel, work as follows:
Row 1 [WS]: K 1[3, 4, 9, 11, 14, 16] , work Cable Panel, k 1[4, 6, 6, 8, 10, 13]
Row 2 [RS]: P 1[4, 6, 6, 8, 10, 13] , work Cable Panel, p 1[3, 4, 9, 11, 14, 16]
Rep Rows 1-2, working the Cable Panel as est, until piece measures approx. 6[6.5, 7, 7.75, 8, 8.5, 8.5] inches/ 15[16.5, 18, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5, 21.5] cm from cast on edge.

Begin neck and armhole shaping:
Row 1 [WS]: K1, M1R, work in patt to last st, M1L, k1. 2 sts inc’d.
Row 2 [RS]: Work in patt as est.
Rep Rows 1-2 4[4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7] more times, 29[34, 37, 46, 50, 57, 62] sts total.
Place sts on stitch holder, noting your cable row.

FRONT RIGHT PANEL
CO 19[24, 27, 32, 36, 41, 46] sts. Starting with Row 1 of the Cable Panel, work as follows:
Row 1 [RS]: P 1[4, 6, 6, 8, 10, 13] , work Cable Panel, p1[3, 4, 9, 11, 14, 16]
Row 2 [WS]: K1[3, 4, 9, 11, 14, 16], work Cable Panel, k1[4, 6, 6, 8, 10, 13]
Rep Rows 1-2, working Cable Panel as est, until piece measures approx. 6[6.5, 7, 7.75, 8, 8.5, 8.5] inches/ 15[16.5, 18, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5, 21.5] cm from cast on edge.

Begin neck and armhole shaping:
Row 1 [WS]: K1, M1R, cont in patt until 1 st before end, M1L, k1. 2 sts inc’d.
Row 2 [RS]: Work in patt as est.
Rep Rows 1-2 4[4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7] more times, 29[34, 37, 46, 50, 57, 62] sts total.
Place sts on st holder, being sure to end on the same cable row as the left front panel.

BACK
CO 62[72, 82, 88, 98, 106, 116] sts.
Row 1 [RS]: Purl
Row 2 [WS]: K 20[24, 27, 32, 36, 41, 46] , w&t, purl to 1 st before end, w&t, knit to 1 st before end (picking up wrap and working it together with its stitch when you come to it), w&t, p 19[23, 26, 31, 35, 40, 45] , w&t, knit to end while picking up wraps and working them together with their sts.
Row 3 [RS]: Purl.
Row 4 [WS]: Knit.
Rep Rows 3-4 until BACK measures approx. 6[6.5, 7, 7.75, 8, 8.5, 8.5] inches/ 15[16.5, 18, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5, 21.5] cm from cast on edge, ending with a RS row.

Being armhole shaping:
Row 1 [WS]: K1, M1R, knit to last st, M1L, k1. 2 sts inc’d.
Row 2 [RS]: Purl.
Rep Rows 1-2 4[4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7] more times, 72[82, 92, 102, 112, 122, 132] sts total.

Connect front to back:
Place pieces onto needle in this way, with RS facing: front left panel, pm, back, pm, front right panel. 130[150, 166, 194, 212, 236, 256] sts total.
Next row [WS]: K1, M1R, work in patt to last st, M1L, k1 (ensure you are continuing with your correct cable row).
Next row [RS]: Work in patt as est.
Rep Rows 1-2 8[8, 8, 6, 6, 5, 5] more times, 148[168, 184, 208, 226, 248, 268] sts.

Work in patt until piece measures 10[11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 14] inches/ 25.5[28, 30.5, 30.5, 33, 33, 35.5] cm from underarm, or approx 2.5 inches/6.5 cm above your waist, ending with a WS row.

Waist shaping:
Begin waist decreases.
Row 1 [RS]: Work in patt to m, sm, ssk, k 20[23, 27, 30, 33, 37, 40] sts, pm, ssk, k 24[28, 30, 34, 38, 40, 44] sts, pm, k2tog, knit to two sts before next m, k2tog, sm, work to end of row. 4 sts dec’d.
Rows 2-5: Work in patt as est.
Rep Rows 1-5 twice more. 136[156, 172, 196, 214, 236, 256] sts.

Begin waist increases.
Row 1 [RS]: Work in pattern to m, sm, M1R, knit to next m, sm, M1R, knit to next m, sm, M1L, knit to next m, sm, M1L, work in patt to end of row.
Rows 2-5: Cont in patt to end of row
Rep Rows 1-5 twice 3 more times

Cont in patt as est until piece measures 17[17, 17.25, 17.5, 18, 18, 18] inches/ 43[43, 44, 44.5, 45.5, 45.5, 45.5] cm from the underarm, or 2 inches/5 cm less than your desired length, and place sts all on stitch holder or waste yarn.

Seam Shoulders:
Seam front to back at shoulders.

Buttonbands and Collar:
With crochet hook and circular needles and beginning with the RS facing, pick up sts along right front, back, and left front. For the fronts, pick up 2 sts for every 3 rows; for the back, pick up 1 st for every cast on st. Make sure to pick up an odd number of sts, and pm at the shoulder seams and the end of the neck shaping.
Row 1 [WS]: *K1, p1; repeat from * to last st, k1.
Row 2 [RS]: *P1, k1tbl; repeat from * to last st, p1.
Work Rows 1-2 for approx. 1 inch/2.5 cm.

Work buttonholes:
Buttonhole row [WS]: *([K1, p1] 4 times, yo, k2tog); repeat from * 3-5 times, depending on your taste, work in patt to end of row.

Work Rows 1-2 until collar measures approx 1.75”/4.5 cm, ending with a RS row.

Begin short row collar shaping:
Short row 1 [WS]: Work in patt to 3rd m (right neck shaping), sm, w&t.
Short row 2 [RS]: Work in patt to next m (left neck shaping), w&t.
Short row 3: Work in patt to 1 st before wrapped st, w&t.
Short row 4: Work in patt to 1 st before wrapped st, w&t.
Rep Short rows 3-4 approx 10 more times, or for desired length of short row shaping.

Next row [WS]: Work in patt to end, picking up all wraps and working them together with their sts as you come to them.
Next row [RS]: Work in patt to end.
BO all sts using the Invisible Ribbed Method.

Bottom Ribbed Hem:
Starting with bottom right edge, pick up and knit approx 10 sts across bottom of front right buttonband, place all held sts back onto needle, pick up approx 10 sts across bottom of front left buttonband. Make sure you have an odd number of stitches.

Next row [RS]: *K1tbl, p1; rep from * to last st, k1tbl.
Next row [WS]: *P1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.
Work these two rows until ribbing is 2 inches/5 cm.
BO all sts using Invisible Ribbed Method.

Sleeves:
Note: For a perfect fit, multiple the gauge by your desired sleeve circumference (5 sts/inch x sleeve circumference), and pick up this number of stitches evenly around the armhole. Alternatively you can use the st count as written. Sleeves are knit in stockinette stitch.

With the WS facing and beg at the center of the underarm, pick up and knit 62[66, 70, 74, 80, 90, 98] sts around the armhole. Place markers to mark the 10th[11th, 12th, 12th, 13th, 13th, 14th] st before and after the shoulder seam m (markers A). In addition, place markers to indicate the sts on front and back where armhole shaping begins (markers B), making sure there are the same number of sts between markers A and B on both sides. You will use 4 markers total. Markers A indicate where short row shaping begins and markers B indicate where short rows end.

Begin working short rows, while knitting in the rnd as follows:
Join to knit in the rnd, pm to indicate start of rnd.
Short row 1 [RS]: Knit to second mA, sm, w&t.
Short row 2 [WS]: Purl back to first mA, sm, w&t.
Short row 3: Work to 1 st past wrapped st, picking up wrap and working it with its st, w&t.
Rep Short row 3 until you’ve wrapped all sts to markers B.

When you’ve reached markers B, on the next RS row, beg working in the rnd again, working 1 rnd and removing markers.
Cont working the sleeve in St st for 1.5 inches/4 cm.

Begin sleeve shaping:
Dec rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before m, ssk, k1. 2 sts dec’d.

Rep the Dec Rnd every 6th round 13[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0] times, every 5th rnd 0[15, 17, 15, 10, 0, 0] times, every 4th round 0[0, 0, 0, 3, 9, 21] times, and every 3rd round 0[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 6] times. 34[34, 34, 36, 40, 46, 48] sts.
Work until sleeve measures 15.5[16, 16.25, 16.5, 16.5, 17, 17] inches/ 39.5[40.5, 41.5, 42, 42, , ] cm from underarm, or 1 inch/2.5 cm less than desired sleeve length.

Next rnd: *K1tbl, p1; rep from * to end of rnd.
Work in ribbing for 1 inch/2.5 cm. BO using invisible ribbed bind off.

FINISHING

Weave in ends and block to schematic measurements. Sew on buttons opposite buttonholes.

SCHEMATIC MEASUREMENTS
A: Bust circumference: 31.75[35.75, 39, 43.75, 47.25, 51.75, 55.75] inches/ 80.5[91, 99, 111, 120, 131.5, 141.5] cm
B: Waist circumference: 29.25[33.25, 36.5, 41.25, 45, 49.25, 53.25] inches/ 74.5[84.5, 92.5, 105, 114.5, 125, 135.5] cm
C: Hem circumference: 31.75[35.75, 39, 43.75, 47.25, 51.75, 55.75] inches/ 80.5[91, 99, 111, 120, 131.5, 141.5] cm
D: Armhole depth: 7.75[8.25, 8.5, 10, 10.25, 11.5, 11.5] inches/ 19.5[21, 21.5, 25.5, 26, 29, 29] cm
E: Back neck width: 6.75[6.75, 7.5, 7.5, 8, 8, 8] inches/ 17[17, 19, 19, 20.5, 20.5, 20.5] cm
F: Upper arm circumference: 12.5[13.25, 14, 14.75, 16, 18, 19.5] inches/ 32[33.5, 35.5, 37.5, 40.5, 45.5, 49.5] cm
G: Sleeve length: 16.5[17, 17.25, 17.25, 17.5, 18, 18] inches/ 42[43, 44, 44, 44.5, 45.5, 45.5] cm
H: Wrist circumference: 6.75[6.75, 6.75, 7.25, 8, 9.25, 9.5] inches/ 17[17, 17, 18.5, 20.5, 23.5, 24] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Jessika Lane enjoys exploring the world’s animal sanctuary NGOs. She’s currently balancing her time between international NGO consultation and grantmaking, with knitting and vegan baking in between.

Find her here.

Pattern & images © 2017 Jessika Lane. Contact Jessika