A friend of mine who owns Loopville yarn store offered me this
yarn free of charge if I would design something
with it. Being a
sucker for free yarn I took her up on it.
After several swatches and needle changes I landed
on the Raindrop cardigan.
The yarn is a narrow cotton ribbon. Like most cotton yarns
it has little give and is a bit stiff when
first knit up, but that is remedied in
the washing and blocking.
The raindrop
stitch is from one of Barbara Walker’s books and I love
the way it shows up with this ribbon shaped
yarn. Once blocked this yarn has a surprisingly
wonderful drape. I was very pleased with the results.
This cardigan is worked from the top down
in one piece. It begins with a rounded yoke and then moves into
raglan shaping to finish off the bodice. Once it is divided,
the body is worked straight down and the sleeves quickly completed
with a couple of rounds of the Raindrop Stitch. It is then finished
off with a crocheted edge.
This cardigan was designed with plenty of ease
to give a flowing, flattering fit.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
set US #11/8mm double-point needles 1 27-inch US #11/8mm circular needle 1 size US #L11/8mm crochet hook
15.5 sts/20 rows = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
13.2 sts/19 rows = 4
inches in pattern stitch
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
R: Raindrop stitch: K into
st below next stitch leaving original stitch on left needle,
slip new stitch onto left needle and knit it again, then knit
the original stitch and pass the new stitch over it.
RLI: Right Lifted Increase: Use the right
needle to pick up the stitch below the next stitch on the left
needle. Place it on the left needle, then knit into it. 1 stitch
increased.
LLI: Left Lifted Increase: Use the left needle
to pick up the back of the stitch 2 stitches below stitch just
knitted, then knit into it. 1 stitch increased.
This yarn will feel stiff and does tend to twist as you work
with it. Don't be discouraged! With wet blocking the stitches
soften and fill out giving the cardigan a lovely drape. To weave
in the ends, weave through a few stitches on the wrong side
of the fabric. Then with a needle and matching thread tack the
end down with small stitches.
DIRECTIONS
Yoke
CO 94[94, 100, 109, 121, 133, 133] sts.
Row 1 [RS]: K to end.
Row 2 [WS]: P to end.
Row 3 (button hole row) [RS]: K to last
5 sts, k2tog, yo, k3.
Sizes XS and S: Row 23 [RS]: K1, purl to last st, inc
1 st in the middle of row, k1.
Size M: Row 23 [RS]: K1, purl to last st, dec
1 st in the middle of row, k1.
Sizes L, 1X, 2X and 3X: Row 23 [RS]: K1, purl to last st, k1.
All sizes: Row 24 [WS]: P25[25, 25, 29, 33, 37,
37] sts, pm, p29[29, 29, 33, 37, 37, 37]
sts, pm, p45[45, 53, 53, 57, 69, 69] sts,
pm, p29[29, 29, 33, 37, 37, 37] sts, pm,
p to end of row.
Begin raglan shaping and raindrop stitch
pattern:
In the next section the raindrop stitch
pattern is worked at the same time as raglan
increases.
Row 25 [RS]: [K1, *R, k3, repeat
from * to marker, sm] 4 times; k1, **R,
k3, repeat from ** to end of row.
Row 26 [WS]: P to end, slipping all markers.
Row 27 (1st raglan increase row) [RS]: *K3, R, repeat from *
to last st before marker, [LLI, k1, sm, k1, RLI, k2, *R, k3, repeat from
* to last st before marker] 3 times; LLI, k1, sm, k1, RLI, k2, *R, k3,
repeat from * until last 2 sts, R, k1. 161[161, 169, 185, 205, 225, 225]
sts. 8 sts increased.
Row 28 [WS]: P to end, slipping all markers.
Row 29 (2nd raglan increase row) [RS]: [Work raindrop stitch
pattern as set by Rows 25-28 to last st before marker, LLI,
k1, sm, k1, RLI] 4 times; work raindrop stitch pattern to end. 169[169,
177, 193, 213, 233, 233] sts. 8 sts increased.
Repeat last 2 rows, continuing to work
raindrop stitch pattern as set and incorporating
new sts into pattern whenever there are
at least 3 sts between raindrop st and marker,
2[4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 8] more times. 185[201,
209, 241, 261, 281, 297] sts. 16[32, 32,
48, 48, 48, 64] sts increased.
You should now have: 29[31, 31, 37, 41,
45, 47] right front sts; 37[41, 41, 49,
53, 53, 57] right sleeve sts; 53[57, 65,
69, 73, 85, 89] back sts; 37[41, 41, 49,
53, 53, 57] left sleeve sts; and 29[31,
31, 37, 41, 45, 47] left front sts.
Divide sleeves and body:
Purl to 1st marker, remove marker and
slip sleeve sts onto waste yarn; remove
2nd marker; CO 1 st, pm, CO 1 st; purl
across back sts to 3rd marker, remove
marker and slip sleeve sts onto waste
yarn; remove 4th marker; CO 1 st, pm,
CO 1 st, purl to end of row. 113[121,
129, 145, 157, 181, 185] body sts.
Next row [RS]: Work all stitches
in raindrop stitch pattern as set. Next row [WS]: P to end.
Repeat last 2 rows until cardigan measures
19.5[19.5, 20.25, 20.25, 21, 22, 22] inches
or is desired length ending with a RS row.
Bind off all stitches in k1, p1 rib.
Sleeves (work both the same)
Transfer sleeve sts from waste yarn onto
double pointed needles and divide evenly
or place on long circular needle if using
magic loop method. With RS facing pick
up and knit 3 sts along 2 CO sts, pm for
beginning of round. 40[44, 44, 52, 56,
56, 60] sts.
Round 1: K to end of round. Round 2: Work in raindrop
stitch pattern as set to end of round.
Bind off all stitches in k1, p1 rib.
FINISHING
With RS facing: start at bottom of Right Front edge and work
1 row sc along Right Front edge to top corner, chain 1. Turn
work so that WS is facing, work 1 row reverse sc along neckline
to top corner of Left Front, chain 1. Turn work so that RS is
facing work 1 row sc along Left Front to bottom corner, bind
off and weave in all ends.
Block garment and allow to dry fully before attaching button
to right front opposite button hole. If desired,
use the last yo on row 17 as a
second buttonhole, sewing a button on
the right front side opposite it.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Jennifer Wood designs for Wood House Knits. She taught herself
to knit 10 years ago and loved it so much
she began designing her own patterns. It has been a wonderful
outlet for her creative energy. She has an absolutely wonderful
husband, three amazing children, a fine son-in-law, a sweet, sweet
grand baby and two bad dogs.
Her designs have been published in
several magazines. Recently, she began
selling her patterns through her business
Wood House Knits. Her patterns can be found on her
website, through woodhouseknits.etsy.com and on Ravelry under woodhouseknits.
R: Raindrop stitch: K into
st below next stitch leaving original stitch on left needle,
slip new stitch onto left needle and knit it again, then knit
the original stitch and pass the new stitch over it.
