by Jennifer Wood

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.

SIZE
XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
(shown in size small with 2 inches of positive ease)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

MATERIALS
Yarn
Tedman & Kvist Oh Mercy Me [100% Mercerized Cotton ; 87yd/80m per 50g skein]; color: # 734; 7 [7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10] skeins.

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

Notions
yarn needle
stitch markers
waste yarn
1 button

GAUGE

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

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.

Row 4 [WS]: P to end.

Row 5 [RS]: K to end.

Row 6 [WS]: P1, k to last st, p1.

Row 7 [RS]: K to end.

Row 8 [WS]: P to end.

Row 9 (increase row) [RS]: K5, *yo, k3, repeat from * to last 5 sts, yo,  k5. 123[123, 131, 143, 159, 175, 175] sts. 29[29, 31, 34, 38, 42, 42] sts increased.

Row 10 [WS]: P to end.

Row 11 [RS]: K to end.

Row 12 [WS]: P1, k to last st, p1.

Row 13 [RS]: K1, p to last st, k1.

Row 14 [WS]: P to end.

Row 15 [RS]: K to end.

Row 16 [WS]: P to end.

Row 17 (increase row) [RS]: K3, *yo, k4, repeat from * to last 3 st, yo, k2tog, k2. 152[152, 162, 177, 197, 217, 217] sts. 29[29, 31, 34, 38, 42, 42] sts increased.

Row 18 [WS]: P to end.

Row 19 [RS]: K to end.

Row 20 [WS]: P to end.

Row 21 [RS]: K1, p to last st, k1.

Row 22 [WS]: P1, k to last st, p1.

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.

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.

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.

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.