by Madeleine Nilsson

Mejram, which is Swedish for the spice marjoram, is a handy and versatile piece to have in your wardrobe!

Using only small amounts of yarn, you get a chic little cardigan that easily transitions between temperatures. On warmer days, go for bare arms or short sleeves, and on chilly days just button on your 3/4 lengths! Make several pairs of sleeves, play around with colors, or have a dig around in the scrap yarn stash - the possibilities are endless.

Mejram is a quick knit worked from the top down in worsted-weight yarn. The body is worked first, followed by front and sleeve edgings. Short or 3/4 length sleeves are then worked as separate pieces with button bands. Attach as you please, or just go without - a great opportunity to show off some beautiful buttons.

SIZE
For women's garments: XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
shown in size L with 1 inch of negative ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest (measured right below armholes): 30.5[33.5, 38.5, 41.5, 44.5, 49.5, 52.5] inches
Length: 18[18, 18.25, 18.5, 19.25, 20.25, 21] inches along front edge

MATERIALS
Yarn
Malabrigo Rios [100% merino; 210yd/192m per 100g skein];

Main body:
[MC] Lettuce; 2[3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4] skeins

3/4 sleeves:
[CC] Candombe; 1[1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2] skeins

Short sleeves:
[CC] Natural; 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1] skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below — every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #7/4.5mm needles for working small circumferences in the round
1 set US #8/5mm needles for working small circumferences in the round
1 16-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle
1 24-inch US #8/5mm circular needle

Notions
yarn needle
4 stitch markers
17 [17, 17, 17, 18, 22, 23] buttons

GAUGE

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

DIRECTIONS
Yoke
Using long tail CO and smaller needles, CO 62[66, 74, 82, 86, 90, 94] sts.

Row 1 (WS): P2, (k2, p2) to end.

Row 2 (RS): K2, (p2, k2) to end.

Rows 3-6: Repeat Rows 1-2 twice.

Row 7 (WS): Switch to larger needles. Purl 11[12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) sts, pm, purl 7[7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 9] sts, pm, purl 26[28, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40] sts, pm, purl 7[7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 9] sts, pm, purl 11[12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) sts.

Row 8 (inc row, RS): *Knit to 1 st before m, kfb, sm, kfb; repeat from * three times, knit to end. 8 sts increased.

Row 9: Purl, slipping markers when required.

Repeat Rows 8 and 9 13[14, 17, 19, 20, 23, 25] more times, for a total of 14[15, 18, 20, 21, 24, 26] raglan increases.

174[186, 218, 242, 254, 282, 302] sts on the needles: 25[27, 32, 35, 37, 41, 44] sts for each Front, 35[37, 43, 49, 51, 57, 61] sts for each Sleeve, 54[58, 68, 74, 78, 86, 92] sts for Back.

Dividing for sleeves
Next Row (RS): Work to m, remove m, place the foll 35[37, 43, 49, 51, 57, 61] sts on hold for Sleeves, CO 3[4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts, place side marker, CO 3[4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts, remove m, work across Back, remove m, place the foll 35[37,43, 49, 51, 57, 61]sts on hold for Sleeves, CO 3[4,4, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts, place side marker, CO 3[4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6] sts, remove m, work to end.

116[128, 148, 160, 172, 192, 204] sts: 28[31, 36, 39, 42, 47, 50] sts on each Front, 60[66, 76, 82, 88, 98,104] sts on Back.

Next row [WS]: Purl.

Short rows
Top down raglan sweaters sometimes have a tendency to ride up a bit in the back. The following optional short rows are worked across the back, between the two side markers, to lengthen the back a bit and even it out with the fronts.

Short row 1 (RS): K to marker, sm, k to 1 st before side marker, w&t.
Short row 2 (WS): P to 1 stitch before side marker, w&t.
Short row 3: K to 5 sts before wrapped st, w&t.
Short row 4: P to 5 sts before wrapped st, w&t.
Repeat Short rows 3-4 twice.
Short row 9: K all sts, working each wrapped st with its wrap.
Short row 10:  Purl top end, removing side markers and working each wrapped st with its wrap.

Front edgings
Rotate your work 90 degrees clockwise. With RS facing and smaller needles, pick up and knit 74 [74, 74, 74, 78, 82, 86] sts along the right front edge.

Work in 2x2 ribbing as follows:
Row 1 (WS: P2, (k2, p2) to end.

Row 2 (RS): K2, (p2, k2) to end.

Repeat Row 1 once.

Buttonhole row:
Sizes XS, S, M, L:
K2, p2tog, yo, (k2, p2) 2 times, k2tog, yo, (p2, k2, p2, k2tog, yo,) 6 times, (p2, k2) 2 times, p2tog, yo, k2.

Size 1X:
K2, p2tog, yo, (k2, p2, k2, p2tog, yo,) 9 times, k2.

Size 2X:
K2, p2tog, yo, (k2, p2) 2 times, k2tog, yo, (p2, k2, p2, k2tog, yo,) 7 times, (p2, k2) 2 times, p2tog, yo, k2.

Size 3X:
K2, p2tog, yo, (k2, p2, k2, p2tog, yo,) 10 times, k2.

All sizes:
Work another 3 rows in rib pattern.
Loosely BO in pattern on the RS.

With RS facing and smaller needles, pick up and knit 74[74, 74, 74, 78, 82, 86] sts along the left front. Work in 2x2 ribbing as follows:
Row 1 (WS): P2, (k2, p2) to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, (p2, k2) to end.
Work 5 more rows in pattern.
Loosely BO in pattern on the RS.

Work 4 rounds in stockinette stitch.

Next rnd:
XS, S, L, 1X: M1, knit to end. 1 st increased.
M, 2X, 3X: K2tog, knit to end. 1 st decreased.
44[48, 52, 60, 64, 68, 72] sts.

Switch to smaller needles.

Next rnd: (K2, p2) to end.

Work in 2x2 ribbing for 2 inches.
Loosely BO in pattern.

Sleeves, part 2:
Using long tail CO and smaller needles, CO 46[50, 54, 62, 66, 70, 74] sts.

Row 1 (WS): P2, (k2, p2) to end.

Row 2 (RS): K2, (p2, k2) to end.

Work Row 1 once more.

Buttonhole row (RS):
Sizes XS, M, L:
Work 10[-, -14, 18, -, -, -] sts in pattern, p2tog, yo, work 6 sts in pattern, p2tog, yo, work 6 sts in pattern, yo, p2tog, work 6 sts in pattern, yo, p2tog, work 10[-, -, 14, 18, -, -, -] sts in pattern. 4 buttonholes made.

Size S, 1X:
Work -[14, -, -, 22, -, -] sts in pattern, p2tog, yo, work 4 sts in pattern, k2tog, yo, work 6 sts in pattern, yo, k2tog, work 4 sts in pattern, yo, p2tog, work -[14, -, -, 22, -, -] sts in pattern. 4 buttonholes made.

Size 2X: 
Work –[-, -, -, -, 14, -] sts in pattern, (p2tog, yo, work 6 sts in pattern) 5 times, yo, p2tog, work –[-, -, -, -, 14, -] sts in pattern. 6 buttonholes made.

Size 3X: 
Work –[-, -, -, -, -, 16] sts in pattern, (k2tog, yo, work 6 sts in pattern) 5 times, yo, k2tog, work –[-, -, -, -, -, 16] sts in pattern. 6 buttonholes made.

Work 3 more rows in pattern across all sts.
Next Row (RS): Switching to larger double pointed needles, knit across all sts. At the end of the row, join to work in the round, placing marker for beginning of round.

Follow instructions for either short or 3/4 sleeves below.

For 3/4 sleeves:
Work evenly in stockinette st until piece measures 3 inches from CO edge.

Dec rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 2 sts decreased.

Repeat the Dec rnd every 6th[6th,7th, 7th, 8th, 8th, 8th] rnd 4 more times.

36[40, 44, 52, 56, 60, 64] sts rem.
Work even in stockinette until sleeve measures 12.25[12.25, 12, 12, 11.5, 11, 11] inches from CO, or 1 inch less than desired length.

Switch to smaller needles.

Next rnd: (K2, p2) to end.

Work in 2x2 ribbing for 1 inch.

Loosely BO in pattern.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends.
Block garment to measurements.
Attach buttons on body opposite buttonholes.
Attach buttons on sleeves opposite sleeve buttonholes approximately 1 inch in from the BO edge.

Madeleine Nilsson started her knitting not too long ago, but has already mastered the true art of yarn addiction. She started designing knitwear in late 2011, and has finally found that necessary creative outlet that she’s been searching for. The process from thought to finished piece is immensely gratifying, and she often finds herself playing around with construction in her quest for new garment ideas that are a pleasure to both knit and wear.

Madeleine lives in Sweden with her husband and two cats, and blogs about her crafting here.