Minetta cardigan: Knitty.com

by Kirsten Kapur

I love sweaters with classic design. Depending on what you wear with them they can be casual or formal, funky or conservative. The Minetta cardigan is just that sort of design. Worn with an inch or less of ease, as Sofie is wearing it in the pattern photos, Minetta takes on an almost vintage look. In a larger size and 2-4 inches ease, it looks great paired with jeans, t-shirt and boots – perfect for a hike in the woods, or cocoa and a book next to the fireplace. However you choose to wear it, this is a sweater you will turn to again, and again.

The Wensleydale Longwood and Bluefaced Leicester in Baa Ram Ewe's Titus gives the knitted fabric structure and shows off cables beautifully, while a touch of alpaca lends a delicate halo, softening the overall effect. This yarn comes in a gorgeous range of rich colors, each as lovely as the next.

Minetta is a classic raglan, worked from the top down, all in one piece. At the end all that's left to do is add a neck band, weave in the ends, and sew on the buttons.

model: Sofie Kapur

photos: Kirsten Kapur


SIZE XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] shown in size S with 1 inch of ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56] inches
Length: 22[22, 22, 23.75, 23.75, 25.5, 25.5] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Baa Ram Ewe Titus [50% Wensleydale Longwool, 20% Bluefaced Leicester, 30% Alpaca; 350 yds / 320 m per 100g skein]; color: Parkin; 3[4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6] 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 4 /3.5 mm double-point needles
32[32, 32, 40, 40, 40, 40]-inch US 4 /3.5 mm circular needle

Notions
12[12, 12, 13, 13, 14, 14] 1/2 inch (16mm) buttons,
cable needle
scrap yarn
4 "A" stitch markers
6 "B" stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

24 sts/36 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

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

1/1 LPC: Slip 1 sts to cn and hold in front, p1; k1 from cn.
1/1 RPC: Slip 1 st to cn and hold in back, k1; p1 from cn.
2/2 LC: Slip 2 sts to cn and hold in front, k2; k2 from cn.
2/2 RC: Slip 2 sts to cn and hold in back, k2; k2 from cn.

Front Cable Pattern Worked over 18 sts
Row 1 (RS): P2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2.
Row 2 (WS): K2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2.
Row 3: P2, 2/2 LC, p2, k2, p2, 2/2 RC, p2.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Row 5: P2, k2, 2/2 LC, k2, 2/2 RC, k2, p2.
Row 6: K2, p14, k2.
Row 7: P2, k4, p1, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, p1, k4, p2.
Row 8: Rep Row 2.
Row 9: Rep Row 1.
Rows 10-15: Rep Rows 8-9.
Row 16: Rep Row 2.

Back Cable Pattern Worked over 34 sts
Row 1 (RS): [P2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4] 2 times, p2.
Row 2 (WS): [K2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4] 2 times, k2.
Row 3: [P2, 2/2 LC, p2, k2, p2, 2/2 RC] 2 times, p2.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Row 5: [P2, k2, 2/2 LC, k2, 2/2 RC, k2] 2 times, p2.
Row 6: [K2, p14] 2 times, k2.
Row 7: [P2, k4, p1, 1/1 LPC, 1/1 RPC, p1, k4] 2 times, p2.
Row 8: Rep Row 2.
Row 9: Rep Row 1.
Rows 10-15: Rep Rows 8-9.
Row 16: Rep Row 2.

DIRECTIONS
Yoke
CO 76[76, 76, 72, 74, 80, 80] sts.

Row 1 (WS): P2, pm A, p10[10, 10, 4, 4, 4, 4], pm A, p9[9, 9, 13, 14, 17, 17], pm B, (k2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4) twice, k2, pm B, p9[9, 9, 13, 14, 17, 17], pm A, p10[10, 10, 4, 4, 4, 4], pm A, p2.

Row 2 (RS): Kfb, kfb, slm A, kfb, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb, k to marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt, slm B, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb, kfb. 86[86, 86, 82, 84, 90, 90] sts

Row 3: P to first marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt, slm B, p to end.

Row 4: [Kfb, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A] twice, kfb, k to marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt, slm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] twice, k to last st, kfb. 10 sts inc'd.

Work the last 2 rows 1[1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2] more times. 106[106, 106, 112, 114, 120, 120] sts.

Row 1 (WS): P to first marker B, slm B, work in Back Cable Patt, slm B, p to end. Turn work. With the knitted CO method, CO 24[24, 24, 27, 28, 31, 31] sts. 130[130, 130, 139, 142, 151, 151] sts.

Row 2 (RS): K6, pm B, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, pm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] twice, k to marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt as established, slm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] twice, k to end. Turn work. With the knitted CO method, CO 24[24, 24, 27, 28, 31, 31] sts. 162[162, 162, 174, 178, 190, 190] sts.

Place additional markers and begin front cables:
Row 1 (WS): K6, pm B, k2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2, pm B, p to next marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt, slm B, p to to next marker B, slm B, k2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2, slm B, k6.
Row 2 (RS): K6, slm B, beg with Row 9[9, 9, 11, 11, 11, 11] work Front Cable Patt, slm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] 2 times, k to marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt as established, slm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] twice, k to marker B, slm B, beginning with row 9[9, 9, 11, 11, 11, 11] work in Front Cable Patt, slm B, k to end. 8 sts inc'd.

Row 3: K6, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, p to next marker B, slm B, work Back Cable Patt, slm B, p to to next marker B, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, k6.
Row 4 (Raglan Increase Row): K6, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] 2 times, k to marker B, slm B, work in Back Cable Patt, slm B, [k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, kfb] 2 times, knit to marker B, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, k to end. 8 sts inc'd.

Work the last 2 rows 3[3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2] more times. 202[202, 202, 206, 210, 222, 222] sts

Buttonhole Row (WS): K3, yo, k2tog, k1, pm B, work in patt to end.

Continue to work as established, working Raglan Increase Row every RS row 1[11, 19, 21, 26, 28, 35] more times, while working buttonhole row every 16 rows. 210[290, 354, 374, 418, 446, 502] sts

Continue to work as established, working Raglan Increase Row every 4th row 12[6, 0, 2, 4, 3, 1] times. 306[338, 354, 390, 450, 470, 510] sts

Size XS ONLY:
Sleeve Increase Row: K6, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, k to marker A, slm A, kfb, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, k to marker B, slm B, work in Back Cable Patt, slm B, k to marker A, slm A, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, knit to marker B, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, k to end.

Keeping patt correct, rep Sleeve Increase Row every 4th row once more. 314 sts

Skip to Dividing Row.

Size 1X ONLY:
Skip to Dividing Row.

Sizes S, M, L, 2X, 3X ONLY:
-[S, M, L, -, 2X, 3X]
Body Increase Row: K6, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, k to marker A, slm A, kfb, k to marker B, slm B, work in Back Cable Patt, slm B, k to 1 st before marker A, kfb, slm A, knit to marker A, slm A, kfb, knit to marker B, slm B, work Front Cable Patt, slm B, k to end. 4 sts inc'd

Keeping patt correct, rep Body Increase Row every 4th row -[1, 4, 2, -, 0, 0] more times. -[346, 374, 402, -, 474, 514] sts

ALL SIZES
Work 1 row even.

Dividing Row (RS): Note: do not remove B markers. [Work to marker A as established, remove marker A and place next 58[62, 66, 68, 82, 84, 94] sts on hold on a piece of scrap yarn, remove marker A, CO 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 12, 14] sts for underarm using backward loop method] twice, work as established to end. 210[234, 258, 282, 306, 330, 354] sts

Body
Continue working in pattern and making buttonholes as established, work until piece measures 18[18, 18, 19.75, 19.75, 21.5, 21.5] inches from cast-on edge. End with a WS row. Do not end on rows, 3, 5 or 7 of the cable pattern.

Ribbing
Set-Up Row (RS): K6, slm, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2tog, p1, (k2, p2) to 2 sts from next marker, k2, p1, p2tog, k4, p2, k2, (p2, k4) twice, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2tog, p1, (k2, p2) to 2 sts from next marker, k2, p1, p2tog, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, slm, k6. 4 sts dec'd

Ribbing Row 1 (WS): K6, slm, k2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2, slm (p2, k2) to 2 sts from next marker, p2, slm, k2, p4, k2, p2, (k2, p4) twice, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2, slm, (p2, k2) to 2 sts from next marker, p2, slm, k2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2, slm, k6.

Ribbing Row 2 (RS): K6, slm, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, slm (k2, p2) to 2 sts from next marker, k2, slm, p2, k4, p2, k2, (p2, k4) twice, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, slm, (k2, p2) to 2 sts from next marker, k2, slm, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, slm, k6.

Work Ribbing Rows 1-2 for 3 inches. Work last buttonhole approx 0.5 inch from end.

Bind off in ribbing pattern.

Sleeves
Note: Both sleeves are worked the same way.

Place the 58[62, 66, 68, 82, 84, 94] sts held sleeve sts on a set of dpns, pick up and knit 3[3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7] sts sts in the CO sts at the underarm, place a marker for beg of round, pick up and knit 3[3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7] sts in the CO sts at the underarm. 64[68, 74, 76, 92, 96, 108] sts

Work in stockinette st for 1 inch.

Decrease Rnd: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 2 sts dec'd

Work Decrease Rnd every 8[8, 8, 8, 6, 6, 4] rounds 11[13, 14, 13, 19, 19, 25] more times. 40[40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 56] sts.

Continue to work in stockinette st until sleeve measures 14[14, 14, 14.5, 14.5, 15, 15] inches or 3 inches less than desired length.

Work in (k2, p2) ribbing for 3 inches. Bind off in ribbing pattern.

Neck Band
With RS facing, pick up and knit 130[130, 130, 134, 138, 150, 150] sts along neck edge.

Row 1 (WS): P2, (k2, p2) to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, (p2, k2) to end.

Work Row 1 once more.

Buttonhole Row: K2, yo, p2tog, k2, (p2, k2) to end.

Work Rows 1-2 twice more.
Work Row 1 once.

Bind off in ribbing pattern.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends.
Using the buttonholes as a guide, use safety pins or locking stitch markers to mark the button placement. Sew the buttons in place.

Block to measurements in schematic.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Kirsten dreams of someday retiring and spending her days knitting and spinning by a lake in the mountains. Until then you will find her spending her days knitting and spinning in her New York City apartment.

You will find the results of all of that knitting and spinning in her Ravelry pattern store.