by Norah Gaughan

Vale was born of my own selfish likes and needs. I like sweaters to be fitted in the shoulders, but not tight through the waist. I need something to add warmth, but not be overwhelming over a dress and to fit in with my addiction to layering.

The free-flowing fronts can be pinned in place if you prefer to know what your cardigan is doing all day. I prefer the “throwing caution to the wind” method of letting the fronts move around and arrange themselves as they will.

SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
(shown in size L with no ease)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 30[34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches
Length: 19.5[20, 21, 21.5, 23, 24.5, 26] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Berroco Voyage [93% super fine alpaca, 7% polyester; 125 yds /114 m per 50g skein]; color: vista #4014; 10[12, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20] hanks

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set(s) US #8/5 mm needles
1 set(s) US #10/6 mm needles

Notions
yarn needle
1 stitch marker

GAUGE
18 sts/28 rows = 4" in moss stitch with larger needles
24-st cable motif = 3.5" wide

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

2/2 rib (mult of 4 +2)
Row 1 (WS): *P2, k2, rep from * end p2
Row 2 (RS): *K2, p2, rep from * end k2

Moss stitch (on odd # of sts)
Row 1 (WS):*K1, p1, repeat from * to last st, k1.

Row 2 (RS): *P1, k1, repeat from * to last st, p1.

Row 3: *P1, k1, repeat from * to last st, p1.

Row 4: *K1, p1, repeat from * to last st, k1.

C6R: Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold in back of work, k3; k3 from cable needle.

C5PL: Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold in front of work, p2; k3 from cable needle.

C5PR: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold in back of work, k3; p2 from cable needle.

CHARTS
The charts for this pattern are very large and fit on a letter-sized page.

Click below and print the resulting pages.

Chart A • Chart B
charts revised Dec 9/11

DIRECTIONS
BACK
With larger needles, CO 82[90, 102, 109, 117, 129, 137] sts.
Purl 1 WS row.

Knit 5 rows.

Next row (WS): P13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31], (p3, M1P) 18[18, 18, 24, 24, 24, 24] times, p2[2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3], p13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31] – 100[108, 120, 133, 141, 153, 161] sts.

Work straight until piece measures 7 [7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10] inches from beg of armhole shaping.

Shape shoulders:
BO 6[7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10] sts at the beg of the next 6[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 6] rows.

BO 0[6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 0] sts at the beg of the next 4 rows.

BO remaining 42[44, 44, 49, 49, 53, 53] sts for back neck.

RIGHT FRONT
With larger needles, CO 83[87, 93, 97, 101, 107, 111] sts.

Purl 1 WS row.

Knit 5 rows.

Next row (WS): p13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31], (p3, M1P) 6 times, p47, 47, 47, 57, 57, 57, 57] k5. 89[93, 99, 103, 107, 113, 117] sts.

Set up patterns:
Next row (RS): Knit 5, Work 47[47, 47, 57, 57, 57, 57] sts in moss st, work chart A over 24 sts, 13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31] sts in moss st.

Next row (WS): Work 13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31] sts moss, chart A, 47[47, 47, 57, 57, 57, 57] sts moss, k5.

CAUTION! You will now be shaping on both ends, but at different rates.
On the right-hand edge, dec 1 st at beg of next row and every 18th row 5 more times, as follows: K5, k2tog, maintain pattern to end of row.

On the left-hand edge, dec 1 st at end of the next row and every 20th row 3 more times.

Shape armholes:
At the beginning of WS rows:
BO 4 sts 0[0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1]time.
BO 3 sts 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3]times.
BO 2 sts 1[2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2] time(s).

Dec 1 st each on the left-hand edge on the next 2[2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3] RS rows.
When shaping is completed on both right- and left-hand edges, 72[74, 78, 81, 81, 85, 87] sts remain.

Work straight until piece measures 15[15.5, 16.5, 17, 18.5, 20, 21.5] inches from beg, ending with a WS row.

Change pattern for neck:
Next row (RS): K34[35, 35, 35, 35, 37, 37] sts, place marker, complete row as established.

Row 1 (WS): work in patt to marker, k to end.
Row 2 (RS): k to marker, work established patts to end.
Row 3: work to marker, k to end.
Row 4: BO 29[30, 30, 30, 30, 32, 32] sts knitwise, k to marker, work in patt to end. 43 [44, 48, 51, 51, 53, 55] sts.
Row 5: work to marker, k5.
Row 6: K5, slip marker, k2tog, patt to end.
Repeat Rows 5 and 6 six times more. Remove marker. 36 [37, 41, 44, 44, 46, 48]
Row 7 (WS):Work to last 5 sts, k5.
Row 8 (RS): K5, patt to end of row.
Repeat Rows 7 and 8 until piece measures 7 [7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10] inches from beg of armhole shaping.

Shape shoulders:
BO 6[7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10]sts at the beg of the next WS row.
BO 6[6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10] sts at the beg of the next 2 WS rows.

Front extensions:
Work straight on remaining 18 sts for 3, 3.25, 3.25, 3.5, 3.5, 3.75, 3.75] inches (stretched). Bind off or place on a holder.
LEFT FRONT
With larger needles, CO 83[87, 93, 97, 101, 107, 111]sts.

Purl 1 WS row.

Knit 5 rows.

Next row (WS): k5, p47[47, 47, 57, 57, 57, 57], (M1P, p3) 6 times, p13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31].

Set up patterns:
Next row (RS): Work 13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31] sts in moss st, work chart A over 24 sts, Work 47[47, 47, 57, 57, 57, 57] sts in moss st, k5.

Next row (WS): k5, work 47[47, 47, 57, 57, 57, 57] sts in moss, work chart A, work 13[17, 23, 17, 21, 27, 31] sts in moss st.

CAUTION! You will now be shaping on both ends, but at different rates.
On the right-hand edge (RS): dec 1 st at beg of the next row and every 20th row 3 more times.

On the left-hand edge (RS): dec 1 st at end of next row and every 18th row 5 more times, as follows: patt to last 7 sts, SSK, k5.

Continue in pattern until piece measures 11.5[11.5, 12, 12, 13, 14, 15] inches from the beginning, ending with a WS row. Shaping on the right-hand edge will be complete, you will continue shaping as set on left-hand edge for some sizes.

Shape armholes:
At the beginning of RS rows:
BO 4 sts 0[0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1]time.
BO 3 sts 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3]times.
BO 2 sts 1[2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2] time(s).
Dec 1 st each on the right-hand edge on the next 2[2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3] RS rows.
When shaping is completed on both right-and left-hand edges, 72[74, 78, 81, 81, 85, 87] sts remain.

Work straight until piece measures 15[15.5, 16.5, 17, 18.5, 20, 21.5] inches from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape shoulders:
BO 6[7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10]sts at the beg of the next RS row.

BO 6[6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10] sts at the beg of the next 2 RS rows.

Front extensions:
Work straight on remaining 18 sts for 3, 3.25, 3.25, 3.5, 3.5, 3.75, 3.75] inches (stretched). Bind off or place on a holder.
SLEEVE (make 2)
Cuff:
With smaller needles CO 38[42, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58] sts.
Work straight in 2/2 rib for 5.5 inches, ending with a RS row.

Next row (WS): Change to larger needles and p10[12, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20], (p3, M1P) 8 times, p4[6, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14]. 46[50, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66] sts.

Set up patterns:
Next row (RS): Work 11[13, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21] sts in moss st, chart A over 24 sts, and 11[13, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21] sts in moss st.

Maintaining patt as established, inc 1 st at each end every 8th[8th, 6th, 6th, 4th, 4th, 4th] row, 6[6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11] times – 58[62, 66, 72, 78, 84, 88] sts.

Work straight until piece measures 13.5 inches sts from the beginning, ending with a WS row.

Shape sleeve cap:
BO 3 sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

BO 2 sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

Maintaining patt, dec 1 st each end every RS row 12[13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20] times.

BO 2 sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

BO 3 sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

Next row (RS): BO remaining 14[16, 18, 22, 26, 28, 28] sts.

FINISHING
Sew shoulder seams. Sew in sleeves. Sew underarm and side seams. Use three- needle bind-off, graft, or sew ends of front neck extensions to each other and sew down to the back neck.

Norah Gaughan is the design director at Berroco. Her newest self-titled volume, NG volume 9, is available in your LYS now.

Norah shares the Berroco design studio blog with designer, Amanda Keep. Catch up with them at blog.berroco.com.