UNISEX CARDIGAN (FREE KNITTING PATTERN)
Wearing layers is important. I don't know how many times I have poured an entire cup of coffee or a grotesque amount of pasta sauce on myself. As I type, I'm actually wearing a sweater that I thought I had destroyed by making pasta sauce. Luckily, I found a way to get the stain out after months of staring at the giant red splodge. But yeah, layers. If you are clumsy like me, and you spill something on yourself, you just take off a layer and you're good to go. This also means that your outermost layer should probably be machine washable, hence my yarn choice for this project.
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YARN: 500 g (18 oz) 12-ply (chunky) machine washable acrylic/wool blend yarn (we used Berroco Vintage® Chunky) in golden yellow
NEEDLES: 6 mm (US10, UK4) circular needles, 100 cm (40 in) and 25 cm (10 in)
GAUGE: 16 stitches and 16 rows to 10 cm (4 in)
NECESSITIES: 2 stitch holders (or use waste yarn)
SIZE: smallish guy/medium gal
Step 1
BODY PATTERN
Starting with the longer needles, CO 144 sts.
Knit 4 rows in garter stitch.
Row 5: K2, BO2, K to end of row.
Row 6: Knit back to BO sts, CO2, K2.
Knit 2 rows.
You should have 8 rows knitted (4 garter-stitch ridges) at this point.
Row 9: K6, P until 6 sts rem, K6.
Row 10: KALL.
Repeat rows 9 and 10 until you have knit 10 cm (4 in) — roughly 20 rows — from the garter stitch band. In the next two rows, make a buttonhole in the garter stitch band using the same method as in rows 5 and 6.
Continue knitting and making buttonholes every 10 cm (4 in) until you have made 4 buttonholes in total (approximately 40 cm or 16 in from CO edge).
Step 2
BEGIN DECREASING FOR NECKLINE
Turn work and K6, purl to last 6 sts, K6.
On the following row, K6, SSK, K until 8 sts rem, K2tog, K6.
Repeat these two rows 7 more times until body measures 48 cm (19 in): 128 sts.
On the final row: K6, SSK, K14 (break yarn), place 12 sts on a stitch holder or waste yarn, K60 (break off yarn), place 12 sts on a stitch holder or waste yarn, K14, K2tog, K6.
Set aside.
Step 3
BEGIN SLEEVES (make 2)
Use the shorter needles and a new ball of yarn.
CO 29 sts in the round.
(K 1 row, P 1 row) for 8 rows (4 garter stitch ridges)
K 1 row to last 3 sts, PM, K3, PM.
*INCREASE ROUND: (Beginning at last marker placed) M1, K to marker, M1, K3.
K4 rounds*.
Repeat these 5 rounds from to until there are 47 sts OTN. Continue knitting until sleeve measures 48 cm (19 in). On the final round, place the first 6 sts onto waste yarn or stitch holder, K35, and place the last 6 sts on waste yarn or stitch holder.
Step 4
JOIN SLEEVES TO BODY
K6, P17, PM, P across all sleeve sts, PM, P60, PM, P across all sleeve sts, PM, P17, K6.
Row 1: K6, SSK, K until 8 sts rem, K2tog, K6.
Row 2: K6, P until 6 sts rem, K6.
Step 5
BEGIN RAGLAN DECREASES
Row 1: K6, SSK, K until 3 sts before first marker, K2tog, K1, SM, SSK, K sleeve sts until 2 rem, K2tog, SM, K1, SSK, K until 3 sts before 3rd marker, K2tog, K1, SM, SSK, K sleeve sts until 2 rem, K2tog, SM, K1, SSK, K until 8 sts rem, K2tog, K6.
That looks intense, right? BREATHE. What you’re doing here is creating the V-neck opening on the first and last decreases of the row, while also doing a raglan sleeve decrease at the beginnings and ends of where the sleeves were joined to the body. I like to do all of the crazy stuff on a “Party Row”, and then I throw in a simple row after that so I can look up at the TV or chat with friends. And so, that brings us to…
Row 2: K6, PALL, K6.
(Take a sip of tea or coffee, a shot of vodka. Whatever.) Repeat these two rows five more times (12 rows), paying close attention to the correct decreases at the correct markers.
Row 13: K6, SSK, slip stitch back to LH needle, K2tog, K1, SM, SSK, K sleeve sts until 2 rem, K2tog, SM, K1, SSK, K until 3 sts before 3rd marker, K2tog, K1, SM, SSK, K sleeve sts until 2 rem, K2tog, SM, K1, SSK, slip stitch back to LH needle and K2tog, K6.
Row 14 and all even rows: K6, PALL, K6.
Row 15: K8, SM, SSK, K sleeve sts until 2 rem, K2tog, SM, K1, SSK, K until 3 sts before 3rd marker, K2tog, K1, SM, SSK, K sleeve sts until 2 rem, K2tog, SM, K8.
Repeat rows 14 and 15 until there are 3 sleeve stitches left OTN between markers (50 sts total). Work another even row, removing the markers as you go.
If you’re still with me, we’re gonna work on the neckline now...
Step 6
NECKLINE
(Begin short row shaping)
Row 1: K6 border sts, K34, turn.
Row 2: P30, turn.
Row 3: K29, K2tog, turn.
Row 4: P29, P2tog, turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until 10 rows have been knitted.
Row 11: KALL, Including the 6 border sts.
Row 12: K6, PALL, K6.
Knit edging along neckline as follows:
Row 1: K7, turn.
Row 2: K2tog, K5 (WS).
Repeat until all sts have been used (except the 12 sts from the button band). At this point, you will have two sets of 6 live sts facing each other. Kitchener those babies together, along with the live sts in the armpits, weave in your ends and sew on some buttons.
You made yourself a cardigan!
Step 7
This tank top knitting pattern is excerpted with permission from The Knitster: 20 Patterns for Hip Knitters
by Robbie Dulaney and published by Hardie Grant.
