This sophisticated cardigan has just enough cheekiness to stave off wardrobe boredom. This sweater can be worn in a more traditional way simply by changing the buttonhole location.

Shown in size Small

Sizes

Directions are for women’s size X-Small.  Changes for sizes Small, Medium, Large, 1X and 2X are in parentheses

Finished Measurements

Bust – 32(36-40-44-48-52)”

Length – 21½(22-23-23½-24-24½)”

Materials

5(6-7-8-9-10) Hanks Berroco Campus (100 grs), #2451 Latte

Straight knitting needles, size 10½ (6.50 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE

29” Length circular knitting needle, size 10½ (6.50 mm)

Three 1½” buttons

Gauge

13 sts = 4”; 17 rows = 4” in St st

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE

Back

With straight needles, cast on 54(60-66-72-78-84) sts.  Knit 4 rows.  Work even in St st until piece measures 2(2-2½-2½-3-3)” from beg, end on WS.

Dec Row (RS):   K1, k2 tog, k to last 3 sts, SSK, k1 – 52(58-64-70-76-82) sts.  Rep this dec every 2½” twice more – 48(54-60-66-72-78) sts.  Work even until piece measures 9(9-9½-9½-10-10)” from beg, end on WS.

Inc Row (RS):  K1, M1k, k to last st, M1k, k1 – 50(56-62-68-74-80) sts.  Rep this inc every 1½” twice more – 54(60-66-72-78-84) sts.  Work even until piece measures 13(13-13½-13½-14-14)” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Armholes:  Bind off 3(4-5-5-6-6) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of the following 2 rows, end on WS – 44(48-52-58-62-68) sts.  Dec 1 st each side every RS row 4(4-5-6-6-8) times – 36(40-42-46-50-52) sts.  Work even until armholes measure 7½(8-8½-9-9-9½)”, end on WS.

Shape Shoulders:  Bind off 4(5-6-7-8-8) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 4(5-5-6-7-8) sts at beg of the following 2 rows.  Bind off remaining 20 sts for back neck.

Left Front

With straight needles, cast on 39(43-46-49-52-56) sts.  Knit 4 rows.  Work even in St st until piece measures 2(2-2½-2½-3-3)” from beg, end on WS.

Dec Row (RS):  K1, k2 tog, k to end – 38(42-45-48-51-55) sts.  Rep this dec every 2½” twice more – 36(40-43-46-49-53) sts.  Work even until piece measures 9(9-9½-9½-10-10)” from beg, end on WS.

Inc Row (RS):  K1, M1k, k to end – 37(41-44-47-50-54) sts.  Rep this inc every 1 ½” twice more – 39(43-46-49-52-56) sts.  Work even until piece measures 13(13-13½-13½-14-14)” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Armhole and Neck:  Next Row (RS):  Bind off 3(4-5-5-6-6) sts, k to last 3 sts, SSK (neck dec), k1 – 35(38-40-43-45-49) sts.  Bind off 2 sts at armhole edge once, then dec 1 st every RS row 4(4-5-6-6-8) times.  AT THE SAME TIME, continue to dec 1 st at neck edge every ¾” 8(9-9-9-9-10) times more.  When all decs have been completed, work even on 21(23-24-26-28-29) sts until armhole measures 7½(8-8½-9-9-9½)”, end on WS.  Bind off 4(5-6-7-8-8) sts at armhole edge once, then 4(5-5-6-7-8) sts once – 13 sts.  Work even on 13 sts for neck extension until piece measures 3” above last group of bound-off sts, end on WS.  Bind off.  Mark placement of 3 buttons along front edge, the first 7” up from lower edge, the last ½” down from beg of neck shaping and the other evenly spaced between.

Right Front

Work to correspond to left front, reversing all shaping.  Work side decs and incs 1 st in from end of RS rows.  When piece measures 4½” from beg, end on WS.

Note:  If you want your sweater to look gathered in the front as in the photo, follow these directions.  If you desire a traditional cardigan look, continue to work until piece measures 7” from beg, then make buttonholes opposite markers on left front.

Buttonhole Row:  K4, bind off 2 sts, work to end.

Following Row:  Purl, cast on 2 sts over sts bound off on previous row.  Make 2 more buttonholes 3½” apart.  Bind off for armhole at beg of WS rows.  Work neck decs at beg of RS rows as k1, k2 tog.  Bind off for shoulder on WS rows.

Sleeves

With straight needles, cast on 30(30-32-32-34-34) sts.  Knit 4 rows.  Work even in St st until sleeve measures 2” from beg, end on WS.

Inc Row (RS):  K1, M1k, k to last st, M1k, k1 – 32(32-34-34-36-36) sts.  Rep this inc every 3¾(3-2½-2-1¾-1½)” 4(5-6-7-8-10) times more – 40(42-46-48-52-56) sts.  Work even until sleeve measures 18” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Cap:  Bind off 3(4-5-5-6-6) sts at beg of the next 2 rows, then 2 sts at beg of the following 2 rows – 30(30-32-34-36-40) sts.  Dec 1 st each side every RS row 10(9-10-9-10-12) times, end on WS – 10(12-12-16-16-16) sts.  Bind off 2 sts at beg of the next 2 rows.  Bind off remaining 6(8-8-12-12-12) sts.

Finishing

Sew shoulder seams.  Sew bound-off edges of neck extensions together.  Sew inner edges of neck extensions to back neck edge with seam in center.

Neck Edging:  With RS facing, using circular needle, beg at lower right front edge, pick up and k150(156-162-168-168-174) sts along right front edge, across back neck edge, then along left front edge.  Knit 2 rows.  Bind off knitwise on WS.  Sew in sleeves.  Sew side and sleeve seams.  Sew on buttons.