Avocet A is an easy garter stitch cardigan with feminine waist shaping. Light as air inserts of Ultra Alpaca Fine form front godets and a spread collar. It's an adorned version of Avocet B.

Shown in size Large

Sizes

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

Finished Measurements

Bust (closed) – 32(36-40-44-48-52)”

Length – 24½(25-25½- 26-26½ -27)”

Materials

8(8-10-11-12-13) Hanks Berroco Ultra Alpaca (100 grs), #6207 Salt & Pepper (MC)

1 Hank Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (100 grs), #1207 Salt & Pepper (CC)

Straight knitting needles, sizes 7 (4.50 mm) and 8 (5.00 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge

20 sts = 4”;  36 rows = 4” in Garter St with MC on larger needles

20 sts = 4”;  28 rows = 4” in St st with CC on smaller needles

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE

Back

With larger needles, using MC, cast on 80(90-100-110-120-130) sts.  Work even in Garter St until piece measures 20½(2½ -2½-3-3-3½)” from beg, end on WS.  Dec 1 st each side of next row, then every 1½” 4 times more – 70(80-90-100-110-120) sts.  Work even until piece measures 12(12-12-12½-12½-13” from beg, end on WS.  Inc 1 st each side on next row, then every 3/4”  4 times more – 80(90-100-110-120-130 sts.  Work even until piece measures 16(16-16-16½-16½ - 17)” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Armholes:  Bind off 5(5-6-7-8-9) sts at beg of the next 2 rows – 70(80-88-96-104-112) sts.  Dec 1 st each side every RS row 5(8-9-11-12-14) times – 60(64-70-74-80-84) sts.  Work even until armholes measure 7 1/2(8-8½-8½- 9- 9)”, end on WS.

Shape Shoulders:  Bind off 3(5-5-6-7-6) sts at beg of the next 2(2-8-4-2-2) rows, then 4(4-0-5-6-7) sts at beg of the next 6(6-0-4-6-6) rows.  Bind off remaining 30 sts for back neck.

Left Front

With larger needles, using MC, cast on 16(18-20-23-25-28) sts;  with a second hank of MC, cast on 24(28-30-32-35-38) sts – 40(46-50-55-60-66) sts.  Mark beg of row for RS.  Work even in Garter st on both sections with separate hanks of MC forming lower opening. When piece measures 2½” from beg, end on WS.  Dec 1 st at beg of the next RS row, then at same edge every 1½” 4 times more – 35(41-45-50-55-61) sts.  AT THE SAME TIME, when piece measures 8(8-8-8 1/2- 8 1/2-9)” from beg, end on WS.

Joining Row (RS):  K across all sts with first hank, fastening off second hank.  When all decs have been completed, work even until piece measures 12(12-12- 12½ -12½-13)” from beg, end on WS.  Inc 1 st at beg of the next row, then at same edge every ¾” 4 times more – 40(46-50-55-60-66) sts.  Work even until piece measures 16(16-16-16½ -16½ -17)” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Armhole:  Bind off 5(5-6-7-8-9) sts, k to end – 35(41-44-48-52-57) sts.  Dec 1 st at armhole edge every RS row 5(8-9-11-12-14) times – 30(33-35-37-40-43) sts.  AT THE SAME TIME, when armhole measures ½(1-1½ -1½ -2-2)”, end on RS.

Bodice Opening:  Next Row (WS):  With a second hank of MC, cast on 2 sts;  with first hank of yarn, bind off 2 sts, k to end.  From here, work both sides of slit at the same time with separate hanks of yarn while continuing to work armhole decs.

Dec/Inc Row (RS):  With first hank, k to 3 sts from end of first section, SSK, k1; with second hank, k1, M1k, k1.  Rep this Dec/Inc Row every RS row 26 times more, end on WS – 1(4-6-8-11-14) sts worked with first hank and 29 sts with second hank.

Joining Row (RS):  K all sts with first hank, fastening off second hank – 30(33-35-37-40-43) sts.  Work even until armhole measures 7½(8-8½- 8½ -9-9)”, end on WS.

Shape Shoulder:  Bind off 3(5-5-6-7-6) sts at armhole edge 1(1-4-2-1-1) times, then 4(4-0-5-6-7) sts 3(3-0-2-3-3) times – 15(16-15-15-15-16) sts.  Work even on 15 sts for neck extension until piece measures 3” above last group of bound-off sts, end on WS.  Bind off.

Right Front

Work to correspond to left front, reversing all shaping.  Cast on 24(28-30-32-35-38) sts with first hank, then 16(18-20-23-25-28) sts with second hank.  Work side decs and incs at end of RS rows.  Bind off for armhole on WS row.  Beg Bodice Opening on RS row.  Work Inc/Dec Row as follows:  With first hank, k1, M1k, k1; with second hank, k1, k2 tog, k to end.  Bind off for shoulder on WS rows.

Sleeves

With larger needles, using MC, cast on 44 sts.  Work even in Garter St for 3”, end on WS.  Inc 1 st each side of next row, then every 2(1½-1-1-¾ -¾ )” 7(9-12-14-17-19) times more – 60(64-70-74-80-84) sts.  Work even until sleeve measures 18” from beg, end on WS.

Shape Cap:  Bind off 5(5-6-7-8-9) sts at beg of the next 2 rows – 50(54-58-60-64-66) sts.  Dec 1 st each side every 4th row 6(6-7-6-6-5) times, then every RS row 12(12-10-12-12-14) times, end on WS – 14(18-24-24-28-28) sts.  Bind off 3 sts at beg of the next 2 rows.  Bind off remaining 8(12-18-18-22-22) sts.

Finishing

Lower Left Insert:  With RS facing, using smaller needles and CC, beg at bottom of lower left opening, pick up and k40(40-40-43-43-45) sts along inner edge of left slit.  Beg with a p row, work even in St st for 8(8-8-8½ - 8½ -9)”, end on WS.  Bind off.  Sew left side edge of insert to outer edge of opening.

Lower Right Insert:  Beg at top of inner edge of right lower opening, work same as lower left insert.

Upper Left Insert:  With RS facing, using smaller needles and CC, beg at left front edge, pick up and k40 sts along upper edge of left bodice opening.  Beg with a p row, work even in St st for 8”, end on WS.  Bind off.  Sew left edge of insert to lower edge of bodice opening.

Upper Right Insert:  Beg at inner edge of right bodice opening, work same as upper left insert.  Sew shoulder seams.  Sew in sleeves.  Sew side and sleeve seams.