Our gently shaped dolman cardigan is knit cuff to center. An embossed leaf pattern runs up the sleeve across the shoulders and forms a back yoke.

Leona

Skill level:  Intermediate

Shown in size Medium

Sizes

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

Finished measurements

Length - 24½(25-26-26½-27½-28)" including bottom band

Materials

Two 29" Length circular knitting needles, size 8 (5.00 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE

29" Length circular knitting needle, size 6 (4.00 mm)

2 St markers

Three 1" decorative buttons from One World Button Supply Co.

Three ½” metal snaps

Optional:  Three 1” regular functional buttons

Gauge

17 sts = 4"; 25 rows = 4" in Pat St on larger needles

TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE

Note

This garment is made in 2 pieces.  Each piece starts at the sleeve cuff and worked to the center of back and front;  2 sections of the back are then joined using 3-needle bind off.  Lower band (worked during finishing) is not shown on schematic.

Pattern Stitch (Begins and ends with 17 sts)

Note:  Due to the nature of this pat st, the number of sts will vary from row to row.  The number give at the end of rows is the number of sts you will have after completing that row.

Row 1 (RS):  P2, * k1, p5, rep from * once more, end k1, p2.

Row 2:  K2, * p1, k5, rep from * once more, end p1, k2.

Row 3:  P5, * yo, k1, yo, p5, rep from * once more - 21 sts.

Rows 4, 6 and 8:  K5, * p3, k5, rep from * once more.

Rows 5 and 7:  P5, * k3, p5, rep from * once more.

Row 9:  P5, * sl 1, k2 tog, psso, p5, rep from * once more - 17 sts..

Rows 10 and 12:  K5, * p1, k5, rep from * once more.

Row 11:  P5, * k1, p5, rep from * once more.

Row 13:  P2, * yo, k1, yo, p5, rep from * once more, end yo, k1, yo, p2 - 23 sts.

Rows 14, 16 and 18:  K2, * p3, k5, rep from * once more, end p3, k2.

Rows 15 and 17:  P2, * k3, p5, rep from * once more, end k3, p2.

Row 19:  P2, * sl 1, k2 tog, psso, p5, rep from * once more, end sl 1, k2 tog, psso, p2 - 17 sts.

Row 20:  Rep Row 2.

Rep these 20 rows for Pat St.

Left Side

Sleeve:  With smaller needle, cast on 74 sts.

Row 1 (RS):  K2, * p2, k2, rep from * across.

Row 2:  P2, * k2, p2, rep from * across.  Rep these 2 rows until sleeve measures 1½" from beg, end on RS.  Change to larger needle and p the next row, dec 25 sts as evenly spaced across as possible - 49 sts. 

Establish Pattern Stitch:

Row 1 (RS):  K16, place marker, work Row 1 of Pat St over 17 sts, place marker, k to end.

Row 2:  P to first marker, work Row 2 of Pat St to last marker, p to end. 

Inc Row (RS):  K1, M1k, work in pat as established to last st, M1k, k1 - 51 sts.  Rep this inc every 1(1-¾-¾-½-½)" 8(10-12-14-17-19) times more - 67(71-75-79-85-89) sts.  Work even until sleeve measures 12" from beg, end on WS.  Mark beg and end of last row for beg of body.

Shape Left Back and Left Front:  Cast on 54(54-56-56-58-58) sts at beg of the next 2 rows - 175(179-187-191-201-205) sts.  Keeping 17 sts between markers in Pat St and remaining sts in St st, work even until piece measures 4½(5½-6½-7½-8½-9½)" above markers, end on WS. 

Back:  Next Row (RS):  Work 88(90-94-96-101-103) sts, then sl remaining 87(89-93-95-100-102) sts to a piece of waste yarn for front.  Work even on sts of back until piece measures 8(9-10-11-12-13)" above markers, end on WS.  Leave sts on circular needle.

Front:  With RS facing, sl 87(89-93-95-100-102) sts from waste yarn to second larger circular needle.

Shape Neck:  Bind off 13(14-15-16-17-18) sts at beg of the next row.  Purl 1 row.  Bind off 8(9-10-11-12-13) sts at beg of the next RS row.  Purl 1 row.  Binding off at beg of RS rows, bind off 7(7-7-7-8-8) sts once, 6 sts once, 5 sts once, then 4 sts once, end on WS - 44(44-46-46-48-48) sts.  Work 2 rows even, end on WS.  Bind off.

Right Side

Work same as left side until body measures 4½(5½-6½-7½-8½-9½)" above markers, end on WS - 175(179-187-191-201-205) sts.

Next Row (RS):  Work 87(89-93-95-100-102) sts, then sl these sts onto smaller circular needle for front.

Back:  Work remaining 88(90-94-96-101-103) sts, then work even on these sts until piece measures 8(9-10-11-12-13)" above markers, end on WS.  Sl these sts to a piece of waste yarn.

Front:  With WS facing, sl 87(89-93-95-100-102) sts from smaller circular needle to larger circular needle.  Join yarn and shape neck in same manner as left side, binding off at beg of WS rows instead of RS rows.

Finishing

Sl 88(90-94-96-101-103) sts of right back from waste yarn to smaller circular needle.  Hold sts of right back and left back together with needles parallel, one in front of the other.  Join yarn and, using second larger circular needle, * insert point of LH needle through first st on front needle and first st on back needle and k these 2 sts tog; rep from *, then bind off one st.  Continue in this manner until all sts have been bound off.  Sew side and sleeve seams.

Lower Ribbing:  With RS facing, using smaller needle, beg at left front edge, pick up and k49(56-63-74-77-83) sts along lower edge of left front, 112(126-140-154-168-182) sts along lower edge of back, then 49(56-63-74-77-83) sts along lower edge of left front - 210(238-266-302-322-348) sts.  Knit 2 rows, end on RS.  Beg with Row 2, work in ribbing same as sleeves for 3", end on WS.  Bind off in ribbing.

Left Frontband:  With RS facing, using smaller needle, beg at center back neck, pick up and k24 sts along half of back neck, 68(70-72-74-76-78) sts along left front neck edge, then 79(79-81-81-83-83) sts along left front edge – 171(173-177-179-183-185) sts.  Knit 2 rows, end on RS. 

Ribbing:  Row 1 (WS):  P1, * k1, p1, rep from * across.

Row 2:  K1, * p1, k1, rep from * across.  Rep these 2 rows until band measures 1½”, end on WS.  Bind off in ribbing.

Right Frontband:  With RS facing, using smaller needle, beg at lower right front edge, pick up and k79(79-81-81-83-83) sts along right front edge, 68(70-72-74-76-78) sts along right front neck edge, then 24 sts across remaining half of back neck edge – 171(173-177-179-183-185) sts.  Work same as left frontband for ¾”, end on WS.  Note:  If using regular buttons, work the next 2 rows.  If using decorative buttons and snaps, skip the next 2 rows.

Optional Buttonhole Row (RS):  Working in ribbing as established, work 29(29-31-31-33-33) sts, bind off 2 sts, * work until there are 22 sts on RH needle after bound-off sts, bind off 2 sts, rep from * once more, work to end. 

Following Row:  Work in ribbing as established, cast on 2 sts over each pair of sts bound off on previous row.  Complete to correspond to left frontband.  Sew edges of frontbands together at center back neck.  If using regular buttons, sew on buttons opposite buttonholes.  If using decorative buttons and snaps, sew one half of snaps to RS of left frontband, the first 5½(5½-6-6-6½-6½)” up from lower edge, the last ½” below beg of front neck shaping and the other centered between the first 2.  Sew the second half of snaps to the WS of right frontband opposite those on the left frontband.  Sew decorative buttons to RS of right frontband over snaps.