About the Design:
This cardigan jacket was such a pleasure to knit, thanks to the super-soft baby alpaca yarn and the easy to knit faux cable pattern. The stitch pattern is called “Smocked Ribbing” and consists of ribbing that is wrapped with the working yarn, at regular intervals.

The sleeves are squarely inset, for an easy sleeve shaping that does the job of eliminating fabric bulk, at the underarms. The body is knit back and forth on a circular needle to the underarms, then the fronts and back are knit separately to the shoulders.

The sleeves are picked up and knit around the armhole, working back and forth for a bit, then working in the round to the wrist. The underarm seams are sewn, or slip stitched together, as I’ve done. Single crochet with slip stitch edgings make for quick finishing. Celtic knot buttons mimic the cabled appearance of the stitch patterning.

I used Indiecita’s Baby Alpaca DK, held double throughout, but knit with a smaller needle size than would ordinarily be used for 2 strands of DK yarn. Alpaca has little resiliency and I wanted to counter its tendency to stretch, by using a slightly snugger gauge.

Sizes: P / S-M / M-L / L-XL
Chest: 34 / 40 / 46 / 52″
Length: 22 / 23 / 24 / 25″

Yarn: Indiecita Baby Alpaca DK,100% superfine alpaca, 125 yds/50 g balls: 19 / 23 / 28 / 33 balls # 2010, or color of your choice.

(NOTE: I made the S-M size and used 21 balls, but I added 10% to all figures, to allow for knitter differences.)

Gauges: 2 strands yarn are held together throughout pattern.

1. 20 sts and 22 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in st st,
2. 30 sts and 24 rows = 4″ in Smocked Rib Pattern, as knit, and
3. 22 sts and 24 rows = 4″ in Smocked Rib Pattern blocked, using size 8 ndls. To save time, take time to check gauges.

Substitute Yarn Wt: DK

Skill Level: Intermediate

Happy Knitting!
Dawn