Back in the Saddle is a one-piece, top-down cardigan. The yoke is worked using contiguous increases to create a saddle shoulder from the top. The shoulder caps are shaped using short rows, giving the jacket a tailored look. Then contiguous set-in sleeves are worked down to the underarms. The yoke ribbing adds a certain spiffy-ness to the jacket that makes it unique. The button bands or zippered edges are picked up after the body of the jacket has been completed and are finished off with an i-cord bind off.

Please be aware that the project shown is a Child size 12, however, my son is 10 and a half. I wanted this jacket to last a while so he has some room to grow!

Sizes
Infant 3mo. (6mo., 9mo.) / Child 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)(6, 8, 10, 12)

Actual Chest Measurement:
16” (17”, 18”) / 20” (21”, 22”, 23”, 24”)(25”, 27”, 28”, 30”)
40.5 (43, 46) / 51 (53, 56, 58.5, 61)(63.5, 68.5, 71, 76) cm

Finished Measurements
Finished Chest Circumference (including ease):
20” (21”, 22”) / 24” (25”, 26”, 27”, 28”)(29”, 31”, 32”, 34”)
51 (53, 56) / 61 (63.5, 66, 68.5, 71)(73.5, 78.5, 81, 86.5) cm

Finished Armhole Depth:
4” (4”, 4.5”) / 4.5” (5”, 5”, 5.5”, 6”)(6.5”, 7”, 7.5”, 8”)
10 (10, 11.5) / 11.5 (12.5, 12.5, 14, 15)(16.5, 18, 19, 20) cm

Ease
Measure your child’s actual chest circumference at its fullest point. This jacket is designed with 4” (10 cm) of ease at the chest, which is refected in the “finished” schematic measurements in the pattern. Therefore, you should choose the size that corresponds to this recommended amount of ease, regardless of your child’s age.

Gauge
20 stitches x 28 rows = 4” (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on size US 7 (4.5 mm) needles (or size needed to get gauge), measured on a washed and blocked swatch.

Difficulty
Intermediate: This pattern is knit from the top-down, beginning with the collar. There are some difficult increases that are worked into the rib pattern on both the right side and wrong side of the work (m1R, m1L, m1pR, m1pL). There is also a detail introduction to the “shadow wrap” short row method, which I highly recommend. You must also know how to pick up stitches from a finished edge along the underarms when working the sleeves.

Needles
3 sets of US Size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles (or size needed to achieve gauge) for body, sleeves and pockets; US Size 5 (3.75 mm) for ribbing, US Size 9 (5.5 mm) for i-cord and regular bind-offs.

Yarn
Malabrigo Rios Worsted Weight 210 yards / 192 meters per 100 g skein, OR
madelinetosh tosh DK 225 yards / 205 meters per skein.
Yardage varies depending on the yarn you decide to use.

Main Color requirements Infant Sizes 3 (6, 9 months):
250 (300, 325) yards / 230 (260, 290) meters

Main Color requirements Child Sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)(6, 8, 10, 12 Years):
375 (425, 450, 525, 575)(625, 725, 825, 925) yards / 330 (375, 415, 475, 515)(570, 660, 750, 850) meters

Contrast Color requirements:
Approximately 50 to 100 yards/meters depending on size. Feel free to use up stash yarn!

Yardage requirements varies between knitters as well as yarn types, the above mentioned requirements are estimates. If you do decide to substitute a different yarn, please be sure that it is of a similar content, to ensure that the drape and look of the finished garment will turn out as you expect it to be.

Languages
This pattern is available in both English and German.