Knotty But Nice by Rachel Illsley

Knotty But Nice

Knitting
June 2022
Light Fingering ?
23 stitches and 21 rows = 4 inches
in Textured pattern
US 6 - 4.0 mm
819 - 1295 yards (749 - 1184 m)
XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL)
English
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Knotty But Nice is the second design of my Macramé Collection, a series of knitwear designs inspired by the shapes and textures of macramé.
Knotty But Nice is a lightweight, drop-shoulder summer cardigan featuring all-over open textures created with dropped stitches and Knot Stitch pattern. The design can be worn as an open, loose cardigan, or with optional, detachable I-Cords to create a wrap-around, ballet-style cardigan.

SAMPLE
The wearer is 5’10” / 178cm with a 37” / 92.5cm chest circumference and a cross back measurement of 15” / 37.5cm. The sample has been worked in size L, giving the wearer 7.5” / 19cm of positive ease at the cross back and 4.5” / 11.25cm of positive ease at the upper arm. One extra repeat of the body pattern has been worked to allow for the wearer’s height.

CONSTRUCTION
The Knotty But Nice cardigan is worked top-down. The body is worked flat, then the sleeves are worked in the round. The pattern includes directions to create two detachable I-Cord ties that allow the garment to be styled in a number of ways.

SIZING GUIDE
This garment is graded into sizes XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL). Recommended positive ease is a minimum of 5” / 12.5cm at the Cross Back and a minimum of 3” / 7.5cm at the Upper Sleeve Circumference.

Finished Garment Cross Back:
18 (19.5, 22.25, 22.5, 25) (25.5, 25.75, 27.25. 27.25)“
45 (48.5, 55.5, 56.5, 62.5) (63.5, 64.5, 68, 68)cm

Sleeve Circumference:
13.25 (14.5, 15.25, 16, 17.5) (18.75, 20.25, 22.25, 23)“
33 (36.5, 38.5, 40, 43.5) (47, 50.5, 55.5, 57.5)cm

Finished Garment Chest and Waist Circumferences (same for both):
34.5 (37.25, 42, 44.25, 48.25) (53.25, 56.75, 60.25, 63)“
86 (93, 105, 110.5, 121) (133, 141.5, 150.5, 157.5)cm

GAUGE
The repeating textured stitch pattern is worked over 20 rows and is used throughout the majority of the garment. Use R1-20 of the Body (p.12) for your gauge swatch; recommended CO for gauge swatch is 28 sts (without I-Cord edges) or 34 sts (with I-Cord edges).
Using 4mm / US size 6 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 23 stitches over 21 rows in the textured stitch pattern, blocked, creates a 4x4”/10x10cm square.

YARN
The sample has been worked using Fruitful Fusion’s 4-ply / fingering weight base (75% Superwash Merino / 25% Nylon; 425m / 465yds per 100g) in colourway Fog.

YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess)
749 (815, 880, 908, 992) (1051, 1097, 1154, 1184) metres /
820 (891, 962, 993, 1085) (1150, 1200, 1262, 1296) yards /
176 (192, 207, 214, 233) (247, 258, 272, 279) grams.

TOOLS & NOTIONS
4mm / US size 6 circular needles (varying cable lengths would be helpful)
4mm / U size 6 double pointed needles (for optional I-Cord ties only)
2 markers
scrap yarn
tapestry needle to weave in ends

SKILLS REQUIRED
(^indicates video tutorial support included in pattern)
-Long tail cast on
-German short row shaping
-Working flat
-Working in garter stitch
-Drop-stitch crossover pattern^
-Knot Stitch pattern^
-Working I-Cord edges
-Working m1R and m1L increases
-Picking up stitches around an armhole
-Standard bind off

ERRATA
Page 7, Right-Hand Front, R13 (WS): Work I-Cord edge, work Drop-Stitch Crossover Stitch to last 3 sts of row, K3.
Page 11, Left-Hand Front, R42-43: Rep R40-41.