This winter I have worked a lot of stranded knitting, this is my latest design featuring my influences from my childhood…..

Design
I wanted a neat cardigan that could be worn with both jeans, skirts and also over a dress. This cutie is great buttoned or open, I will really enjoy wearing it a lot:)
The stranded pattern embellishes the hem, the cuffs and the yoke of the cardigan. The cardigan is shaped for waist (but could also be worked without shaping). The upper body is shaped by raglan-decreases; this ensures a really great fit over shoulders.
The neckline is a neat crew-neck; not too close to the neck…..

Construction
The cardigan is worked bottom-up and in-the-round and is completely seamless. To be able to work the stranded pattern from RS only the cardigan features a steek (which is later reinforced and cut). The neckline is worked from spared and picked-up sts.
The button-band and buttonhole-band are worked from picked-up sts.

Sizes
Finished chest measurements: 87/91/96/100/104/109/113/117/122cm = 34.25/36/37.75/39.25/41/43/44.5/46/48”.
Sample is worked in size 1, with 2” of positive ease.

Materials
Yarn: I used the fingering weight yarn ”Mini Alpakka” from Sandnes Garn to work the cardigan. This yarn comes in balls of 50gr/1.76oz and 150m/164yards. You will need 5/6/6/7/7/8/8/9/9 ballss of MC (black), 1 ball of CC1 – 1088 (dark grey), 1/1/1/2/2/2/2/2/2 ball(s) of CC2 – 1032 (light grey), 1 ball of CC3 – 1012 (white). Please keep in mind that choosing an alpaca yarn means that you need to reinforce the steek by machine. The yarn fibers are too long and soft for steeking the edges by crocheting. If you prefer to secure your steeks using the crochet method you should choose a fingering weight yarn in a sticky wool. Needles: use needle size to obtain gauge. 1 long, circular needle 3mm/US2.5 for the lower and upper body. A set of dpns (5 needles) 3mm/US2.5 for the sleeves. The sleeves might also be worked using a circular needle and the magic loop. 1 pair of straight needles 3mm/US2.5 for the button-bands and neck-edge. Notions: 6 removable stitch-markers, separate holders, blunt tapestry needle, blocking tools. 10 (or less/more) buttons 1.4mm/0.55” across.

Gauge
27 sts and 36 rounds in stockinette sts (using one color or in stranded pattern) = 10cmx10cm/4”x4”. Gauge is after washing/blocking. For best results work a swatch!

The pattern
There are charts for the stranded sections.
All measurements are given in cm’s as well as in inches.
All necessary stitch-counts are given.
There is a schematic. The process of reinforcing the steek is explained.
Apart from working in-the-round, following a chart, reinforcing and cutting the steek, picking up sts no particular skills are needed.
Knitting skill level: intermediate to advanced.