Pattern for 4ply 8 inch chest V neck cardigan. Hand knit version. (Conventional method.)

Yarn. 4 ply.
Needles. Pair of 3.25mm (UK 10) Knitting needles.
Pair of 2.75mm (UK 12) Knitting needles.

Back.
Using No.12 needles cast on 34 sts. work in 1x1 rib for 6 rows.
Change to No. 10 needles. Knit 40 rows in stocking stitch. Cast off.

Right Front.
Using No.12 needles cast on 16 sts. work in 1x1 rib for 6 rows.
Change to No. 10 needles. Knit 14 rows in stocking stitch ending with a wrong side row.
Next row. * Knit 2 tog. (first decrease made to shape v. neck) knit to end of row.
Next row purl.
Next row knit.
Next row purl *
Repeat from * to * until 9 sts remain. Knit 2 rows straight. ( 40 rows in total ) Cast off.

Left Front.
Using No.12 needles cast on 16 sts. work in 1x1 rib for 6 rows.
Change to No. 10 needles. Knit 14 rows in stocking stitch ending with a wrong side row.
Next row. * Knit to last two stitches knit 2 tog. (first decrease made to shape v. neck)
Next row purl.
Next row knit.
Next row purl *
Repeat from * to * until 9 sts remain. Knit 2 rows straight. ( 40 rows in total ) Cast off.

Written by Anne Murray- Bonnie Babies Member ©2003 Page 1

Sleeves (Both alike )
Using No.12 needles cast on 22 sts. work in 1x1 rib for 4 rows.
Change to No. 10 needles. Knit in stocking stitch increasing one stitch at each end of rows 5, 9,
13, 17 and 21. ( 32 sts.) Knit 5 rows straight. ( 26 rows in total )
Cast off.

Border/Button band.
Join shoulder seams. With right side facing, using No.12 needles pick up and knit sts evenly along edge of right front, across back of neck and down the left front. Knit 2 rows in 1x1 rib then make three evenly spaced buttonholes on the third row, knit two more rows then cast off in rib.
(I never bother to count the number of sts to pick up – just see what “looks right” If you look closely at the edge of your stocking stitch you will see a loop then a bump then a loop etc. Picking up one stitch for each loop and each bump will give a nice even band.)

To Make Up.
Fold sleeves in half lengthways, then placing folds to shoulder seams, sew sleeves in position.
Join sleeve and side seams. Sew on buttons.

Written by Anne Murray- Bonnie Babies Member ©2003 Page 2
Hand knit 4ply 8 inch chest cardigan (faster knitted version)

This pattern uses exactly the same number of stitches rows etc. only the construction method is different. It is faster to knit with less casting on/off and fewer seams to sew.

Order of knitting:

A. Knit right front – leave sts on .................................
spare needle.

B. Knit left front

C. Cast on sts . for back of neck.
Knit down the back.

D. Pick up sts. and knit sleeves
down to the cuff.

E. Do button band.
Sew side / sleeve seams

A. Knit right front as given in previous pattern. DO NOT CAST OFF. Break wool and put stitches on st. holder or spare needle. (Sock knitting dp or cable needle works best)

B. Knit left front as given in pattern ending with a wrong side row. DO NOT CAST OFF. DO NOT BREAK THE YARN. (I mark edge of last row on both fronts with a coloured thread – helps position sleeves more accurately)

C. Knit the 9sts. from the left front. Cast on 16 sts. for back of neck. Knit the9sts of right front from stitch holder. (34 stitches on needle). Knit in stocking st. for another 39 rows.
Change to size 12 needles. Work 6 rows in 1x1 rib. Cast off in rib.

D. With right side of work facing and using size 10 needle pick up and knit 16sts. either side of marker (red dot in diagram/coloured thread at edge of knitting ) making 32sts. in total. This counts as the first row.
Working in st. st. decrease at both ends of rows 5, 9, 13, 17 and 21. (22sts)
Knit straight to end of row 26. Change to size 12 needles. work 4 rows 1x1 rib. Cast off in rib.

N.B. When picking up stitches to knit down the sleeve do not pick up the stitches at the very edge. Pick up along the first “straight line” of sts. Do not pick up every stitch – pick up 3 miss one pick up next 3 etc. This gives the top of the sleeve a bit of ease.

E. Button band.
Right side of work facing use size 12 needles to pick up along edge of front, across back of neck and down other front. Knit 2 rows in 1x1 rib. Make buttonholes on row three. Knit two more rows then cast off in rib.

Written by Anne Murray- Bonnie Babies Member ©2003 Page 3
Another way to knit the cardigan

If you find it fiddly casting on in the middle to “join” the fronts you can start by knitting the back first and casting off instead of casting on.
No. 12 needles. Cast on 34sts. Knit 6 rows 1x1 rib. Change to No10 needles and knit 40 rows in stocking stitch as given in original pattern. DO NOT CAST OFF.
Knit the number of sts. needed for top of right shoulder i.e. Knit 9sts. and slip onto a stitch holder for the right front. Cast off the next 16 sts for back of neck then knit the left front on the remaining 9sts.
Remember as you are knitting DOWN the front to reverse the shaping - instead of doing
decreases do increases every 4 rows then 14 rows straight.
Change to size 12 needles knit 6 rows 1x1 rib and cast off.
Rejoin wool to stitches on holder and knit the second front.
Knit sleeves and button band as before etc.

Written by Anne Murray- Bonnie Babies Member ©2003 Page 4