model: Natalie Selles
photos: Laura Chau
by Laura Chau
For when you’re feeling a little girly, a little dressy, a little 19th-century, comes Amelia!
This feminine cardigan features deep garter stitch cuffs and a bit of a peplum, along with pintuck-inspired twisted rib panels. The scoop neck and slightly cropped length lets you show off a fun top underneath, and a bit of twisted rib at the waist accents your curves – or gives you the look of them!
Amelia is quick to knit up in a super-soft aran-weight yarn with lots of bounce and a great sheen, and is worked seamlessly from the bottom up.
For alternate yarns, choose something with good body and stretch, as well as great stitch definition – make those pintucks pop!
Shown with zero ease.
SIZE
XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X]
Shown in size M/38
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 30[34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches
Length: 19[20, 21, 21, 22, 23, 24.5] inches
MATERIALS
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted (100% superwash wool; 225yd/206m per 4 oz skein]; color: Blackberry; 5[5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10] skeins
Recommended needle size:
1 US #7/4.5 mm circular needle, 24 inches or longer
1 US #6/4 mm circular needle, 24 inches or longer
1 set US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles
1 set US #6/4 mm double-point needles
1 spare set double-point needles, US #6/4mm or smaller
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
Plenty of stitch markers
Safety pin or split ring marker
Waste yarn
Tapestry needle
5-6 buttons, 0.5 inch circumference (buy buttons after sweater is complete to ensure correct size)
GAUGE
20 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st using smaller needles
22 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in 1x1 Twisted Rib using smaller needles
18 sts/36 rows = 4 inches in garter st using larger needles
PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found
here.]
Body shaping is achieved through the use of stitch patterns with differing gauges, rather than through working increases and decreases.
1x1 Twisted Rib (Worked over an odd number of sts):
Row 1 [RS]:
P1, [k1 tbl, p1] to end.
Row 2 [WS]:
K1, [p1 tbl, k1] to end.
Repeat these 2 rows for 1x1 Twisted Rib.
Garter Stitch
(Worked back and forth):
Knit all rows.
Garter Stitch
(Worked in the round):
Round 1: K all sts.
Round 2: P all sts.
Repeat these 2 rounds for Garter Stitch.
Instructions for grafting can be found
here.
DIRECTIONS
LOWER BODY
Using larger circular needle, CO 161[181, 201, 221, 241, 261, 281] sts. Do not join.
Work in garter stitch until work measures 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 2.5, 2.5] inches.
Set Up Body Pattern:
Using smaller circular needle, continue as follows:
Set-up Row [RS]: K15[17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25], place marker, work next 15[17, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25] sts in 1x1 Twisted Rib, place marker, k12[13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22], place marker, k19[22, 24, 26, 29, 32, 34], place marker, work next 39[43, 49, 55, 59, 63, 69] sts in 1x1 Twisted Rib, place marker, k19[22, 24, 26, 29, 32, 34], place marker, k12[13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22], place marker, work next 15[17, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25] sts in 1x1 Twisted Rib, place marker, k15[17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25].
Next Row [WS]: K4, p to first marker, work in 1x1 Twisted Rib to second marker, p to fourth marker, work in 1x1 Twisted Rib to fifth marker, p to seventh marker, work in 1x1 Twisted Rib to eighth marker, p to last 4 sts, k4.
These 2 rows establish Body Pattern: first and last 4 sts of each row are worked in garter st, 1x1 Twisted Rib is worked over sts between first and second markers, between fourth and fifth markers, and between seventh and eighth markers. All other sts are worked in stockinette st. Third and sixth markers indicate placement of side “seams”.
Continue in pattern until work measures 4.75[5, 5.25, 5.5, 5.75, 6, 6.5] inches, ending with a WS row.
Waistband:
Row 1 [RS]: K to first marker, work in 1x1 Twisted Rib to eighth marker, k to end; at the same time, X[X, p2tog, X, X, X, p2tog] at each side marker (where X means don’t do anything).
Row 2 [WS]: K4, p to first marker, work in 1x1 Twisted Rib to eighth marker, p to last 4 sts, k4.
Repeat these 2 rows 3[3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 5] times more, then resume working in Body Pattern.
Continue in Body Pattern until work measures 10[11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 13, 13] inches, ending with a WS row.
Note: Read ahead! Buttonholes are worked at same time as yoke shaping.
Place Buttonholes:
Next Row [RS]: K2, yo, ssk, work in pattern as set to end.
Repeat this row every tenth row until sweater is complete (throughout remainder of lower body, as well as during yoke shaping).
Continue in Body Pattern until work measures 12.5[13, 13.5, 13.5, 14, 14.5, 15] inches, ending with a WS row.
Set lower body aside and work sleeves. Do not break yarn; begin first sleeve with a new ball of yarn.
SLEEVES (Make 2)
Using larger double-point needles, CO 41[43, 45, 49, 49, 51, 51] sts. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. If desired, after several rounds have been worked, place safety pin or split ring marker in work to indicate beginning of round.
Work in garter stitch until work measures 5 inches.
Switch to smaller double-point needles and k 5 rounds.
Increase Round: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
K 5[5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4] rounds.
Repeat these 6[6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5] rounds 11[11, 12, 11, 12, 11, 14] times more. 65[67, 71, 73, 75, 75, 81] sts.
Continue in pattern until work measures 17[17.5, 18, 18.5, 18.5, 18.5, 19] inches or desired length to underarm.
Next Round: K3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5]. Place last 6[6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10] sts worked on hold on waste yarn. Slip remaining 59[61, 65, 65, 67, 67, 71] sts to spare double-point needles. Break yarn, leaving a tail approx. 12 inches long.
Work second sleeve in the same way, but do not place sts on spare needles after slipping sts to waste yarn.
YOKE
Using smaller circular needle and ball of yarn attached to lower body, join sleeves to body as follows. Remove side “seam” markers when placing sts on hold.
Joining Row [RS]: Work in lower body pattern to 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5] sts before third (side seam) marker, place raglan marker, place next 6[6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10] sts on hold on waste yarn; k all sts of one sleeve, place raglan marker; work lower body in pattern to 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5] sts before next side seam marker (formerly sixth marker), place raglan marker, place next 6[6, 6, 8, 8, 8, 10] sts on hold on waste yarn; k all sts of remaining sleeve, place raglan marker; k to end of lower body. 267[291, 319, 335, 359, 379, 403] sts: 39[44, 49, 53, 58, 63, 67] sts for each front, 59[61, 65, 65, 67, 67, 71] sts for each sleeve, 71[81, 91, 99, 109, 119, 127] sts for back. Mark beginning of this row using safety pin or split ring marker (for ease in measuring for neckline placement).
Work 1 WS row in pattern as set. While working yoke, maintain 1x1 Twisted Rib panels as set, and continue to work first and last 4 sts of each row in garter st, working buttonholes every 10 rows as established. All other sts are worked in stockinette st.
Note: Read ahead! Raglan shaping and neckline shaping are worked at the same time.
As you work raglan and neckline shaping, shaping will eventually encroach on 1x1 Twisted Rib panels. When this happens, work raglan shaping sts in stockinette st. Work 2 sts at each neckline edge in stockinette st.
Raglan Decrease Row [RS]: [Work in pattern to 3 sts before raglan marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, ssk] 4 times, work in pattern to end. 8 sts decreased.
Work 1 row in pattern.
Repeat these 2 rows 18[20, 22, 22, 22, 24, 28] times more.
AT THE SAME TIME, when work measures 3[3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 4, 4, 5] inches from Joining Row, ending with a WS row, shape neckline as follows:
BO 9[11, 11, 14, 16, 16, 16] sts at beginning of next 2 rows.
BO 3[3, 4, 4, 7, 7, 7] sts at beginning of following 2 rows.
BO 2[2, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6] sts at beginning of following 2 rows.
Neckline Decrease Row [RS]: K1, ssk; working raglan decreases as set, work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Work 1 row in pattern.
Repeat these 2 rows 2[3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 5] times more. Neckline decreases are complete; work front edge straight until raglan decreases are complete.
When all decreases are complete, 81[83, 89, 97, 111, 109, 101] sts remain: 3 sts for each front, 21[19, 19, 19, 21, 17, 13] sts for each sleeve, 33[39, 45, 53, 63, 69, 69] sts for back. BO all sts.
FINISHING
Using smaller circular needle and beginning at right front edge, pick up and k 1 st in each bound-off st and 3 sts for every 4 rows along right front neckline edge; 3 sts for every 4 sts along top of right sleeve, back neckline and left sleeve; 3 sts for every 4 rows and 1 st in each bound-off st along left front neckline edge.
Rows 1-4: K all sts.
Row 5 [WS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Row 6 [RS]: Work as for Row 5.
Row 7 [RS]: K1, k2tog, draw first st on right needle over next st to bind off; BO all sts until 3 sts remain on left needle, k2tog and bind this st off, BO remaining st.
Graft held sts of body to held sleeve sts at underarms.
Weave in ends and block as desired.
Sew buttons to left front edge, opposite buttonholes.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Laura recently published her first book,
“Teach Yourself Visually Sock Knitting” (Wiley, 2008) and publishes knitwear patterns for classic garments with a twist at cosmicpluto knits!
