I have a new pattern for you today. I had a great time creating it and I hope that you have as much fun making it.
You will need to both knit and crochet to make this lacey cardigan. If you crochet but don’t knit, this is a great project for you to learn a new skill as it is very easy knitting. If you knit but don’t crochet, this is a great project for you to take that step forward. The sleeves are simple to make; the edging and collar is a little more challenging but you know that you can learn the stitches. All it takes is a little practice.
There are five sizes included in the pattern for adults only at this point but I am working on a pattern in a finer weight for kids. I hope to have that one ready for you in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, enjoy!
Lovely Lacey Cardigan
Adult sizes
Sizes: 90cm, 100cm, 111cm, 121cm, 132cm or 36”, 40”, 44”, 48”, 52” actual measurement when cardigan is closed.
Materials: 700 to 850m single ply medium 4 weight yarn (pictured). You could use a regular twisted worsted weight as long as it is not too stiff for the lace.
Tools: 8mm, US 11 knitting needles, 6.5mm, US K/10.5 crochet hook, removable stitch marker, large tapestry needle, six buttons, optional stitch holder.
Gauge: Knit: 14 stitches x 16 rows = 10cm or 4”
Crochet: 9 ch1, dc x 9 rows = 10cm or 4”
Abbreviations:
Knit: K = knit P = purl
K2tog = knit 2 stitches together
Crochet: ch: chain
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
tr: treble crochet
Back: Cast on 61 (69, 75, 81, 90) stitches. I used a long tail cast on as it works the first row with the cast on but you can use whatever your favourite is.
Work stocking stitch straight (knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side) for 30cm, 12”. If you want a longer cardigan, keep knitting until you reach the underarm length that you want minus 10cm or 4” that the crocheted edging adds.
Decrease for armhole:
Rows 1 and 2: Cast off 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) stitches at the beginning of the row.
Rows 3 and 4: Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of the row.
Row 5: K2tog through the back loop, knit to end, K2tog.
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K2tog through the back loop, knit to end, K2tog.
You will have 47 (55, 59, 65, 72) stitches remaining. Continue in Stocking Stitch until the piece measures 20 (21, 22, 23, 24) cm or 8.25 (8.5, 8.75, 9, 9.25)” from the beginning of the armhole shaping, ending on a wrong side (purl) row.
Back Neck Shaping:
Row 1: Right side row, K15 (18,19, 21,24), cast off 17 (19, 21, 23, 24) stitches), K15 (18, 19, 21, 24). You will work the shoulders separately starting with the left side.
Left Shoulder:
Row 2: P13 (16, 17, 19, 22), P2tog, turn.
Row 3: K2tog, K12 (15, 16, 18, 21), turn.
Row 4: P11 (14, 15, 17, 20), P2tog.
Cast off remaining 12 (15, 16, 18, 21) stitches or, if you like to join the shoulders with a three needle bind off, place the remaining stitches on a stitch holder.
Join yarn at neck edge of the right shoulder (wrong side)as you have already worked the first row of the neck shaping.
Right Shoulder:
Row 2: P2tog, P13 (16, 17, 19, 22), turn.
Row 3: K12 (15, 16, 18, 21), K2tog, turn.
Row 4: P2tog, P11 (14, 15, 17, 20).
Cast off remaining 12 (15, 16, 18, 21) stitches or place them on a holder for three needle bind off.
Front: Instructions are given for the left side. Reverse the armhole and neck shaping for the right side of the front. Cast on 31 (34, 38, 42, 45) stitches using whichever cast on you used for the back. I used a long tail cast on.
Work Stocking Stitch for 30cm, 12” or to match the back piece to armhole if you have changed the length.
Shape Armhole:
Row 1: Cast off 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) stitches at the beginning of the next knit row, K to end.
Row 2: P all stitches.
Row 3: Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of the row, K to end
Row 4: P all stitches.
Row 5: K2tog through the back loops and K to end.
Row 6: P all stitches.
Row 7: K2tog through the back loops and K to end.
Work in Stocking Stitch until piece measures 12 (13, 14, 14, 15) cm or 5 (5.25, 5.5, 5.5, 5.75) ” from the beginning of the armhole shaping. You are now going to start the front neck shaping.
Front Neck Shaping:
Row 1: At the beginning of the wrong side (purl) row, cast off 6 (6, 8, 9, 9) stitches and P to end.
Row 2: K
Row 3: Cast off 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) stitches, P to end.
Row 4: K all stitches.
Row 5: P2tog, P 12 (15, 16, 18, 21).
Row 6: K11 (14, 15, 17, 20), K2tog.
Work the remaining 12 (15, 16, 18, 21) stitches in Stocking Stitch until the front armhole length matches the back piece.
Work the Right Front reversing the shaping given above. Row 1 will begin on a right side row so knit instead of purl. Row 2 will be purled, etc.
You have finished the knitted part of the pattern here. You may block these three pieces and sew together the shoulder (or join with a three needle bind off) and side seams.
Bottom Lace Edging: Attach your yarn at the bottom front edge of the left side with the right side facing you.
Row 1: ch1 to start, sc in each cast on stitch across the bottom edge to the right front edge, ch3 and turn.
Row 2 to 5: dc into second sc in first row, *ch1, dc in every second sc* across, ch3 and turn. On the last (5th) row, ch6 and turn.
Row 6: sc into third dc, *ch5, sc into every second dc in row below*, ch 1 and turn.
Row 7: *sc, hdc, 2dc, hdc, sc in each ch5 space across. Do not fasten off as you will continue with the same yarn to make the front bands.
Right front band:
Row 1: With right side facing, work 77 sc evenly from the bottom of the edging to the neck line, ch1 and turn. If you have increased the length, you will need to add a sc for each extra row that you knit.
Row 2: Buttonholes are worked now. Sc in first sc, *ch1, skip next two sc, sc in next 10sc*, repeat four times, ch1 skip next 2 sc, 16sc, ch1 and turn. Again, if you have added length, you will need to add a buttonhole for every extra 12 rows that you knit. If you have only added less than 12 rows, I would leave the buttonholes as they are which will make the bottom one higher.
Row 3: sc in each sc, working 2 sc in each ch1 space for buttonhole. Do not turn as you will continue around the neck to the left front.
Neck band: 2sc in last sc on corner, sc in the side each of the two sc at the row ends, 20 (20, 23, 25, 29) sc in front neck edge, working 1sc over 2 knit stitches at the neck curve, 23 (25, 27, 29, 30) sc across back neck, 20 (20, 23, 25, 29) sc across left front neck edge, easing the curve as with the right side. You will now work the left front band and come back to finish the neck after that.
Left Front Band:
Row 1: ch1, 77 sc evenly down the left front edge to the bottom of the crocheted edging, ch1 and turn. As with the right side, if you have lengthened the knit part you will have to increase the number of sc’s by one for each extra knit row.
Row 2: sc in each sc, ch1 and turn.
Row 3: sc in each sc, fasten off.
Neck and collar: With the wrong side of the garment facing you and starting on the left front piece, join yarn to last sc at the neck edge.
Row 1: sc in each sc across third from last sc, ch6 and turn. You will leave the last two sc unworked as an overlap for the front bands.
Row 2: sc in fourth sc in row below, *ch5, skip three sc and sc in fourth*, ch1 and turn. The last sc will be in the third sc from the end to allow for that front band overlap.
Row 3: 6sc in each ch5 space across, ch3 and turn.
Row 4: dc in next sc, *ch1, skip next sc, dc in next* across, ch1 and turn.
Row 5: 2sc in each ch1 space across, ch3 and turn.
Row 6: sc in third sc from start, *ch6, skip 5sc, sc in next sc* across to, ch3, skip next sc and sc in last sc, ch1 and turn.
Row 7: 4sc in ch3 space, *sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, dc, hdc, sc in next ch6 space* to last ch3 space, work 4sc, fasten off.
Sleeves (Crocheted): Make 2 alike. Using your 6.5mm or US K/10.5 crochet hook, ch 32 (32, 34, 34, 36) and join to form a ring. This is the bottom edge of your sleeve. You will be working in the round so do not turn.
Rnd 1: ch3, skip first ch, dc in next ch, *skip next ch, ch1, dc in next ch*, repeat * to * around to first ch3, ch1 and join in second ch of ch3.
Rnds 2 and 3: ch3, dc in the next dc in the round below, *ch1, dc in next dc below*, repeat * to * around to first ch3, ch1 and join in second ch of ch3.
Rnd 4: ch3, dc into first ch1 space, *ch1, dc in next dc below*, repeat * to * around to first ch3, ch1, dc into the last ch1 space, ch1 and join in second ch of ch3. Two dc increases made.
Rnds 5 to 8: Repeat rounds 1 to 4.
Rnd 9: ch3, dc in the next dc in the round below, *ch1, dc in next dc below*, repeat * to * around to first ch3, ch1 and join in second ch of ch3.
Rnd 10: ch3, dc into first ch1 space, *ch1, dc in next dc below*, repeat * to * around to first ch3, ch1, dc into the last ch1 space, ch1 and join in second ch of ch3. Two dc increases made.
Rnds 11 to 22: Repeat rounds 9 and 10 six times. Fasten off and cut yarn. This if the underarm “seam” which you will tag with a stitch marker.
Row 23: Shape sleeve cap, you will start working back and forth with this row. Join your yarn in the third dc from where you fastened off and ch3, dc in the next dc, *ch1, dc* in each dc in the round below to and, including, the third dc from the marker, ch3 and turn. Four dc’s decreased.
Row 24: dc in the second dc, *ch1, dc* in each dc across to the end, ch3 and turn.
Row 25: skip the first dc, dc into second dc of row below, *ch1, dc* across to last 2 dc’s, skip the first of the two and ch1, dc into the last.
Row 26: * dc in the second dc, ch1, dc* in each dc across to the end, ch3 and turn.
Row 27 to 31: skip the first dc, dc into second dc of row below, *ch1, dc* across to last 2 dc’s, skip the first of the two and ch1, dc into the last, ch3 and turn. Two dc’s decreased on each row.
Row 32: dc into the second dc, *ch1, dc across, fasten off at the end.
Cuff:
Rnd 1: Right side facing, attach the yarn at the bottom edge of the sleeve at the beginning chain joining. Ch1, 2sc in each ch1 space around, join.
Rnd 2: Ch5, sc in third ch from start, *ch4, sc in every third sc around*, ch4 and join in first sc.
Rnd 3: *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc* in each ch4 space around. Join in first sc and fasten off.
Set in sleeves, weave in all ends, and block the lace lightly. Sew six buttons on left front band to match buttonholes on right.