Almost seemless braided cardigan

Sizes

32 (36, 40, 44) Picture shown shows a size 40” with about 4 inches of negative ease.

Yarn

Cascade Peruvian highland wool (100 grams/3.5 oz) #2410: 4 (4, 4, 5) skeins

Cascade Peruvian highland wool (100 grams/3.5 oz) #8420: 1 (1, 1, 1) skeins

Gauge

17 stitches=4.5” on larger sized needles

Tools

• size 8 29”circular needles
• size 8 16” circular needles or dpn’s
• size 6 29” circular needles
• size 6 dpn’s
• stitch holders
• yarn needle
• crochet hook size I
• stitch markers
• cable needle (cn)
• zipper (do not buy until sweater is completed)
  

On smaller needles, CO 120 (135, 150, 165) stitches.

Row 1 *K2, P2; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.

Row 2 *P2, K2; rep from* to last 2 sts, P2.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 for (2 ½”)

Change to larger needles

Row 1 (RS) work Row 1 of Chart A, place marker (pm), K3 (5, 6, 8), pm, work Row 1 of Chart A, pm, K6 (10, 14, 18), pm, work Row 1 of Chart A, pm, K4 (6, 8, 10), pm, work Row 1 of Chart B, pm, K4 (6, 8, 10), pm, work Row 1 of Chart A, pm, K6 (10, 14, 18), pm, work Row 1 of Chart A, K3 (5, 6, 8), work Row 1 of Chart A.

Row 2 (WS) Work Row 2 of Chart A, P3 (5, 6, 8), Work Row 2 of Chart A, P6 (10, 14, 18), Work Row 2 of Chart A, P4 (6, 8, 10), Work Row 2 of Chart B, P4 (6, 8, 10), Work Row 2 of Chart A, K6 (10, 14, 18), Work Row 2 of Chart A, K3 (5, 6, 8), Work Row 2 of Chart A.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 in pattern until piece measures approximately16”, or size from armhole to bottom desired length of sweater, making sure to end on the last row of your cable pattern (row 7), armhole shaping will be row 8 of your pattern so you do not get confused later.

Armhole shaping (RS)

work Row of Chart A, K3 (5, 6, 8), work Row of Chart A, K 0 (2, 4, 6) BO 6 st, K 0 (2, 4, 6), work Row of Chart A, K4 (6, 8, 10), work Row of Chart B, K4 (6, 8, 10), work Row of Chart A, K0 (2, 4, 6), BO 6 st, K 0 (2, 4, 6), work Row of Chart A, K3 (5, 6, 8), work Row of Chart A.

Place right front and left front stitches on stitch holders.

Back

Add a ball of yarn to middle section of sweater. Continue in pattern until back sweater measures to desired length, measurements will vary depending on your torso, sweater shown is 21.5” Make sure to end your last row on row 8 of pattern. BO all stitches.

Left Front

Add a ball of yarn. Work 16 rows (twice through pattern)

(RS) BO 11 st. Continue in pattern until front matches back, or, for larger busts, make the front 8-24 rows longer than the back. Sweater shown is 16 stitches longer in the front than back. BO all st.

Right Front

Repeat as in left front.

Sew shoulder seams.

Sleeves

With larger 16” circular, pick up and knit 38 (46, 54, 62) st.

Continue in circles around sleeve working the following pattern:

All rows K11 (15, 19, 23) pm, work Row of Chart C, pm, K11 (15, 19, 23)

Work all rows of pattern 5 times then decrease the first stitch before and after your markers on the first row of the pattern five times. 28, 36, 44, 52 st remaining. If sleeve is not tight enough, continue binding off every other row until desired size is attained. Continue in pattern until sleeve is 2 ½ in above the length you want your sleeve to be, at the end of this row, join CC and begin rib pattern.

Ribbing

switch to dpns

P2, K2 around until sleeves measure 2 ½ in. BO all stitches.

Zipper band

With smaller sized needles and CC, starting at bottom right front, pick up and knit 78 st. (note: since lengths of band will vary, measure the length of your sweater from bottom to top, then multiply this number by 3.77. This will give you the number of st. to pick up, round to the nearest even number.

Row 1 K2, P2 to last 2 st, K2

Row 2 P2, K2 to last 2 st, P2

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until band measures 1 ½ inches or length desired to give you the fit you want in your cardigan. BO st.

Repeat for other side.

Neck

With CC, and crochet needle, slip stitch on top right of zipper band. *sk ½ in, dc 6 in next st. sk ½ in sl st in next st * repeat around, finish off.

(note: if you do not know how to crochet, the rib pattern on the neck will work just fine)

Weave in all ends.

Now, measure zipper band’s length and purchase zipper for sweater. Sew zipper.

Chart A

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Chart C

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Legend

□ k on RS, p on WS

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p on RS, k on WS

>>> sl 3 sts on cn, hold in front, k3, k3 from cn

<<< sl 3 sts on cn, hold in back, k3, k3 from cn