Cardigans (eBook)

Spring Laundry

In the past, it was common to gather clothes to be washed in two large laundry sessions per year – spring laundry and autumn laundry. The washing was done outdoors by a stream or the edge of a lake to ensure easy access to water. White laundry made from linen or cotton was boiled in lye in large vats. After boiling, the laundry was taken out and beaten with a washing paddle on a bench or a jetty. To finish, the laundry was rinsed in the stream or lake. Wool was washed in lukewarm water.

The Spring Laundry cardigan is mild in colour, just like early spring. I thought it could be a nice way to make use of leftover bits of wool yarn as you only need a very small amount of yarn for the patterned band. This is knitted at the end of the sleeves and you can choose colours according to taste with favourite yarns from your stash.

SPRING

Yarn: Svensk Ull 3-ply from Järbo (100% Swedish wool, 100 g = 180 m/196 yd)

Tension: 21 sts × 28 rows in stocking stitch in pattern using 4 mm (US 6) needles = 10 × 10 cm

Sizes: XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL)

Bust: 80 (90) 100 (110) 120 (130) 140 (150) cm/31½ (35½) 39¼ (43¼) 47¼ (51¼) 55 (59) in

Length: 52 (52) 52 (53) 54 (55) 55 (56) cm/20½ (20½) 20½ (20¾) 21¼ (21¾) 21¾ (22) in

Sleeve length: 45 (45) 45 (46.5) 46.5 (46.5) 46.5 (46.5) cm/17¾ (17¾) 17¾ (18¼) 18¼ (18¼) 18¼ (18¼) in

Amounts: Main Colour 1 = 300 (300) 300 (400) 400 (400) 500 (500) g Gotland Grey (no. 59002)

Colour 2 = 25 (25) 25 (25) 25 (25) 25 (25) g Arctic Fox (no. 59001)

Colour 3 = Small amount of Wasa Crisp (no. 59021)

Colour 4 = Small amount of Helsinge Dark (no. 59020)

Double-pointed needles: 3.5 mm (US 4) and 4 mm (US 6)

Circular needles: 3.5 mm (US 4) and 4 mm (US 6), 60 cm

Notions: 10 buttons (13–15 mm), 8 stitch markers

Difficulty level: 2 of 3

Construction: The cardigan is knitted back and forth on circular needles in one piece, starting from the top and going down – with a patterned band at the end of the sleeves.

Techniques:

SM = slip marker, see Knitting School, here.

INCREASES, RIGHT SIDE

M1R = increase 1 st slanting right, see Knitting School, here.

M1L = increase 1 st slanting left, see Knitting School, here.

CORRESPONDING INCREASES, WRONG SIDE

M1PR = pick up the thread between 2 sts from the back with the left needle and purl through the front loop.

M1PL = pick up the thread between 2 sts from the front with the left needle and purl through the back loop.

Yoke

RIBBED NECKBAND

With 3.5 mm circular needle and colour 1: Cast on 105 (105) 105 (105) 105 (113) 113 (113) sts.

Row 1 (WS): With yarn in front of work, slip 1 st purlwise, *k1, p1*. Repeat from *–* to end of row.

Row 2: (RS): With yarn at back of work, slip 1 st knitwise, *p1, k1*. Repeat from *–* to end of row.

Row 3: As row 1.

Row 4 (buttonhole row): As row 2 to last 4 stitches, yo, k2tog, p1, k1. N.B. Make a new buttonhole the same way every 14 rows, 9 times more.

Row 5: As row 1.

Row 6: As row 2.

Row 7: As row 1. On this row you should also place 4 stitch markers (see Knitting School, here): between stitches 22/23 (22/23) 22/23 (22/23) 22/23 (23/24) 23/24 (23/24) = Marker D. Between stitches 34/35 (34/35) 34/35 (34/35) 34/35 (37/38) 37/38 (37/38) = Marker C. Between stitches 71/72 (71/72) 71/72 (71/72) 71/72 (76/77) 76/77 (76/77) = Marker B. Finally, between stitches 83/84 (83/84) 83/84 (83/84) 83/84 (90/91) 90/91 (90/91) = Marker A. The ribbed edge is now finished. Change to 4 mm circular needle and work in stocking stitch back and forth unless otherwise stated.

Row 8 (RS, short row): (Read about short rows and wrap and turn here in the Knitting School.) Work the first 6 stitches in rib keeping the pattern from the ribbed edge correct. Knit to marker C, SM (see Abbreviations), k6, wrap and turn.

Row 9 (WS, short row): Purl to marker B, SM, p6, wrap and turn.

Row 10 (short row): Knit to marker D, SM, wrap and turn. (Pick up and work wrapped stitch from previous row according to instructions here in the Knitting School.)

Row 11 (short row): Purl to marker A, SM, wrap and turn. (Pick up and work wrapped stitch from previous row as before.)

Row 12 (short row): Knit to last 6 sts, work the last 6 sts in rib the same way as the ribbed edge.

Row 13: Work the first 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts and work the last 6 sts in rib.

Make raglan increases:

Row 14: Work 6 sts in rib, Knit to last 1 st before marker A, M1R (see Abbreviations), k1, SM, k1, M1L (see Abbreviations), k10, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker C, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L, k10, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 6 sts, work the last 6 sts in rib = 8 sts increased = 113 (113) 113 (113) 113 (121) 121 (121) sts.

Row 15 (XS): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, and work the last 6 sts in rib. (S–4XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 1 st before marker D, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker C, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker B, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker A, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL, purl to last 6 sts, work the last 6 sts in rib.

Row 16: Work 6 sts in rib, Knit to last 1 st before marker A, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker B, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker C, m1R, k1, SM, k1, m1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker D, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 6 sts, work the last 6 sts in rib = 121 (129) 129 (129) 129 (137) 137 (137) sts.

Row 17 (XS–S): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, and work the last 6 sts in rib. (M–4XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 1 st before marker D, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker C, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker B, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker A, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib.

Row 18 (buttonhole row): Work 6 sts in rib, Knit to last 1 st before marker A, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker B, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker C, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 1 st before marker D, M1R, k1, SM, k1, M1L. Knit to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib making buttonhole as before.

Row 19 (XS–S): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib. (M–4XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 1 st before marker D, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker C, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker B, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker A, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib.

Row 20: As row 18.

Row 21 (XS–M): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib. (L–4XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 1 st before marker D, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker C, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker B, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker A, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib.

Row 22: As row 18.

Row 23: As row 21.

Row 24: As row 18.

Row 25 (XS–M): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib. (L–4XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 1 st before marker D, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker C, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker B, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 stitch before marker A, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib.

Row 26: As row 18.

Row 27 (XS–L): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib. (XL–4XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 1 st before marker D, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 stitch before marker C, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker B, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 1 st before marker A, M1PR, p1, SM, p1, M1PL. Purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib.

Row 28: As row 18.

Row 29: As row 27.

Row 30: As row 18.

Row 31 (XS–XL): Work 6 sts in rib, purl to last 6 sts, work 6 sts in rib. (2XL–4XL):...