Monday, March 22, 2010

NEW FREE PATTERN: Cables & Garter Cardi


As promised, here is the new pattern. It has not been tested (except by me), so please send me any errors and I will correct asap if needed.

CABLES & GARTER CARDI
(For the Ravelry .pdf version, click here: download now)

MATERIALS:
• 3 balls Lion Brand Wool Ease (197 yds/85 grams each) or other worsted weight yarn in Forest Green Heather
• 3 buttons (1 ⅛”)
• 8 stitch markers
• Tapestry needle & scissors
• US 8 24” circular needle
• US 7 24” circular needle

GAUGE: 17 sts and 36 rows per 4” in garter on US8 needles

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:
Bust (bottom of garter section) = 29” around
Cables and Garter Body = 33” around
Length = 23”

Note: I have only made the one size. To increase to a larger size, you might try increasing in the garter stitch section until desired bust width. Then, increase for underarm sts as written, as well as evenly around to accommodate the number of chart pattern repeats needed to achieve desired body measurements. Each complete chart pattern repeat will add approx. 3” around.

ABBREVIATIONS:
CO: Cast on
BO: Bind off
K: Knit
P: Purl
k2tog: Knit two together
M1: Make 1 (I used the backward loop cast on)
C4B (Cable 4 Back): Slip next two stitches to cable needle and hold to back. Knit next two stitches. Knit two stitches from cable needle.
C4F (Cable 4 Front): Slip next two stitches to cable needle and hold in front. Knit next two stitches. Knit two stitches from cable needle.

CABLES & GARTER CARDI PATTERN

YOKE:

With larger needles, cast on 82 stitches. Work 3 rows in garter stitch.

Row 4 (setup row): k 14, pm, k1, pm, k 11, pm, k1, pm, k 28, pm, k1, pm, k 11, pm, k1, pm, k 14.

Row 5 (increase row): *k to marker, m1, slip marker, k1, slip marker, m1* Repeat * * 3 times, k to end.

Row 6 (WS buttonhole row): k 3, BO 3 sts, k to end.

Row 7: (RS) *k to marker, m1, slip marker, k1, slip marker, m1 (two stitches
added)* Repeat * * 3 times, k to bound off sts. CO 3 sts, k to end.

Row 8 (WS): knit all sts.

Row 9 (increase row): *k to marker, m1, slip marker, k1, slip marker, m1* Repeat * * 3 times, k to end.

Repeat rows 8 and 9 six times.

Then, work rows 6 and 7 to make second buttonhole.

Repeat rows 8 and 9 six more times.

Then, work rows 6 and 7 to make third buttonhole. [Buttonholes completed]

Repeat rows 8 and 9 until 242 sts total.

Work one more row 8 (WS).

BO sleeve sts purlwise (on RS).

Remove all markers.

BODY:

Increase row for underarm sts (WS): *Knit to bound off sleeve sts. CO 12 sts.* Repeat ** once. Knit to end.

Begin cables and garter pattern (see chart and notes at botton before beginning!).

Row 1 (RS): Knit 7 (pm), *K2, P2, 6-stich cable pattern, P2, K2, K3*. Repeat ** until 21 sts remain (i.e., last pattern repeat plus garter stitch band). For last pattern repeat: K2, P2, 6-stich cable, P2, K2 (pm), K7.

Row 2 (WS): Knit 7, *P2, K2, 6-stich cable pattern, K2, P2, K3*. Repeat ** until 21 sts remain (i.e., last pattern repeat plus garter stitch band). For last pattern repeat: P2, K2, 6-stich cable pattern, K2, P2, K7.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 following 6-stitch cable pattern over 8 rows until desired length. End with a Row 1.

HEM:

Switch to smaller needles.
Decrease row: K2, *K7, k2tog, K6, K2tog*. Repeat ** until last 9 stitches. K9.

Note: If you do not switch to smaller needles or do the decreases, your hem will flare because the garter stitches have a wider gauge than the corresponding cable stitches above.

End with 10 rows (or desired amount) of garter stitch for hem.
BO all stitches. Weave in any ends and sew on buttons.


Cables & Garter Stitch Pattern Notes (worked over multiples of 17 sts):

Notes:
(1) All rows begin and end with 7 knit stitches to form the garter stitch buttonband. It helps to mark these with stitch markers.
(2) Body pattern is worked over multiples of 17 stitches (on RS): 2 stockinette, 2 reverse stockinette, 6-stich cable, 2 reverse stockinette, 2 stockinette, 3 garter.
(3) Chart shows complete pattern on RS. All odd rows are RS. Below is a close-up of how these stitches will look once knit. Area in red represents the complete chart below.

Chart Abbreviations:


(Click to enlarge chart)

11 comments:

  1. Awesome, thanks :)

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  2. love it.... what are the finished measurements?? looks like you are taller and thinner than i am!! :)

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  3. I just printed off this beautiful cardi but noticed that there are no sizes listed. Am I missing it?

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  4. Love it! I just put it in my queue!

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  5. Hi there,
    I just added the following sizing info:

    FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:
    Bust (bottom of garter section) = 29” around
    Cables and Garter Body = 33” around
    Length = 23”

    Note: I have only made the one size. To increase to a larger size, you might try increasing in the garter stitch section until desired bust width. Then, increase for underarm sts as written, as well as evenly around to accommodate the number of chart pattern repeats needed to achieve desired body measurements. Each complete chart pattern repeat will add approx. 3” around.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love it so far! Where exactly do I bind off for the sleeves - from the inside or outside of the markers? Thanks!

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  7. Hi Yarn Mom
    I am loving this cardi pattern! It is georgeous in a soft pinky wool, and I am almost done.

    I noticed what I think is a mistake in the instructions. You wrote:
    Row 1 (RS): Knit 7 (pm), *K2, P2, 6-stich cable pattern, P2, K2, K3*. Repeat ** until 21 sts remain (i.e., last pattern repeat plus garter stitch band). For last pattern repeat: K2, P2, 6-stich cable, P2, K2 (pm), K7.

    Row 2 (WS): Knit 7, *P2, K2, 6-stich cable pattern, K2, P2, K3*. Repeat ** until 21 sts remain (i.e., last pattern repeat plus garter stitch band). For last pattern repeat: P2, K2, 6-stich cable pattern, K2, P2, K7.

    To get the cabes to line up, I reversed some of the stitches in Row 2. Instead of *P2, K2, 6-stich cable pattern, K2, P2, K3*, I did *K3, P2, K2, 6-stitch cable pattern, K2, P2.*

    I am almost finished, but I am wondering about the hem. Should I do the decreases or change needle size? Or both? I'd love your advice with this. I really admire the great stuff you are doing. It was your jump in with both boots on attitude that got me started knitting!

    Olivia (from New Zealand)

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  8. Hi Olivia,
    Thanks for your sweet comments! And, I'll check on that possible pattern error. With 4 kids, it might take awhile for the free time to present itself, you know?!

    Regarding the hem, I would definitely switch to smaller needles and do the decreases. The first time I knit the hem, I didn't even think about the gauge issues, and the hem *really* bugged me, because it was so flared out. After spending all that time to make such a pretty sweater, I didn't want to end up with something I wasn't totally satisfied with.

    So, I ended up ripping it out and the combo of smaller needles and the decreases seemed to work perfectly. If you don't have the smaller needles, you could try just doing the decreases and see how it works out, but you may want to insert a "lifeline" before you start, in case you need to rip it all out and start the hem again.

    Hope this helps and I'd love to see a picture when you're done! Are you on Ravelry??

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  9. hi there -

    i just got to the beginning of the cable section of the body - and i was wondering the same thing as olivia re: instruction mistake (in the text). is she right? (i also posted this comment on ravelry.)

    very excited to get started on the body -
    sarah

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  10. Hi Sarah,
    I think the confusion arises, because the chart is written *as seen from the RS* only. So, for people who read charts where every other row is the WS (and they read from R to L on the WS rows), this might be confusing. But, my chart shows how the sts look from the right side. The written pattern instructions tell you what to do to achieve that final look from the RS. So, I do not think there are any mistakes in the pattern itself, but it can be confusing if you don't see that the chart is showing the RS only! Hope this makes sense!

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  11. got it - thanks! (saw your comment on ravelry, too)

    looking forward to continuing on :-)

    sarah

    ReplyDelete