Buttonless Cardigan Pattern

Materials Required: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY "DAWN" KNITTING WORSTED 9 (10, 12, 13) ounces Tangerine 8 (9, 11, 12) ounces Amber or colors of your choice Plastic crochet hooks sizes I and F or any size hook which will result in stitch gauge below. Gauge: 7 sc = 2 inches; 4 pattern rows = 1 inch

Directions are given for size 10. Sizes 12, 14 and 16 are given in parentheses.

Back: With size I hook and Tangerine chain (ch) 59 (63, 67, 71), single crochet (sc) in 2nd stitch (st) from hook, 1 sc in each remaining st of ch, ch 1, turn, drop Tangerine. (When changing color always complete last half of last st worked with next color.) Work in pattern as follows:

1st Row of pattern. (Right Side of work) With Amber work 1 sc in each sc working in back loop of sts only, ch 1 to turn all rows.

2nd Row. Working through both loops of sts 1 sc in each sc, drop Amber.

3rd and 4th Rows. With Tangerine work same as 1st and 2nd rows, drop Tangerine.

Repeat these 4 rows until Back measures 13½ (13½, 14½, 14½) inches from beginning ending with 4th row of pattern, cut Tangerine and Amber.

Armholes: Skip 4 (4, 5, 5) sts of next row, attach Amber in next st and work to within last 4 (4, 5, 5) sts. Working in pattern decrease 1 sc at beginning and end of each of the next 3 (4, 4, 5) rows (to decrease: * insert hook in next st, pull loop through, repeat from * once, yarn over and work off all loops at one time). Work even in pattern until Armholes measure 7 (7½, 8, 8½) inches ending with 2nd or 4th row of pattern, cut Tangerine and Amber.

Shoulders: Keeping colors uniform skip 5 sts of next row, attach yarn in next st and work to within last 5 sts.

Next Row. Slip st (sl st) across 5 (5, 5, 6) sts, work to within last 5 (5, 5, 6) sts, cut yarn. The 1st and last 5 (5, 6, 6) sts are part of Shoulders.

The center 14 (16, 16, 16) sts form the neck.

Left Front: With size I hook and Tangerine ch 31 (33, 35, 37), sc in 2nd st from hook, 1 sc in each remaining st of ch.

Work in pattern same as on Back until Front measures same as Back to underarm ending at Armhole edge, cut Tangerine and Amber.

Shape Armhole and Front edge. Skip 4 (4, 5, 5) sts, attach Amber in next st and work to end of row.

Working in pattern decrease 1 st at armhole edge every row 3 (4, 4, 5) times and at the same time decrease 1 st at Front edge every other row 8 (9, 9, 9) times.

Work even on 15 (15, 16, 17) sts until Armhole measures same as on Back ending at Armhole edge. Cut Tangerine and Amber.

Shoulder: Skip 5 sts of next row, attach yarn in next st, work to end of row.

Next Row. Work to within last 5 (5, 5, 6) sts, cut yarn.

Right Front: Work same as Left Front reversing all shaping.

Sleeves: With size I hook and Tangerine ch 39 (41, 43, 45), sc in 2nd st from hook, 1 sc in each remaining st of ch.

Working in pattern same as on Back increase 1 st at beginning and end of 4th row of pattern then increase 1 st at beginning and end of every 4th row 2 (2, 3, 3) more times.

Work even until Sleeve measures 4½ (4½, 5½, 5½) inches from beginning ending with 4th row of pattern, cut Tangerine and Amber.

Next Row. Skip 4 (4, 5, 5) sts, attach Amber in next st, work to within last 4 (4, 5, 5) sts.

Decrease 1 st at beginning of every row until 18 (18, 20, 20) sts remain, cut yarn.

Block each section. Sew Underarm and Shoulder seams. Sew Sleeve seams and sew Sleeves in position matching the stripes.

Border: With right side of work toward you with F hook attach Tangerine at lower edge of Right Front, work 1 sc in each row up Front, 1 sc in each sc across Neck and 1 sc in each sc down opposite Front, ch 1, turn.

Next Row. Working in front loop of sts 1 sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Next Row. Working through both loops of sts work 1 sc in each st all around, cut yarn.

With F hook and Tangerine work a row of sc around each Sleeve.

This free pattern originally published in Smart Fashions to Knit & Crochet