Lilac Lace Cardigan

I started this cardigan last year in october. After knitting a few inches of the back, i got distracted with other projects and this went it into hibernation. I got it out this summer planning to finish it before fall. I entered the WIP wrestling event at ravelympics 2008 with the object of finishing it but ... Finally, I did finish it today, pattern and all!
The project details can be found in the pattern. The yarn I used was a local Pakistan brand. This being Ramadan, with me fasting and all, I did not feel upto doing much math. So the pattern below is for one size only. Maybe some day, I can add some othe sizes...maybe.

Lilac Lace Cardigan

Edited Sept 17,2008: To correct a few mistakes in the earlier version.

Materials:
· Bambino DK 100gm/ 300 m 4 balls lilac color OR any other yarn that gets the right gauge.
· Straight needles sizes 3.50 mm, 3.75mm, 4.00mm.
· Circular needles 3.75 mm
· Buttons
· Tapestry needle.

Size: 38-40 inch bust

Finished Measurements:
Sweater length: 24 inches
Chest circumference: 42 inches
Sleeve length: 23 inches

Gauge:
11 sts x 14 rows = 2 inches in textured lace with 3.75 mm needles
10 sts x 14 rows = 2 inches in horseshoe lace with 4.00 mm needles

Patterns:
Lace Pattern #1 (Textured Lace):
Row 1: k3,* yo, k1, k3tog, k1, yo, k3; rep from * across.
Row 2: P3,* k5, p3, rep from* across.
Repeat these two rows for the textured lace pattern.

Lace Pattern #2 (Horseshoe on Parade): 10 +1 sts
Row 1: k1,*yo, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1, rep from *to .
Row 2: purl
Row 3: k2,* yo, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k3*, rep from * to *, ending last repeat with k2.
Row 4: P
Row 5: k3,*yo, k1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k5, rep from * to *, ending last repeat with k3.
Row 6: P.
Row 7: K4,* yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, k7, rep from * to *, ending last repeat with k4.
Row 8: P.

Abbreviations:
psso: pass slip st over
yo: yarn over
RS: right side
WS: wrong side

Method:
NOTE:
· Please read through the entire set of instructions before knitting.
· While doing the armhole, neck and sleeve shapings, please make sure the double decreases (sl1, k2tog, psso) match their corresponding yo’s in each row, otherwise you will mess up the number of sts on your needles.

BACK:
With 3.75 mm needles, cast on 120 sts and work in 1x1 twisted rib for 6 rows, increasing 3 sts evenly spaced across the last row (123 sts).
Change to 4.00mm needles and work in pattern #1 starting with row 1 of the pattern. Work until the piece measures 7.5 inches from the beginning.
Then change to 3.75mm needles and continue in pattern until 10.25 inches from the beginning. Change to 3.50mm needles and work 10 rows in 1x1 twisted rib, decreasing 20 sts evenly distributed across the last row.(103 sts)
Change to 4.00mm needles and work in horseshoe lace pattern over the central 101 sts, starting with row 1 of the pattern, working 1 st at each edge in st st.Knit until the horseshoe lace part measures 4.25 inches.
Armhole Shaping:
Working in horseshoe lace, decrease 5 sts at the beginning of next 2 row, 4 sts at the beginning of next 2 rows, then 3 sts at the beginning of next 2 rows.. Then dec 1 st at the beginning of the next 6 rows.(73 sts)
Continue in pattern till the horseshoe lace part measures 11 inches (22.5 inches from the beginning).
Neck Shaping:
Knit 30 sts in pattern, join another ball, cast off the next 13 sts, work in pattern to the end.(30 sts on both sides)
Working both sides at the same time, decrease 6 sts once, then 2 sts twice on every alternate row, at the neck edge. (20 sts on each side).
Work 2 more rows, ending with a WS row. Cast off 10 sts on the armhole edge on both sides. Work one more row.Cast off the remaining 10 sts on both sides.

RIGHT FRONT:
With 3.75 mm needles, cast on 58 sts and work in 1x1 twisted rib for 6 rows, increasing 1 sts evenly spaced across the last row (59sts).
Change to 4.00mm needles and work in pattern #1 starting with row 1 of the pattern. Work until the piece measures 7.5 inches from the beginning.
Then change to 3.75mm needles and continue in pattern until 10.25 inches from the beginning. Change to 3.50mm needles and work 10 rows in 1x1 twisted rib, decreasing 8 sts evenly distributed across the last row.(51 sts)
Change to 4.00mm needles and work in horseshoe lace pattern. Knit until the horseshoe lace part measures 4.25 inches, ending with a RS row.
Armhole Shaping:
Working in horseshoe lace, decrease 5 sts at the beginning of next row, 4 sts at the beginning of next alternate row, then 3 sts at the beginning of next alternate row. Then dec 1 st at the beginning of the next alternate row, 3 times.(36 sts)
AT THE SAME TIME, DECREASE AT NECK EDGE AS FOLLOWS:
Neck Shaping:
When the horseshoe lace portion measures 6 inches in length, start decreasing 1 st at the neck edge, every other row, a total of sixteen times. (20 sts)
Continue in pattern till the piece equals the back length before the shoulder decreases. Cast off 10 sts at the armhole edge. Work 1 more row, cast off remaining 10 sts.

LEFT FRONT:
Work at right front with the shapings reversed.

SLEEVES (make 2):
With 3.75 mm needles, cast on 46 sts and work 6 rows in 1x1 twisted rib. Change to 4.00mm needles and work in horseshoe lace pattern, increasing I st at both ends of the first row and then every 6th row, a total of 17 times.(80 sts) Continue in patt until sleeve measures 18 inches from the beginning.
Cast off 4 sts at the beg of next 2 rows (72 sts). Then cast off 2 sts at beg of next 4 rows (64 sts).
Then cast off 1 st at the beg of next 18 rows (46 sts).
Then cast off 2 sts at the beginning of next 4 rows (38 sts).
Cast off 3 sts at the beg of next 6 rows (20 sts), the cast off 5 sts at the beg of next 2 rows (10 sts). Cast off the remaining 10 sts.

Finishing:
Block the pieces. Join the shoulder seams.
Front Band:
With a long 3.75mm circular needle, the RS facing and beginning at the bottom of right front, pick up and knit 88 sts across the right front, then pick up and knit 40 sts across the right front neck , 36 sts across the back, 40 sts across the left front neck, and 88 sts across the right front. Work in 1x1 twisted rib, starting with the WS row,. On the third row, make four buttonholes( yo, k2tog), evenly spaced across the right front, between the upper neck edge and the lower edge of the waist ribbing. Work 2 more row in rib. Cast off in rib.

Sew in the sleeves and stitch the side and sleeve seams. Sew on buttons and weave in ends.

© copyright ummeyusuf , 2008 http://ummeyusuf.blogspot.com/This pattern is for personal, non-profit use only.