Cardigan made of Cotton 8

Materials: Scheepjes Cotton 8 red (510) 7–8–8 balls, 3 buttons, size 3 knitting needles and a size 3 long circular needle.

Gauge: 28 sts and 40 rows in Stockinette st = 10 x 10 cm. Take time to check gauge and switch needles if necessary.

Stitches:

Stockinette st: on right side knit, on wrong side purl.

2x2 Ribbing: alternately K2 and P2.

Directions:

Back: Cast on 120–130–142 sts and work in Stockinette st. Armholes: when work measures 36 cm bind off 3 sts at both edges. Continue to bind off at both edges 2 times 2 and 4 times 1 st, every following 2 rows. Neckline shaping: when work measures 52–53–54 cm bind off the center 20 sts and finish each half separately. At neck edge continue to bind off 3 times 6 sts, every 2 rows. Shoulders: bind off the rem 21–26–32 sts when work measures 54–55–56 cm.

Right front: Cast on 25–27–30 sts and work in Stockinette st. Now shape round lower edge: at the end of the 1st row (= wrong side) cast 7 extra sts onto needle and at the end of every following 2 rows 1 time 5, 1 time 4, 2–3–4 times 3, 2 times 2 and 6 times 1 extra sts, then at the end of every following 4 rows 2 times 1 st, = 59–64–70 sts. Neckline shaping: when work measures 30 cm and from now on decrease 27 times 1 st, alternately every 2 and 4 rows. Decrease as follows: 1 edge st, 1 single decrease (= slip 1 st, K1 and PSSO). Armhole: when work measures 36 cm bind off same as back. Shoulder: bind off the rem 21–26–32 sts at the same length as back.

Left front: Work same as right front, reversing all shaping. Neck decrease: work to the last 3 sts on LH needle, K2 tog, 1 edge st.

Sleeves: Cast on 78–86–92 sts and work 6 cm in 2x2 Ribbing, in the last wrong side row evenly increasing 2 sts for size 36/38, = 80–86–92 sts. Continue to work in Stockinette st and for sleeve width increase at both edges 8 times 1 st, every 7 rows, = 96–102–108 sts. Sleeve cap: when work measures 22 cm bind off 3 sts at both edges and continue to bind off at both edges 2 times 2, 13 times 1, 1 time 2 and 1 time 3 sts, every following 2 rows. Bind off the rem 46–52–58 sts.

Finishing: Sew shoulder seams. Sew in sleeves, matching center of sleeve to shoulder seam. Sew sleeve and underarm seams. Using the long circular needle pick up sts along lower edge, fronts and neck edge (approx. 31 sts per 10 cm, pick up a few more sts along round lower edges and a few sts less along back neck), the total number should be divisible by 4, work in 2x2 Ribbing in the round. When work measures 2 cm, evenly work 3 buttonholes along right front. Make a buttonhole by binding off 2 sts and casting them on again in the next row. When border measures 4 cm bind off all sts in 2x2 Ribbing. Sew on buttons.