Cardigan with Lace Yoke

Size: US 8 / UK 12 / EU 38

550 g yarn (75% viscose, 25% microfiber, 126 yds/50 g); knitting needles US 7 and US 8 (4.5 mm and 5 mm), and 2 large buttons.

With contrast yarn cast on half of the required stitches.

Row 1: with working yarn * knit 1, yarn over *, repeat from * to *.

Row 2: * work yarn over knitwise, slip 1 stitch as if to purl with yarn in front *, repeat from * to *.

Row 3 and all following rows: * knit 1, slip 1 stitch as if to purl with yarn in front *, repeat from * to *.

Unravel the contrast yarn when the piece is finished.

Ribbing Pattern: * knit 1, purl 1 *, repeat.

Stockinette stitch: right side rows knit, wrong side rows purl.

Lace Pattern: number of stitches multiple of 17 + 2.

Work following the chart which shows only right side rows.

On wrong side rows work stitches as they appear, yarn overs purled.

Stockinette stitch, US 8 (5 mm) needles: 20 stitches x 29 rows = 4 x 4 in.

Lace pattern, US 8 (5 mm) needles: 17 stitches x 29 rows = 4 x 4 in.

With US 7 (4.5 mm) needles cast on 97 stitches and for the border work 4 rows Double Ribbing Pattern and 8 rows Ribbing Pattern.

Then with US 8 (5 mm) needles continue in stockinette stitch, increasing 1 stitch at the center.

After 14.5 in from the border work 2 pairs of pleats as follows:

1 pleat to the left: knit the first 17 stitches, on the next 9 stitches work 1 pleat to the left (= place 3 stitches on 1st auxiliary needle in front of work, next 3 stitches on 2nd auxiliary needle behind work, align 4th stitch with 3rd, 5th with 2nd, 6th with 1st stitch; knit together the 2nd and 5th stitches with the 8th stitch; knit together the 3rd and 4th stitches with the 9th stitch).

1 pleat to the right: on the next 9 stitches work 1 pleat to the right (place 3 stitches on 1st auxiliary needle behind work, next 3 stitches on 2nd auxiliary needle in front of work, align 6th stitch with 1st, 5th with 2nd, 4th with 3rd stitch; knit together the 7th stitch with the 6th and 1st stitches; knit together the 8th stitch with the 5th and 2nd stitches; knit together the 9th stitch with the 4th and 3rd stitches), then knit the following 26 stitches.

On the next 9 stitches work 1 pleat to the left, on the following 9 stitches work 1 pleat to the right, knit the last 17 stitches.

Work wrong side rows in purl.

From the next row continue in lace pattern.

After 5 in from the beginning of the lace pattern for the armholes bind off at both sides in every 2nd row 1 time 3 stitches and 2 times 1 stitch.

After 7 in from the beginning of the armholes bind off the remaining 62 stitches.

With US 7 (4.5 mm) needles cast on 49 stitches and work the border as for the back.

Then with US 8 (5 mm) needles continue in stockinette stitch, increasing 1 stitch at the center.

After 14.5 in from the border work 1 pair of pleats as follows: knit the first 16 stitches, on the next 9 stitches work 1 pleat to the left, on the following 9 stitches work 1 pleat to the right, knit the last 16 stitches.

Work the return row in purl.

From the next row continue in lace pattern, finishing the row with 2 edge stitches.

After 5 in from the beginning of the lace pattern shape the armhole at the left edge as for the back.

After 6 in from the beginning of the lace pattern for the neckline bind off at the right edge in every 2nd row 1 time 5 stitches, 1 time 3 stitches, 3 times 2 stitches and 3 times 1 stitch.

After 6.5 in from the beginning of the neckline bind off the remaining 16 stitches for the shoulder.

Left Front: work symmetrically to the right front.

With US 7 (4.5 mm) needles cast on 31 stitches and for the border work 4 rows Double Ribbing Pattern and 20 rows Ribbing Pattern.

Then with US 8 (5 mm) needles continue in lace pattern, evenly increasing 3 stitches in the 1st row.

At both edges increase 1 stitch every 10th row 10 times.

After 14.5 in from the border for the sleeve cap bind off at both edges in every 2nd row 1 time 3 stitches and 15 times 1 stitch.

After 4.5 in from the beginning of the sleeve cap bind off the remaining 20 stitches.

With US 7 (4.5 mm) needles pick up 137 stitches along the edge of the right front and work in Ribbing Pattern.

In the 4th row make 2 buttonholes as follows: the 1st buttonhole at 13 in from the lower edge, the 2nd buttonhole 3.75 in above the previous one.

After 0.75 in from the beginning work 4 rows Double Ribbing Pattern and bind off all stitches.

Work the border of the left front in the same way, but without buttonholes.

Sew shoulder seams.

With US 7 (4.5 mm) needles pick up 131 stitches around the neckline including the short sides of the front bands and work the band as before, making 1 buttonhole in the 4th row after the first 4 stitches from the right front side.

Sew side seams, sleeve seams and set in sleeves.

Sew on buttons.