At first glance Metamorphosis Cardigan seen from the front may seem like a simple striped affair, but wait, why do the stripes on the front alternate? The color of one stripe on the left side of the button band lines up with a stripe of the other color on the right. The back reveals all: stripes change color in the center of the back, forming a pretty zig-zag pattern that reminds me of some of the changing patterns in the art work of M.C. Escher. Metamorphosis: an abrupt change, in this case from one color yarn to the next. Knit from the top down in a fingering weight yarn, Metamorphosis Cardigan is seamless and allows for plenty of playing with color.

If you like Metamorphosis Cardigan you might also like Metamorphosis Shawl, which has the same stripe pattern.

SIZE
XS (S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X) (shown in size S).

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust: 31.25 (35, 39, 43, 46.25, 51, 54.25) inches or 79.5 (89, 99, 110, 117.5, 129.5, 138) cm. Designed to be worn with 1-2 inches or 2.5-5cm of positive ease.
Length: 22 (22.5, 23.5, 24.5, 25, 25, 25) inches or 56 (57, 60, 62, 63.5, 63.5, 63.5) cm.

YARN USED TO MAKE CARDIGAN PICTURED
Malabrigo Sock 100% merino wool; 440yd/402m per 100g skein:
Main color MC: Ochre; 2 (2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4) skeins.
Contrasting color CC: Alcaucil; 1 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2) skeins.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Fingering weight yarn, amounts per size similar to amounts listed above for the cardigan pictured. Approximate yardage:
Main color: 790 (860, 1040, 1220, 1380, 1460, 1540) yds or 720 (790, 950, 1115, 1260, 1335, 1410) m.
Contrasting color: 310 (340, 410, 440, 490, 540, 590) yds or 285 (310, 375, 400, 450, 495, 540) m.
29-inch (or larger) US #4/3.5mm circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge.
1 set US #4/3.5mm double-point needles or same size as circular needle used.
6 stitch markers.
2 stitch holders or scrap yarn.
6 buttons with a diameter of approximately 0.75 inches or 2 cm.
Darning needle.

GAUGE
24 sts/36 rows = 4 x 4 inches (or 10 x 10 cm) in stockinette stitch after blocking.

TECHNIQUES
Knitting in the round, increasing and decreasing, buttonholes, picking up stitches.

PATTERN NOTES
The cardigan is knit from the top down, working back and forth on a circular needle with raglan increases. The sleeves are worked in the round on a set of double pointed needles.

At the center back, when you change from the MC to the CC yarn and vice versa, in order to prevent a gap from forming where you change colors you have to twist the yarn the way you do in intarsia knitting.