Alder Cardigan is one of nine design of Leaves- The Sun and Fog Fall 2022 collection.

The play of light and shadow on alder leaves, the richness of their texture, the beauty both of the foliage of the alder tree as a whole and of each individual leaf inspired the design of this cardigan. The accent balloon sleeves are balanced with the comfortable straight lines of the body. Two types of ribbing and seed stitch add to the textural interest of the sweater. Wide sleeves with fitted cuffs - a favorite! - make it a great layering piece, and buttons allow it to be worn both open as a classic cardigan or buttoned as a pullover.

Alder Cardigan is knit seamless from the top down with raglan shaping. The button band is worked at the same time with the seed stitch body. Shoulders are completed in the seeded rib which flows into the patterned balloon sleeves. The sleeves feature traveling stitches and only require various increases and decreases for the stitch pattern.

Sizes

• A (B, C, D, E, F) (G, H, I, J, K)
• Finished chest 33.1 (36.2, 39.4, 42.5, 45.7, 48.8) (52, 55.1, 58.3, 61.4, 64.6)“ / 84 (92, 100, 108, 116, 124) (132, 140, 148, 156, 164)cm
• Sizes listed are actual finished sweater measurements
• Choose the size that is approximately 4” / 10cm larger than your chest circumference
• Shown in size D on a 37” / 94cm chest

Yarn

• DK from Knitted Wit (100% superwash merino, 280yds / 256m, 100g / 3.5oz), in color Black Magic
• OR 1185 (1235, 1400, 1455, 1635, 1680) (1750, 1940, 2000, 2140, 2240)yds / 1085 (1130, 1280, 1330, 1495, 1535) (1600, 1775, 1830, 1955, 2050)m of DK weight yarn
• Recommended: solid, semi-solid or kettle dyed to show more details of the stitch patterns

Needles and Gauge

• Swatch to determine needle size that helps to fit the gauge of 21sts and 36 rows in 4” / 10cm in Seed Stitch, blocked; needle size below are a suggestion
• US 6 / 4mm for the body
• Body: circular needles on 32” / 80cm cable or long single pointed needles
• Sleeves: circular needles for the magic loop method, a set of dpns, or other needles suitable for working small circles in the round

Construction

• The sweater is knit from the top down seamlessly with the raglan shaping.

• Two front sections and the back are worked in seed stitch, shoulders and built-in button band - in different types of ribbing.

• Once the sleeves are separated, the body is worked in one piece, flat. The hem is finished off with the seeded rib.

• The ribbing of the shoulders flows into the stitch pattern on the sleeves which are then knit straight in the round to wrists. Before the cuff, decreases are made to form the balloon shape. I used the magic loop method for knitting 2 sleeves at a time, but you can knit them one by one as well.