CIDERSTONE
Sleeveless Cardigan with Shawl Collar in Worsted Weight Wool Yarn

Photos show size 2 (38 inch bust) in Aspen Heather #8011 and size 1 (36.5 inch bust) in Olive Heather #9448. Both vests were made with the contoured waist shaping option (see below).

Charts are used for the stitch pattern and, for ease of reference, there are separate charts for each size. There are comprehensive written instructions for all shapings and techniques.

The vest is knit in a chevron rib in one piece from the hem to the underarms and then the left front, right front and back are worked separately. There is an option for pockets. The pocket linings are made separately and then incorporated into the vest as it is worked. The buttonbands and shawl collar are worked onto vest in one piece from stitches picked up around edge stitches. The shaping of the shawl collar is created using German short rows. The shoulder slopes also use German short rows and then the shoulder seams are joined with 3-needle bind-off.

The pattern also has 2 waist options - contoured and straight. For contoured, stitches are decreased from hip to waist and then increased again for bust. For the straight waist, fewer stitches are decreased from hip to waist and the waist and bust are the same measurement all the way to the underarm. The chevron rib pattern has quite a bit of horizontal stretch and wet blocking is required to achieve finished measurements.

The vest can be made in 7 sizes with the following Finished Measurements (inches/cm):

Finished Bust: 36.5 (93), 38 (97), 39.75 (101), 43 (109), 46 (117), 49.25 (125), 52.5 (133)
Finished Hips: 38 (97), 39.5 (100), 41.25 (104), 44.5 (113), 47.75 (121), 51 (129), 54 (137)
Contoured Waist (optional): 35 (89), 36.5 (93), 38 (97), 41.5 (105), 44.5 (113), 47.75 (121), 51 (129)
Shoulder to Hem: 27 (68.5), 27 (68.5), 27.25 (69), 28 (71), 28 (71), 29 (73.5), 29 (73.5)
Underarm to Hem: 18 (46), 18 (46), 18 (46), 18 (46), 18 (46), 18 (46), 18 (46)
Armhole Depth: 8 (20.5), 8 (20.5), 8.25 (21), 9 (23), 9 (23), 10 (25.5), 10 (25.5)

Bust, hips and waist measurements include 1.5 inches (4 cm) for buttonband when closed. Suggested ease is 2 inches (5 cm) more than your actual bust size. Note that if contoured waist option is not chosen then waist and bust measurement will be the same. Length is measured from highest point of shoulder slope (i.e. at neck edge) to hem.

Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers (100g = 220 yds (200m)) OR other worsted weight yarn that produces gauge required

Yardage (yds/m): 990 (900), 990 (900), 1100 (1000), 1210 (1100), 1210 (1100), 1320 (1200), 1430 (1300)

Needles and Notions: 4.5mm (US7) circular (32 inch (80 cm) and longer for larger sizes) for body; 4.5mm (US7) for pocket linings; 4.5mm (US7) double-pointed needles (DPNs) for 3 needle bind-off; 4.0mm (US6) circular (at least 40 inch (100 cm) - longer is better) for hem and collar/buttonband; 4.0mm (US6) circular (16 to 20 inch (40 to 50 cm) - or DPNs or long circular for magic loop) for armhole ribbing; stitch holders and/or waste yarn; ring and hanging (locking) markers; 5 buttons (3/4 - 7/8 inch (20 - 22mm))

Gauge: 19-20 sts/24 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in chevron rib pattern on 4.5mm (US7) needles after wet blocking. If necessary, adjust needle size to obtain gauge. This rib stitch pattern has a lot of horizontal stretch and the vest has been designed to be blocked to achieve finished measurements.

Skills/Techniques Used

chevron rib pattern: knit and purl stitches

decreases: knit 2 together (k2tog), slip, slip, knit 2 together (ssk)

increases: knit into front and back of same stitch (kfb), make one knitwise slanting right (M1R), make one knitwise slanting left (M1L), make one purlwise slanting left (M1PL)

other: following charts, maintaining continuity of stitch pattern to account for shaping, German short rows (GSR), working in relation to markers, 3-needle bind-off, pockets, picking up edge stitches, buttonholes, wet blocking