Pattern description from Interweave Knits, Spring 2006: “Everyone loves the comfort of a hoodie, so Theresa Schabes has reworked the traditional sweatshirt style into a refined form-fitted cardigan. The easy-to-memorize openwork rib is made from dropped stitches, a fun way to put holes in your knitting. Functional sterling silver-plated zippers add a hint of sheen to the creamy cotton/acrylic yarn. Unzip the short zippers inset in the sleeves for flair at the cuffs.”

Finished Size: 34 (36, 40½, 45, 49)“ (86.5 91.5, 103, 114.5, 124.5 cm) bust/chest circumference. Note: This garment is styled with minimal wearing ease for a close, body-conscious fit.

Yarn: GGH Samoa (50% cotton, 50% acrylic; 104 yd 95m/50 g): #04 cream, 10 (11, 13, 14, 15) balls. Yarn distributed by Muench Yarns.

Needles: Sizes 9 (5.5 mm) and 7 (4.5 mm). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions: Stitch holders; tapestry needle; marker (m); two 20” (51-cm) separating zippers (one each for center front and hood); two manufactured by Riri, available from www.fashionsewing.com); sharp-point sewing needle and matching thread for attaching zippers.

Notes from Interweave Knits, Spring 2006:

• “The drop-stitch patterns require a multiple of 8 sts plus 2 or 6 for the cast-on, but stitch counts will vary within each pattern as noted in the Stitch Guide. To make it more convenient to count the stitches for this project, the stitches to be dropped are not included in the stitch counts of the cardigan directions that follow. Count each knit or purl column in the garment as 2 stitches, even if a column contains an increased center stitch that will be dropped later.”

• “When decreasing or binding off, drop any stitches that would have been dropped later, even if the shaping takes place on a row where you would not normally drop stitches. when decreasing, make sure you are working together only stitches that count toward the total (see above), and drop a stitch as needed to avoid working it as part of the decrease. When binding off, after dropping a drop stitch, insert the left needle time under the top strand of the dropped stitch from front to back, knit the lifted strand through the back loop, and then bind it off.”

• “Do not count the bound-off lifted strand towards the total number of stitches to be bound off.”