The arrival of spring always inspires me to knit leaf-patterns.
This year I also had a lovely skein of sport-weight yarn in green, the colour bursts spring and I had no doubt what to make of it.

So, here’s a new classic cardigan! The lovely lace embellishes the lower body, the fronts and cuffs.
The cardigan is worked bottom up and seamlessly. The raglan-shaping of the upper body ensures a great fit.
The button-bands are integrated in the knitting (some of my testers picked up sts for the button-bands in the end).

This pattern is tested by many testers and in all sizes.
It’s well worth looking at their beautiful projects.
The list of testers is found below (bottom of notes).

Sizes
Finished chest measurements are:
Size 1 – 3 months: 43 cm/17” / Size 2 – 6 months: 46 cm/18” / Size 3 – 9 months: 48.5 cm/19” / Size 4 – 1 year: 51.5 cm/20.25” / Size 5 – 18 months: 54.5 cm/21.5” / Size 6 – 18 months to 2 years: 57 cm/22.5” / Size 7 – 3 years: 60 cm/23.75” / Size 8 – 4 years: 63 cm/24.75”

Materials
Yarn: I recommend that you use a sport weight (or fingering weight) yarn with great stitch-definition. I used the sport weight yarn, ”Bouncy Sport,” from Martins Lab to work the cardigan. This yarn comes in skeins of 100 gr/3.53 oz and 300 meters/328yards. Of this specific yarn you will need 255/300/340/390/440/490/540/590 m = 280/330/370/425/480/535/590/645 yards.
Yardage may vary from knitter to knitter and from yarn to yarn. Needles: Choose needle size to obtain gauge. I used needle size 2.5 mm/US1.5, this is a suggestion only.
For the lower body you might use a circular or straight needles. For the upper body I recommend a circular needle. For the sleeves you might use a set of 5 DPNS or a circular needle (if working the magic loop). Notions: 8 removable stitch-markers, separate holders, cable-needle, waste-yarn, 8/9/10/11/13/13/14/14 buttons 12 – 13 mm/0.5” across, blunt tapestry needle, blocking tools.

Gauge
28 sts and 36-38 rows in stockinette sts = 10 x 10 cm/4 x 4”

The pattern
The pattern is tested by a large group of talented knitters.
The rib-and-lace pattern is charted, as well as written out.
There is a schematic. Measurements are given in cm’s as well as in inches.
Skill level: intermediate.
Techniques involved: working lace following written instructions or chart. Twisted sts. Decreases. Short-rows.

Thank you to all my lovely testers for sharing your skills with me: alaskanhoosier / alisoncuteknits / blakedennis / boarisch / breivrouwtje / carinaivellinge cemavi / ClassySassy / crumbgrubbers / ejmsasha / eswogger / eyenowhour / grankaG handbagcrazy / Jennifer865 / labedz / knitwitch47 / kostelnice / labedz / MaureenHD / patald2050 / sleepycreator / SKYSNOTHELIMIT / tastywench / Tirinella