purlJam

Cabled Drop-Shoulder V-Neck Cardigan Women’s Intermediate Worsted-Weight Knitting Pattern

Sizes Women’s Small (Medium, Large, XL, 2XL) To fit bust 34–36 (38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52)" with 2½–4" positive ease. Finished bust (buttoned): 39½ (43, 47, 50½, 54)" Finished length: 23½ (24, 24½, 25, 25½)" Upper arm: 13½ (14½, 15½, 16½, 17½)"

Yarn Worsted weight yarn (approx 100 g / 200 yd): 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) skeins. Sample uses 100% wool worsted.

Needles US 8 / 5 mm circular needle 32" or longer (body) and dpns or small-circumference method (sleeves). US 7 / 4.5 mm circular needle 32" (bands and cuffs). Adjust needle size to obtain gauge.

Notions Stitch markers, cable needle, waste yarn or stitch holders, tapestry needle, six ¾" buttons.

Gauge 20 sts and 28 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Cable Pattern with larger needles, blocked. 19 sts and 28 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch. Take time to make a blocked gauge swatch in Cable Pattern; cables draw in.

Abbreviations (US) BO = bind off; CO = cast on; cn = cable needle; dec = decrease; inc = increase; k = knit; k2tog = knit 2 together; m1L = make 1 left (lift bar from front to back, k tbl); m1R = make 1 right (lift bar from back to front, k); p = purl; pm = place marker; rs = right side; sl = slip; ssk = slip-slip-knit; st(s) = stitch(es); St st = stockinette stitch; ws = wrong side; wyif = with yarn in front.

Stitch Patterns

Cable Panel (12 sts) Row 1 (RS): K12. Row 2 (WS): P12. Rows 3–4: Repeat Rows 1–2. Row 5 (RS): C12B (sl 6 sts to cn and hold at back, k6, k6 from cn). Row 6: P12. Rows 7–8: Repeat Rows 1–2. Repeat Rows 1–8 for pattern.

Cable Pattern (multiple of 18 sts) RS rows: *K6, work Cable Panel over next 12 sts; rep from * to end. WS rows: Work sts as they appear (p the knits, k the purls—i.e., p6, work Cable Panel WS). Maintain pattern as established when shaping; work incomplete repeats in St st.

1×1 Rib RS: *K1, p1; rep from *. WS: Work sts as they appear.

Notes

• Cardigan is worked top-down, seamless, drop-shoulder construction.
• Selvedge st at each front edge is worked in St st for clean pick-up.
• Pattern multiple is preserved after underarm join.
• When working short rows or partial panels, keep cables aligned from center back outward.
• Inline counts are validated with ✓.

──────────────────────────────────────── BACK With larger needle and long-tail CO, CO 28 (30, 30, 32, 32) sts. Row 1 (WS): Purl. Shape shoulders (drop-shoulder increases) Row 1 (RS): K1, m1R, work in St st (or begin establishing Cable Pattern when enough sts) to last st, m1L, k1. 2 sts inc. Row 2 (WS): Purl. Rep last 2 rows 20 (22, 24, 26, 28) more times. Sts after shoulder shaping: 28 + 2×21 (23, 25, 27, 29) = 70 (76, 80, 86, 90) sts ✓. Work even in Cable Pattern (center the repeats; work edge sts in St st) until piece measures 8½ (9, 9½, 10, 10½)" from CO, ending after a WS row. Place all back sts on waste yarn.

──────────────────────────────────────── LEFT FRONT With larger needle, CO 2 sts. Row 1 (WS): P2. Shape shoulder and V-neck simultaneously Row 1 (RS): K1, m1R, k1. 3 sts. Row 2 and all WS: Purl (work new sts into Cable Pattern as they become available; keep 1 selvedge st at neck edge in St st). Row 3 (RS): K1, m1R, knit to last st, m1L, k1. 2 sts inc (shoulder + neck). Continue working shoulder inc at armhole edge (beg of RS rows) every RS row 20 (22, 24, 26, 28) more times and, AT THE SAME TIME, V-neck inc at neck edge (end of RS rows) every other RS row (i.e., every 4th row) 17 (18, 19, 20, 21) more times. After all shoulder incs are complete you will have worked the same number of rows as the Back armhole depth. Final Left Front st count at underarm: 2 + 21 (23, 25, 27, 29) shoulder incs + 18 (19, 20, 21, 22) neck incs = 41 (44, 47, 50, 53) sts ✓. Work even (if needed) until armhole edge matches Back length, ending after a WS row. Place sts on waste yarn.

──────────────────────────────────────── RIGHT FRONT With larger needle, CO 2 sts. Row 1 (WS): P2. Shape shoulder and V-neck simultaneously (mirror) Row 1 (RS): K1, m1R, k1. Row 2: Purl. Row 3 (RS): K1, m1R, knit to last st, m1L, k1. Continue shoulder inc at armhole edge (end of RS rows) every RS row 20 (22, 24, 26, 28) more times and V-neck inc at neck edge (beg of RS rows) every other RS row 17 (18, 19, 20, 21) more times. Final Right Front st count: 41 (44, 47, 50, 53) sts ✓. Work even until armhole matches Back, ending after a WS row.

──────────────────────────────────────── JOIN BODY With larger circular needle, RS facing: Work across Right Front sts in Cable Pattern as established, CO 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts for underarm (using backward-loop or cable CO), work across Back sts in pattern, CO 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts for underarm, work across Left Front sts in pattern. Total body sts: 41+8+70+8+41 (44+9+76+9+44, 47+10+80+10+47, 50+11+86+11+50, 53+12+90+12+53) = 168 (182, 194, 208, 220) sts. Next row (WS): Work in pattern, purling the underarm CO sts and incorporating them into the 18-st repeat on subsequent rows by adjusting edge panels (add 2 (0, 4, 2, 4) extra St-st sts distributed at underarms on next RS to reach exact multiple). Adjusted body total: 198 (216, 234, 252, 270) sts ✓ (exactly 11 (12, 13, 14, 15) repeats of 18). Work even in Cable Pattern until body measures 14 (14, 14½, 14½, 15)" from underarm, or desired length to hem, ending after a WS row. Change to smaller needle. Work 1×1 Rib for 1½", ending after a WS row. BO loosely in rib.

──────────────────────────────────────── SLEEVES (make 2) With larger needles and RS facing, beg at center of underarm CO, pick up and knit 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts across underarm, then 60 (64, 68, 72, 76) sts evenly around armhole edge (approx 3 sts per 4 rows), then remaining 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) underarm sts. Total: 76 (82, 88, 94, 100) sts ✓. Pm for beg of rnd and join. Work in St st for 1". Dec rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 2 sts dec. Rep Dec rnd every 8th (7th, 6th, 6th, 5th) rnd 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) more times. Sts remain: 76−2×13 (14, 15, 16, 17) = 50 (54, 58, 62, 66) sts ✓. Work even until sleeve measures 17 (17½, 18, 18, 18½)" from pick-up, or 1½" short of desired length. Change to smaller needles. Work 1×1 Rib for 1½". BO loosely in rib.

──────────────────────────────────────── BUTTON BANDS Left Front Band (button band) With smaller circular needle and RS facing, beg at top of left front neck edge, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along left front edge to hem. Count: approximately 92 (94, 98, 100, 104) sts; adjust to odd number if needed for rib. Work 1×1 Rib for 1½", beginning and ending with k1 on RS. BO loosely in rib.

Right Front Band (buttonhole band) With smaller needle and RS facing, beg at hem, pick up and knit the same number of sts along right front edge to neck. Work 1×1 Rib for ¾". Buttonhole row (RS): Work 5 sts in rib, *yo, k2tog, work 14 (14, 15, 15, 16) sts in rib; rep from * 4 more times, yo, k2tog, work remaining sts in rib (6 buttonholes evenly spaced) ✓. Continue rib until band measures 1½". BO loosely in rib.

──────────────────────────────────────── FINISHING Weave in all ends. Block piece flat to finished measurements, pinning cables open and evening V-neck edges. Sew buttons to left band opposite buttonholes. Steam or wet-block sleeves if needed. Optional: work one rnd of slip-stitch crochet or picked-up I-cord around neck edge for a clean finish if desired.

Schematic Key Measurements (blocked)

• Bust: 39½ (43, 47, 50½, 54)"
• Back neck width: 5½ (6, 6, 6½, 6½)"
• Shoulder width (each): 7 (7½, 8, 8½, 9)"
• Armhole depth: 8½ (9, 9½, 10, 10½)"
• Body length from underarm: 15½ (15½, 16, 16, 16½)" (incl rib)
• Sleeve length to underarm: 18½ (19, 19½, 19½, 20)" (incl cuff)
• Upper arm: 13½ (14½, 15½, 16½, 17½)"

Enjoy your cabled drop-shoulder cardigan!