Classic Men's V-Neck Cardigan

Sport Weight • Set-in Sleeves • Bottom-Up Flat

MATERIALS

• Sport weight yarn: 1600 (1800, 2000, 2200, 2400) yd / 1460 (1650, 1830, 2010, 2190) m
• US 3 / 3.25 mm straight or circular needles (ribbing)
• US 5 / 3.75 mm straight or circular needles (main fabric)
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
• 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) buttons, ¾" / 19 mm diameter

GAUGE

24 sts and 32 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on US 5 / 3.75 mm needles after blocking.
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.

SIZES

Men’s S (M, L, XL, XXL)
Finished chest circumference (buttoned): 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)" / 91.5 (101.5, 112, 122, 132) cm
To fit chest: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)" / 86.5 (96.5, 106.5, 117, 127) cm with approx. 2" / 5 cm positive ease
Shown in size L (44").
Back width: 18 (20, 22, 24, 26)" / 45.5 (51, 56, 61, 66) cm
Length from shoulder: 26 (26.5, 27, 27.5, 28)" / 66 (67.5, 68.5, 70, 71) cm
Cross-back (shoulder to shoulder): 14.5 (15.5, 16.5, 17.5, 18.5)" / 37 (39.5, 42, 44.5, 47) cm
Sleeve length to underarm: 18 (18.5, 19, 19.5, 20)" / 45.5 (47, 48.5, 49.5, 51) cm

ABBREVIATIONS

• BO = bind off
• CO = cast on
• dec = decrease
• k = knit
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• p = purl
• pm = place marker
• rem = remain(ing)
• RS = right side
• ssk = slip, slip, knit
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• St st = stockinette stitch (knit RS, purl WS)
• WS = wrong side

NOTES

• Cardigan is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up and seamed.
• 2×2 rib is worked as *k2, p2; rep from * (end k2 on even-st counts).
• When shaping, work decreases as follows:
  – Right edge (beg of RS row): k1, ssk.
  – Left edge (end of RS row): k2tog, k1.
• V-neck decreases are worked on neck edge only; armhole edge continues its own shaping until complete.
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise for a neat selvedge (optional but recommended for seaming).
• All measurements are taken after light blocking.
• Inline stitch checks appear as (count ✓).

BACK

With smaller needles, CO 108 (120, 132, 144, 156) sts.
Work 2×2 rib for 2.5" / 6.5 cm, ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures 16.5 (16.5, 17, 17, 17.5)" / 42 (42, 43, 43, 44.5) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape armholes
BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 100 (112, 122, 134, 144) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) times. 92 (102, 112, 122, 132) sts ✓.
Work even in St st until armhole measures 8.5 (9, 9.5, 10, 10.5)" / 21.5 (23, 24, 25.5, 26.5) cm, ending after a WS row.

Shape shoulders
BO 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts at beg of following 2 rows, then 8 (10, 11, 12, 13) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Place rem 44 (46, 50, 54, 58) sts on holder for back neck.
Shoulder width each side = 24 (28, 31, 34, 37) sts ✓.

FRONTS

Note: Both fronts are worked identically until V-neck shaping; neck decreases are mirrored.

Right Front

With smaller needles, CO 56 (62, 68, 74, 80) sts.
Work 2×2 rib for 2.5" / 6.5 cm, ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures same as Back to armhole, ending after a WS row.

Shape armhole (right front – armhole at beg of RS rows)
BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next RS row. 52 (58, 63, 69, 74) sts.
Purl 1 WS row.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge (beg of RS) every RS row 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) times. 48 (53, 58, 63, 68) sts ✓.
At the same time, when armhole measures 2 (2, 2.5, 2.5, 3)" / 5 (5, 6.5, 6.5, 7.5) cm, begin V-neck shaping.

Shape V-neck (right front – neck at end of RS rows)
Continue any remaining armhole decs, and dec 1 st at neck edge (end of RS) every RS row 18 (19, 21, 23, 25) times, then every other RS row 6 times.
When all armhole and neck decreases are complete: 24 (28, 31, 34, 37) sts ✓.
Work even until armhole matches Back armhole depth, ending after a WS row.

Shape shoulder
BO 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts at beg of next RS row, then 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) sts at beg of following RS row, then rem 8 (10, 11, 12, 13) sts on next RS row.

Left Front

Work as for Right Front, reversing all shaping:

• Armhole BO and decs occur at end of RS rows / beg of WS rows.
• V-neck decs occur at beg of RS rows (k1, ssk).
  Shoulder BO occurs on WS rows.

SLEEVES (make 2)

With smaller needles, CO 52 (56, 60, 64, 68) sts.
Work 2×2 rib for 2.5" / 6.5 cm, ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work 4 rows St st.

Shape sleeve
Inc 1 st each end of next RS row, then every 6th row 11 (12, 13, 14, 15) more times. 76 (82, 88, 94, 100) sts ✓.
Work even until sleeve measures 18 (18.5, 19, 19.5, 20)" / 45.5 (47, 48.5, 49.5, 51) cm from CO, ending after a WS row.

Shape sleeve cap
BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 68 (74, 78, 84, 88) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) times. 60 (64, 68, 72, 76) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every other RS row 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) times. 48 (52, 54, 58, 60) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) times. 40 (42, 44, 46, 48) sts.
BO 3 sts at beg of next 4 rows. 28 (30, 32, 34, 36) sts.
BO rem sts.

BUTTON_BANDS

Sew shoulder seams.

Button band (Right Front – no holes)
With smaller needles and RS facing, beg at lower Right Front edge, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along front edge to start of V-neck, then 1 st in every row along V-neck to shoulder, then knit across 44 (46, 50, 54, 58) back-neck sts from holder, then pick up symmetrically down Left Front V-neck and front edge.
Adjust pickup total if needed to a multiple of 4 + 2 for clean 2×2 rib.
Work 2×2 rib for 1.25" / 3 cm. BO loosely in rib.

Buttonhole band (Left Front)
Place 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) buttonhole markers on Left Front edge: first ½" / 1.5 cm above CO edge, last at start of V-neck shaping, remainder evenly spaced between.
With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up the same number of sts as for button band along Left Front edge only (from hem to start of V-neck).
Work 2×2 rib for ½" / 1.5 cm.
Next row (RS – buttonhole row): *Work in rib to marker, BO 2 sts; rep from * for each marker, work to end.
Next row: Work in rib, CO 2 sts over each BO gap.
Continue rib until band measures 1.25" / 3 cm. BO loosely in rib.

FINISHING

Set in sleeves, matching center of sleeve cap to shoulder seam and easing cap into armhole.
Sew side and sleeve seams.
Weave in all ends.
Block gently to measurements.
Sew buttons to Right Front band opposite buttonholes.